Africa’s Largest 737 MAX Fleet for Ethiopian

Africa’s Largest 737 MAX Fleet for Ethiopian

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) – July 16, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Ethiopian Airlines, the Largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, is proud to announce that it has taken delivery of the largest B737 MAX fleet in the Continent on July 2, 2018.

The B737 MAX 8 features the new Boeing sky interior, highlighted by modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting that enhance the sense of spaciousness ultimately boosting customers’ experience. The environmentally friendly aircraft has a minimal carbon emission and consumes 15% less fuel than the 737-NG.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said, “It is an immense honor for all of us at Ethiopian to reach this milestone a few days after we colorfully marked our 100 fleet milestone and the latest acquisition is an affirmation of our continuing pioneering role in African aviation and the successful implementation of our fast, profitable and sustainable growth plan, Vision 2025. Today, We are glad to include the B737 MAX 8, the latest in Boeing’s singleaisle series, in our young and modern fleet family with an average age of less than 5 years.

As a customer-centric airline with a high adaptability to emerging technologies, we have been pioneering Africa’s aviation with latest-technology fleet throughout our 72 years history. In line with our growth targets under Vision 2025, we will keep on investing in further expansion of our fleet an in acquiring the latest aircraft the industry has to offer.”

With this delivery of the new ultra-modern aircraft, Ethiopian’s fleet of Boeing airplanes grows to 73 jets, including the 787 Dreamliner, 777, 737 MAX, and the 757 and 767.

“Ethiopian Airlines continues to fly at the forefront of Africa’s commercial aviation industry by operating the most advanced airplanes,” said Marty Bentrott, Boeing Sales vice president for Middle East, Turkey, Russia, Central Asia & Africa. “We are honored by Ethiopian’s continuing confidence in Boeing airplanes and we look forward to growing our five-decade long partnership.”

About Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 110 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with eight business centers: Ethiopian Regional Services; Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering; Ethiopian Ground Services and Ethiopian Airports Services. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.

For more information, please contact:
Mrs. Aniley Eshetu
A/Manager Corporate Communications, Ethiopian Airlines
Tel 🙁 251-1)517-89-07/656/165/913/529
CorporateCommunication@ethiopianairlines.com
www.ethiopianairlines.com

Yachtside, the Definitive Luxury Yacht Charter Resource

Yachtside, the Definitive Luxury Yacht Charter Resource

Phuket (Thailand) – July 14, 2018 (travelindex.com) – How to build a Yacht Charter Global Digital platform for Individuals to assist, facilitate, with wide Choice & High-Standard Service ? With Immediate booking & Large fleet Yachtside label with +150 Yachts available.

Not just another one of the many digital companies out there’ trying to conquer the Charter Yacht market, Yachtside Charter is above all a professional charter brokerage company whose founders total more than 40 years of experience in Yachting.

Other digital platforms only offer access to technology without actually taking into account the technical and administrative constraints that only a professional structure powered by humans can provide

So what does YACHTSIDE Charter bring to the table?
The accessibility in 1 click to all available yachts in the fleet in real time while maintaining the human contact with a charter broker professional that will answer all your questions via live chat or by telephone.
– YACHTSIDE Charter has a revolutionary comparative algorithm built into the platform to help the client compare and visualize the yachts on offer like never before.
– Instant quotation and pricing offered in several currencies to know exactly what the cost will be.
– High quality video presentation of the yachts on offer to help ease any doubts a client may have.
– Receiving an easy to complete e-charter agreement that can be validated with 1 click.
– As Easy As Booking An Hotel Room Online.

YACHTSIDE Charter’s differences and benefits
With YACHTSIDE Charter makes comparing, booking and managing private yacht charters easier than ever before.

Our experience of Private Charter Yacht has allowed us to create a tool that guarantees:

– Quality label
With MYBA & MCA standards All professionals to join the CharterYacht Web-app are audited by an surveyor and are obliged to satisfy drastic specifications in which, in addition to the business itself, each of its products and services is audited prior to approval.

– Access to professionals 24 h / 7 Days with Human contact preserved
For us, the digitizing luxury does not mean reducing the level of excellence brought by human service, CharterYacht Web-app has combined its strong human and operational experience with the transition to digital, offering you the guarantee of an immediate, efficient, luxurious and personalized service.

