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TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA O F F I C I A L D A I L I E S www.travelweekly-asia.com 4 26 October 2017 For Muslim millennials, travel is about personal growth, new experiences and bonding with family and friends." – AISHA ISLAM, VICE-PRESIDENT, CORE AND DIGITAL PRODUCTS (INDONESIA, MALAYSIA AND BRUNEI), MASTERCARD. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1. accommodation are their biggest considerations, followed by safety and terrorism concerns and the availability of halal food. The hospitality of locals and the presence of Islamophobia in destinations were also important considerations when making travel plans. In a post-Brexit, Trumpian world, MMT women were naturally more concerned about safety and security than men. Aisha Islam, vice-president, Core & Digital Products, Indonesia, Malaysia & Brunei Division, Mastercard said, "For Muslim millennials, travel is more than just a vacation, it is often viewed as an opportunity for personal growth and development, to seek new experiences and for bonding with family and friends. "Service providers looking to tap into this segment need to understand their relationship with travel and what they value – such as authenticity, affordability and accessibility, as revealed in our research – while ensuring that they also cater to their faith-based needs and requirements," she said. The most striking feature of MMTs is their adaptability; as long as their basic religious needs are being met, their expectations mirror the broader millennial market, explained Bahardeen. These needs include the availability of and proximity to halal food options, mosques and prayer facilities and water-friendly facilities. "There is no doubt that all eyes from all parts of the tourism sector should be on this market, which will drive spending on airfare, hotels and excursions," Bahardeen said. "The Muslim traveller market is growing rapidly as a highly lucrative segment in contemporary tourism as young Muslims are entering their peak earning, spending and traveling life stage in the next five to 10 years, he added." NOT JUST ARTIFICIAL, BUT AUGMENTED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1. BY LEE XIN HUI not just about artificial but 'augmented' intelligence, and it would inevitably impact every aspect of the travel industry. He added that one of the most significant benefits of 'augmented intelligence' is its ability to predict consumer wants and deliver results perfectly tailored to each. Other advantages include accurate, real-time pricing and personalisation at a scale that, for example, individual call-enter operators would be unable to achieve. AI helps companies understand customer intent, identity and context. This was what Rob Torres, managing director of Google Travel, identified as the largest benefit of this new technology. However, not everything can "go robotic", Torres added, as warmth, hospitality and human interaction are still needed. C ome November 7 to 9, join over 2,000 travel trade professionals for three days of engaging conversations and strategic networking at The Phocuswright Conference 2017. Taking place at The Diplomat Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, South Florida, the three-day conference is set to deliver a mix of "compelling content, top - -tier attendees and an electrifying atmosphere," says Pete Comeau, senior vice-president, Sales and PHOT0 CREDIT: HALALTRIP Register at www.phocuswrightconference. com/attend/pricing. Marketing, Phocuswright. During the conference, big names of the global travel industry will gather to share their perspectives on market dominance, growth strategies, and thoughts on further enhancing their travel products. On November 8 and 9, Phocuswright and Travel Weekly leaders will interview industry executives, including MakeMyTrip's co-founder and group CEO Deep Kalra, and Ctrip.com International CFO Cindy Wang. Siew Hoon Yeoh, editorial director of Northstar Travel Group Asia and the founder of Web In Travel, will also be leading an executive roundtable titled "The Next Big Thing". "We are here to bring you the future of the industry from the leaders who will make it happen," said Alicia Evanko, vice-president, Events, Northstar Travel Group. PHOCUSWRIGHT SHINES THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL Smaller companies looking to ride the AI wave should adopt Google's philosophy of 'test and learn'. They can partner up to enable them to compete, said Torres, and make use of the many open source products available. Ultimately, AI is about making computers more human – and we're already experts at that. One benefit of 'augmented intelligence' is its ability to predict consumer wants and deliver customised results." – MITCHELL YOUNG, GENERAL MANAGER (ASEAN), IBM.

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