Digital Travel APAC 2025 opened today, 11th August, at the One Farrer Hotel in Singapore's Little India district.
The event is currently being attended by more than 300 attendees from the fields of travel, tourism, commercial aviation, hospitality, and traveltech, seeking to gain insight on how contemporary technologies will make a difference in their respective sectors on both regional and global levels.
The event is divided into 33 talks, panels, and keynotes featuring some of the leading minds from both APAC and the rest of the world.
Digital Travel APAC 2025 is organised by WBR Singapore Pte Ltd, and Travel Daily Media is an official media partner.
Human connection lies at the core
Considering that the event's key focus is on technology, the various talks highlighted how human connection still lies at the heart of the global travel sector and related industries, especially with the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies.
In his opening remarks, conference chair and chief commercial officer of Archipelago Hospitality Chris Legaspi pointed out: "AI is no longer a side topic; it's in every corner of our industry from personalised recommendations to predictive pricing."
Legaspi cited a couple of examples to illustrate his point: Changi Airport's use of AI to optimise passenger flow throughout its terminals; and how the hospitality sector is using Ai-driven technologies to minimise food waste in their F&B operations.
As he put it: "This is progress that matters."
The need for trust and transparency
However, Legaspi was also quick to point out that rapid adoption of AI and related developments comes with a serious challenge: earning and keeping the public's trust.
He declared: "Research is clear. Transparency, data ethics, and human oversight are the foundations of AI trust in travel."
Attendees were challenged to think over the next couple of days to make AI visible, not invisible in their operations; to use it to enhance human judgement and not replace it.
Legaspi concluded by saying: "Be upfront about how and why AI is used. If we lead in this transparency, we'll not only win in terms of efficiency, but we'll win with regard to customer loyalty."