– PRICE MATCH GUARANTEE with instant quotation
Who says top quality and great value can’t go hand in hand ? At CharterYacht Web-app you can rest at ease enjoying daily competitive rates

– Large choice
Start with a fleet of around 150 Yachts, offering a wide choice of very recent, high spec models under a strict quality control to ensure only the best for our clients.

For more information, please visit Yachtsidecharter.com or PowerYachting.com

Best Western’s Behind The Brands Series Takes Closer Look at its Dual-Branded Concepts

Best Western’s Behind The Brands Series Takes Closer Look at its Dual-Branded Concepts

Phoenix, Arizona (United States) – July 12, 2018 (travelindex) – Following Best Western’s launch of the “Today’s Best Western” campaign and its “Behind the Brands” series, the company is this month highlighting its thriving dual-branded hotel concepts. Best Western Hotels and Resorts’ dual-branded concepts pair BW’s extended-stay hotel brand – Executive Residency by Best Western – with one of its other leading hotel brands – enabling guests to experience the benefits of two Best Western brands under one roof. Integrating two types of accommodations also appeals today’s developers as it provides a unique, flexible property that fits within various different market segments.

Launched in 2016, Executive Residency by Best Western is an upper-midscale brand that offers the perfect combination of hotel and home for an enriching extended stay experience under the iconic Best Western brand name.

The company has successfully combined its Executive Residency by Best Western brand with its upper-midscale Best Western Plus® brand and the upscale Best Western Premier® brand. The hotels offer a minimum of 40 percent extended-stay studios and suites and typically share a lobby, as well as food and beverage venues, a fitness center, an outdoor pool and communal areas.

“We are excited to continue our ‘Behind the Brands’ series with an overview of our dual-branded concepts, as these hotels are a reflection of today’s Best Western and our evolution of brand offerings,” said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “Our dual-branded hotels are designed to lead the industry by supplying business and leisure travelers with everything they need, while also providing a unique hotel offering for developers seeking best-in-class properties for competitive market segments.”

Best Western currently has dual-branded hotels in Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, India and Kenya, with 32 more hotels in the pipeline.

Enjoying an extended vacation or business trip with Executive Residency by Best Western is even more rewarding this summer with Best Western Rewards®, the company’s award-winning loyalty program. Members can Go.Get.Rewarded® with a $20 Best Western Travel Card® after their first completed stay now through September 3, 2018.

Click here to watch a video about the Executive Residency by Best Western in Baytown, Texas by influencer Chet Garner. Chet is a Texan, BBQ-connoisseur, and above all, a passionate traveler. As creator, producer and host of the 5-time Emmy winning show, The DayTripper, you can always find Chet at Best Western branded hotels around the country for work and play.

For more information on Best Western Hotels & Resorts, please visit BestWestern.com

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 11 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western; as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 66 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2018, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, and Fast Company honoring Best Western Hotels & Resorts with a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality category. Best Western has also won nine consecutive AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA/CAA’s nearly 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 35 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western-branded hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Google® Street View provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.
* All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Kelly Dalton
Senior Director, Communications
Kelly.Dalton@BestWestern.com
Samantha Jacobs or Jennifer Rosa
Hemsworth Communications
BestWesternPR@HemsworthCommunications.com

Discover Bali’s Natural and Cultural Landscapes with Photo Tour

Discover Bali’s Natural and Cultural Landscapes with Photo Tour

Bali (Indonesia) – July 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – For photographers who want to improve their photography and writing skills; and writers who want to improve their writing and photography skills. Enigmatic Bali is an international travel destination that has long mesmerized curious visitors from abroad, including writers and photographers from around the globe over the last century.

Now there is the opportunity to take part in a unique, exclusive, fully escorted, supported and guided tour for photographers and writers, visiting the best landscapes and seascapes in Bali, with knowledgeable local guides and a professional photographer and professional writer taking you to the most photogenic and storied places in Bali, newly scouted locations and vantage points, iconic places and off-the beaten-track destinations including long sandy beaches, deep hidden waterfalls, ancient seaside and lakeside temples, stunning sunrises over volcanoes, World Heritage-listed rice terraces, and local markets, with expert tuition and guidance.

