Northstar

4 | www.travelweekly-asia.com 4 | www.travelweekly-asia.com INDUSTRY VOICES PHOTO CREDIT: MGTO Renaud Nicolle is vice president of business travel for Asia Pacific, based in Singapore, and is responsible for driving the overall success of Amadeus in the Asia Pacific business travel segment. Previously, he was responsible for the Specialty & Networks global accounts based in Madrid. In that role, Nicolle led the commercial strategy and management of the leading global networks and travel agency specialists across business and leisure travel. 13 7 12 CONTENTS 7 COVER STORY: INTEGRATED RESORTS Singapore and Macau up their game 12 DESTINATION: INDIA Easing into soothing Kerala 13 PRODUCT: WALKING TOURS Reaching further into Japan on foot 19 BEST OF GLOBAL WRAP The best of the news across Asia Pacific Ease Of Travel Technology Key To Winning Business The Global Business Travel Association estimates that the business travel market globally will reach US$1.6 trillion by 2020, and by 2025, business travel spending in Asia Pacific is expected to have doubled and account for half of the world's total spend. However, with the rise of new technologies, the business travel environment is changing, and business travel agencies must adapt to deliver a service that helps customers and travellers get the most out of business travel. Corporations are looking for a partner that can provide the right travel options to their employees within the company's policies, while optimising return on investment (ROI) and ensuring duty of care. On the other hand, business travellers want personalised, connected, reliable and seamless experiences. Technology can serve the best interest of all three parties: Competitive differentiator for business travel agencies Business travel agents manage huge amounts of content, however this is fragmented across various platforms, which is inefficient. To address this, Amadeus is aggregating relevant content into a single platform, so that business travel agents can access content efficiently. They'll have a one- stop shop access to shop and book content when and where the traveller needs it. This in turn will deliver better experiences to business travellers because they can create a tailored experience right from point of booking. Potential to deliver greater ROI Business travel is becoming an increasingly large part of people's careers. In fact, corporate booking policies are becoming a means to attract and retain talent. Our research found that almost half (44%) of all professionals would leave a job due to a poor travel policy, while half (50%) said that a company's travel policy would impact their decision to accept a job. At the same time, poor business travel spend management can lead to cost and productivity inefficiencies and limited strategic oversight of travel management. Travel and Expense (T&E) is the second largest indirect spend for many corporations, but quantifying the value of business travel remains a challenge. To help, corporations can use technologies like travel analytics, which offer tools to manage travel programmes effectively, giving greater visibility and control, driving savings and increasing ROI. However, legacy technology is an obstacle for any firm looking to streamline their processes. For T&E optimisation, information technology is the underlying enabler. Enhances business traveller experience Innovations in consumer travel have created a more demanding business traveller. Today they want choice, price transparency, personalisation, mobility and simplicity to enjoy stress-free and efficient experiences. The busy traveller needs technology that is easy to use, while being provided with access to content and control, and the ability to make changes on the go should anything go wrong. Ultimately, it is up to the agent to leverage technology to deliver on the needs of both corporations and travellers. Connecting the entire travel ecosystem and powering smarter business travel at every stage through technology is key to winning business. Above: Macau Grand Prix is an annual highlight. Left: A kettuvallam, or houseboat, cruises the backwaters of Kerala. Below: The Japanese coastal down of Hagi. PHOTO CREDIT: ATJ PHOTO CREDIT: WALK JAPAN

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