Dates: 19-24 October 2018 (Friday to Wednesday)
Days/nights: 5 nights/6 days
Arriving/Departing: Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai International Airport airport (DPS), Bali
Max number of participants: 12
Start time/finish time: 2pm Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport Friday 19 October/7pm Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport (or Ubud) Wednesday 24 October

The tour is scheduled to allow participants to take part in the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 24-28 October which starts at the conclusion of the tour, an event which attracts over 150 writers, artists, and thinkers from around the world (extra).

Highlights: sunrise in Sanur, sunset at Tanah Lot, iconic Ulun Danu Bratan at first light, jungle waterfalls, rice terraces and volcanoes, ancient temples with traditional ceremonies and colourful performances, local markets, rural Balinese life and some quirky secret locations.

Experts
Photography Guide: David Van Driessche – a professional photographer, specialising in travel, landscape and portrait photography, based in Bangkok, running photography tours to remote places in Asia

Writing mentor: Keith Lyons – an award-winning New Zealand writer, author and creative writing teacher, based each winter in Bali.

Book now:

Contact information:
Reservations: Nudplee Hamundee
Expeditions in Photography
www.expeditionsinphotography.com
TH Office: Asia 4 You co Ltd, 14/4 Onnut 53 Yeek 1-7
Ket Praweth Bangkok
Reservations Tel: +6623212973
Email: hotelfiles@gmail.com

China Will Show the Way on Climate Resilient Travel and Tourism, Lipman

China Will Show the Way on Climate Resilient Travel and Tourism, Lipman

Jilin (China) – July 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Paris clock keeps ticking and we need bold imaginative actions to respond, Professor Geoffrey Lipman said in his keynote remarks. “The China Summer Tourism Program exactly meets that need, encouraging travel to areas like Jilin, where climate extremes are less intensive and where local populations will benefit from the economic uplift. At the same time, focusing on best practice solutions to the greening of transport, hospitality and especially the visitor food chain.

Lipman said that this kind of action is in stark contrast to the Trump Administration’s attack on the multilaterally agreed Paris framework, which he called “Declaring war on our Grandkids – which we must resist” He said that scientists suggest that on current performance, we are heading to a 3 degree increase in pre-industrial global temperatures, in contrast to the Paris base of 2 degrees.

He added that “Travel & Tourism is behind the response curve, with some subsectors, like aviation needing major shifts to bring their carbon footprint into line – we need to face up to the stark realities of Climate Change and begin adaptation now.”

On a positive note he referenced a recent Club of Rome Report “Come On”, which said that with collaboration, commitment and full use of new technology we could still meet the Paris optimism scenario.

Lipman outlined the SUNx Program – a legacy to Maurice Strong, Sustainable Development pioneer and champion of China’s leadership in this area – to place a cloud connected Climate Resilience learning and innovation Centre in every country by 2030, with 100,000 climate activists to advance innovative solutions. Travel & Tourism is a pivotal part of the human development agenda, and it is essential that we play a leadership role in the transformation to a new climate resilient economy.

Concluding, he called for a paradigm shift in tourism systems, through Impact-Travel ~ measured to manage: green to grow:2050 proof to innovate. Lipman said that “For our sector to play its full part in the transformation, we must act now. Tomorrow will be too late.”.

Professor Geoffrey Lipman is co-founder of SUNx and President of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)

Professor Geoffrey Lipman
SUNx Founder
glipman@thesunprogram.com
www.thesunprogram.com

Ethiopian Airlines to Resume Flights to Asmara

Ethiopian Airlines says will resume flights to Eritrea's capital Asmara

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) – 10 July 2018 – July 10, 2018 (travelindex) – Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, is pleased to announce that it has finalized preparations to resume daily flights to Asmara, Eritrea on 17 July 2018 with the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft, the Boeing 787. This follows agreements reached in Asmara between H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and President H.E. Isaias Afewerki of the State of Eritrea.

The flights will be operated on a daily basis leaving Addis Ababa at 9:00 and the returning flight leaving Asmara at 11:00. For mor

Regarding the resumption of flights to Eritrea’s capital, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam said:

“We at Ethiopian feel an immense honor and joy to resume scheduled flights to Asmara after 20 years, following the visit to Eritrea by H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. With the opening of a new chapter of peace and friendship between the two sisterly countries, we look forward to starting flights to Asmara with the B787, the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft, which gives customers unparalleled on-board comfort.

The resumption of air links will play a critical role in boosting the overall political, economic, trade and people-to-people ties between the two sisterly countries.

Thanks to Ethiopian extensive network of more than 114 international destinations in 5 continents, our flights to Asmara will avail best connectivity options to the vast Eritrean Diaspora Community across the world and will boost the flow of investment, trade and tourism into Eritrea.

Very quickly, we plan to operate multiple daily service and to start cargo flights in view of the huge market potential between the two sisterly countries.”

Asmara is the capital and the largest city of Eritrea and is situated in Eritrea’s central Maekel Region. It is home to the Eritrean National Museum and is known for its early 20th-century buildings including the Art Deco Cinema Impero, one of the world’s finest examples of Art Déco style building, Cubist Africa Pension, eclectic Orthodox Cathedral and former Opera House, the futurist Fiat Tagliero Building, the neo-Romanesque Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, neoclassical Governor’s Palace and much more.

About Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 110 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with eight business centers: Ethiopian Regional Services; Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering; Ethiopian Ground Services and Ethiopian Airports Services. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.

For more information about this press releas about this press releas about this press releas about this press releas, please contact:
Mrs. Aniley Eshetu
A/Manager Corporate Communications, Ethiopian Airlines
Tel 🙁 251-1)517-89-07/656/165/913/529
CorporateCommunication@ethiopianairlines.com
www.ethiopianairlines.com

Discover Asia with Best Western, Stay Two Nights and Get One Free

Discover Asia with Best Western, Stay Two Nights and Get One Free

Bangkok (Thailand) – July 9, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels and Resorts is offering a tempting promotion in Asia. Guests who book two consecutive nights at participating hotels in Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos and Malaysia can now get a third night completely FREE!*

From the beaches of Bali to the bright lights of Bangkok, the skyscrapers of Tokyo to the temples of Yangon, Best Western has the perfect hotel for travelers’ next Asian discovery, making it easy for them to plan their next adventure today! The Discover Asia promotion is valid for bookings made online via the Best Western website.

This offer runs from now until 31 December 2018.

For more information and reservations, please visit www.bestwesternhotelasia.com/offers/promotions/discover-asia

Additional benefits include:
– Best available rate guarantee.
– Automatic points for Best Western Rewards® members.
– Complimentary in-room Wi-Fi.
*Terms and conditions apply

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 11 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western; as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 66 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2018, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, and Fast Company honoring Best Western Hotels & Resorts with a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality category. Best Western has also won nine consecutive AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA/CAA’s nearly 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 35 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western-branded hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Google® Street View provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.
* All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Marketing Communications Department
Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia
Tel: +66 2 656 1260
Sirimanas Maungrod
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com
Orapan Sornnuwat
Email: orapan.sornnuwat@bestwestern.com

Survival Guide for the Age of Exponentials

Survival Guide for the Age of Exponentials

Bangkok (Thailand) – July 4, 2018 (travelindex.com) – “We can no longer judge future performance from the past experiences,” Jeffrey Rogers, Director of Singularity University’s Faculty Development, announced on the first day of SingularityU Thailand Summit. The statement went against everything we knew – of action and repercussion, of causality, of the way the world operates. After two days of intense discussions and talks, we learned that the statement was only the beginning.

To say the world is moving at a fast pace is perhaps an understatement. “Our brains are not wired to perceive the change of pace in the world right now,” said Peter Diamondis, Singularity University’s Co-founder and Chairman, “It leads to conflict, because the story we see is no longer a linear narrative”. To guide everyone through the new era, here are the six things industry leaders, inventors, economists, and scientists told us at the SingularityU Thailand Summit 2018.

1. Moore’s law, demonetization, and other ways we democratize technology
From the birth of the internet to the commercialised DNA sequencing, technology has been grabbing us at the faster and cheaper rate. The often-cited Moore’s law has been widely interpreted to explain the phenomena; the more people using the technology, the cheaper the technology will get.

“The future of AI is the future of democratization where everyone has a super powerful AI in our pockets” said Ramez Naam of Singularity University’s Energy and Environmental Systems Faculty.

2. Innovation ≠ Disruption: the top two buzzwords you got wrong
If you have been reading any articles that involve technology, business, or industry, you cannot escape the buzzwords of the hour; Innovation and Disruption. For many, the two is used almost interchangeably, and for the most part, it almost makes sense; when you create an innovation, you cause disruption, and vice versa. However, as Bohdanna Kesala, Fine Arts artist and Director of Singularity University’s International Summits, would tell you, the two words are a world apart.

“Innovation means doing the same thing but a little bit better,” She said, referencing the famous artists contemporary to Van Gogh, “Disruption means doing something that makes the old thing obsolete”

The definitions rang true in other observations. In his “Spice and Ice” talk, David Roberts of Singularity University’s Faculty of Innovation and Disruption used an example of Fredic Tudor’s Sawdust-insulated ship as an innovation that allowed ice to be shipped to a long distance, while the fall of spice trade with the emergence of ice trade as the disruption, as ice became the preferred method for food preservation.

3. You’ll never see it coming
“The most disruptive companies never disrupt the space they’re currently in,” said Naam,
“They usually disrupt somebody else’s space”

One of the most cited examples had been the case of Apple, the computer company that disrupted the music industry. With the introduction of iPod and iTunes service, Apple disrupted the way we listened to music – from Sony’s then-revolutionary Walkman that can play tape or CD on the go, to iPod that can hold hundreds of mp3 songs in a smaller player. The new way of buying music per song also partly led to the new era of music streaming – something Steven Johnson , a media theorist called “The adjacent possible”, referring to “a kind of shadow future, hovering on the edges of the present state of things, a map of all the ways in which the present can reinvent itself”

4. AI is not killing jobs, consensus is
In talks of technology and its exponential advancement, one of the questions that inevitably came up at the table is this; will AI take all our jobs? While the answer from the futurists may not surprise you, one of their reasons will – your job is already killing itself, or rather, the bureaucracy in which the job system inhabits is.

In the more deliberate sense, it is more about acquiring consensus that is rendering your job obsolete. “If you want to stop an innovation, create a committee around it,” said Naam. This was not the case of the new economy either, as Naam compared between China and Europe in the ancient time, with China as a highly-organized bureaucratic society, and Europe as an eclectic clutter of cultures. From the disarray of ideas, Europe came through with the cultivating, crossing, and combining of doctrines and was able to develop quick cycles of experimentations, and emerged successful centuries after.

In the new economy, autonomy has been the key focus in the work culture, especially in the areas where creativity is needed. Providing autonomy and safe space to experiment has become the pivot of many new company models to foster new innovation, and consequently, increasing the chance to survive.

5. No tech is an island: Compounded technologies and network effects
While autonomy is needed in the process of nurturing innovation, cross-breeding between different fields of technologies is obligatory for meaningful disruption. Roberts gave a simple example, “It used to be that you put electricity to a thing and it becomes an innovation,” he said, referencing products from electric razor, to electric cars, “Now, it’s AI”

While that may be true, with AI merging into various aspects of human-facing technologies, from Tesla’s machine-learning cars, to smart assistants, AI is not all there is. Dr. Daniel Kraft, Singularity University’s Chair of Medicine and Neuroscience, showed an example of artificial heart muscle that simulates the pumping of blood at a natural place, produced in collaboration of doctors, material manufacturers, and 3D printing technology – an example of a union that could put forward the development of human’s well-being and society.

At the same time, for commercialized technology, network effects played the decisive factor to the fate of the business. Naam cited the likes of Uber and AirBnB as the successful use cases of the effect, “You can copy the app, but not the network of its users”

6. Technology is at its worst right now
We’re living in the best of time, and we’re living in the worst of time. Because, as inventors agreed, the technology, even the best and most advanced form of it that we are using right now, will be its worst version.

“Disruption often arrives worse than what’s existing,” said Roberts, “It’s when people aren’t looking, that it begins to grow”

About Singularity U Summits
SingularityU Summits are two-day conferences held around the world to help local leaders understand how exponential technologies can be used to create positive change and economic growth in their region. Summits become an annual point of contact and inspiration for the local community, a catalyst to accelerate a local culture of innovation, and an opportunity to highlight breakthrough technologies, startups and ideas. SingularityU Summits are attended by the general public, government officials, entrepreneurs, investors, NGOs, impact partners, and educators, and may include educational tracks for government and youth.

About Singularity University
Singularity University (“SU”) is a global learning and innovation community using exponential technologies to tackle the world’s biggest challenges and build an abundant future for all.

Our collaborative platform empowers individuals and organizations to learn, connect, and innovate breakthrough solutions using accelerating technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital biology. Our offerings include educational programs, conferences, innovation workshops, corporate and startup accelerators, social impact programs and online news and content.

Our global community spans more than 110 countries, and includes entrepreneurs, corporations, development organizations, governments, investors and academic institutions. With more than 370 impact initiatives, the SU community is driving positive change in the areas of health, environment, security, education, energy, food, prosperity, water, space, disaster resilience, shelter and governance.

A certified benefit corporation, SU was founded in 2008 by renowned innovators Ray Kurzweil and Peter Diamandis, and is partnered with leading organizations such as Google, Deloitte, Genentech, and UNICEF. SU is headquartered at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley.

About Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd.
The SingularityU Thailand Summit is brought to Bangkok, Thailand, by Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. is an organization aiming to push forward Thailand’s potential for growth beyond existing economic models and social development. We want to share our experiences and arrange seminars to prepare for exponential change that will affect all sectors, including business industry, society and the community.

Digi.Travel 3rd Conference & Expo, a Huge Success

Digi.Travel 3rd Conference & Expo, a Huge Success

Bangkok (Thailand) – July 3, 2018 (travelindex.com) – On June 20, 2018, we met at the splendid Landmark Bangkok Hotel to discuss the hottest topics concerning everything digital in the travel industry and get in some quality networking.

From dawn till dusk, our speakers and panelists shared the newest insights in areas such as smart technologies and destinations, cross-border digital transactions, how disruption drives innovation and much more.

“Once more, everyone did their part and brought valuable information to the table. The spirit of sharing and collaboration we experienced at the Digi.travel conference this year was amazing, and we are more than looking forward to continuing our great work next year,” says Theodore Koumelis, Co-Founder of Travel Media Applications and owner of the Digi.travel World Events.

We take this moment to thank everyone who attended the event and made it fun, entertaining and informative. We thank our sponsors, Equnix Business Solutions, PT WebConnection.Asia, Move Ahead Media, Paypal Thailand Limited, Active Lifestyle Group, IFree Group East Malaysia and Compass Edge.

Of course, we also thank our Digi.travel Leaders 12Go Asia, Sure2Trips, Thai Airways and Jones Lang Lasalle as well as our official partners Midas PR Group, Asia Media News and David Barrett for their dedication and hard work!

Finally, another big ‘thank you’ goes to our session producers from the Pacific Asia Travel Association, HSMAI Asia Pacific and our Chairperson, Dr. Jutamas Jan Wisansing. Your contribution made this conference amazing!

“The quality of content shared at the event was outstanding. So were the attendees and management. Joining Digi.travel was a great way to share information we’ve gained at our company and in return hear our audience’s feedback as well as other panelist’s findings and opinions. All in all, everything was great, and I am already looking forward to the next Digi.travel event,” explains Michael Waitze, one of this year’s speakers.

Missed this year’s event? Don’t worry, we’ll be back next year, 19th June 2019, with another round of the Digi.travel Conference and Expo!

“The 3rd Digi.travel Conference and Expo was another wonderful event where everyone learned so much about the countless new digital trends in the travel and tourism industry. I am delighted to have been part of this conference and am looking forward to reconnecting with our community next year when it goes into its fourth round,” says Dr. Jutamas Jan Wisansing, Chairperson of the conference and the PATA Thailand Chapter.

Record International Tourist Arrivals for Mekong Countries

Record International Tourist Arrivals for Mekong Countries

Nakhon Phanom (Thailand) – July 8, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Year after year, the Greater Mekong Sub-region is attracting more travellers. 2017 was no exception with record numbers registered for the members of the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Total international visitors arrivals reached last year 61.2 million (excluding Chinese Provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan). This represented a jump of 11.7% over 2016. In 2016, total international arrivals to the GMS passed for the first time the 50-million mark to reach 54.76 million visitors.

Guangxi and Yunnan recorded some 9.5 million overseas visits in 2017 and if visitors from Hong Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei included into the total, the number of “international” visits topped 18.77 million last year. Yunnan has the largest share of recorded foreign visits at 6.68 million last year, up by 11.2%. Guangxi did not release to date the total number of foreign visits.

– Thailand
Thailand continues to have the largest market share of all international arrivals in the region. The Kingdom welcomed in 2017 close to 35.5 million visitors, a jump of 8.6% over 2016. Thailand market share shrunk slightly from 59.5% to 57.8% of all arrivals, a slight decrease due to the strong rise in international arrivals from Vietnam. Thailand retains however its lead and has the ambition to accommodate over 40 million travellers by the end of the decade. An ambitious program of upgrading airports and improve rail connectivity should help bringing more travellers to the Kingdom.

– Vietnam
Vietnam is consolidating its position as the GMS second largest inbound destination for international travellers. Total visitors arrivals reached last year 12.9 million, a jump of 29.1% over year 2016. This is due to a huge rise in total arrivals from China (+48.5%) but also to a more open visa policy from the government and, last but not least, to an increase in air connectivity. Many new international routes started from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang but also from secondary destinations such as Dalat, Haiphong, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.

– Cambodia
Cambodia is now the third largest inbound market of all GMS countries with over 5.6 million international visitors in 2017, a growth of almost 12% over 2016. Cambodia is targeting 7.5 million travellers by the end of the decade. While main destinations remain Siem Reap/ Angkor and Phnom Penh, new resorts along the Gulf of Siam are increasingly positioning Cambodia into a seaside destination with more international flights landing in Sihanoukville.

– Lao PDR
Lao PDR recorded last year a decline of 8.7% in total visitors’ arrivals, the equivalent of 3.87 million international travellers. The hosting of Visit Laos Year 2018 should invert the trend and let Laos seeing more visitors coming during the year. More flights connect these days Vientiane and Luang Prabang while by 2022, the country’s first high speed train connecting Vientiane to Kunming via Luang Prabang should boost arrivals, mostly from China.

– Myanmar
Myanmar managed to revert last year the decline in tourist arrivals experienced in 2016. Total international visitors’ arrivals grew by 18.4% allowing the country to pass again the 3- million mark. Yangon, the country’s largest international gateway saw arrivals growing by over 6%. Simplified visa formalities with the introduction of an e-visa for tourists should have a positive effect this year. The upgrading of Bagan and Inlay Lake airports to allow them to receive regional flights will certainly help boosting international arrivals in the years to come. China inbound gaining importance

The excellent performance of GMS countries is mostly due to the dynamic of the Chinese holiday market. Except for Lao PDR and Myanmar, China is now the number one inbound market in the region, generating alone 25.8% of all arrivals to the GMS in 2017.

Chinese travellers to Thailand is slowly approaching the 10-million mark (9.81 million in 2017, up 12% and a market share of 27.7% of all arrivals).
In Vietnam, Chinese arrivals jumped by 48% last year to reach 4.01 million, representing a market share of 31% of all arrivals to the country. Cambodia received 1.21 million Chinese travellers last year, although a jump of 45% over 2016. Chinese visitors represent now 21.6% of all arrivals.

While total visitors to Laos declined last year, China continued to grow. Total arrivals jumped by 17% equivalent to 639,000 visitors. China was actually the only large inbound source market for Laos to experience growth last year and representing 16.5% of all arrivals. Myanmar saw last year Chinese arrivals growing by 15.6% to pass for the first time the 200,000-visitors mark. China market share remains relatively small as it represents only 15.6% of all arrivals at international gateways (excluding one-day visitors’ movements at land borders).