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TourReview has launched two new features for online review management: Translation and Geolocation
In the world of tourism, the variety of languages and geolocations are crucial factors that drive the industry. TourReview ensures that these factors do not become an obstacle to effective online reputation management for tour operators. TourReview launches two new features for effective online reputation management for tour operators. The TourReview software allows instant translation of reviews extracted directly from customers or OTAs. The Review Master now features a geolocation analysis to see where the reviews are located, and how many reviews each country has, as well as being able to see immediately whether these reviews have been positive or negative. TourReview, the experts in online review management, have launched new features within their software that solve a niche problem for tour operators, the centralization and collection of verified reviews. Thus, TourReview proposes its two products to more efficiently achieve a positive online reputation. Now, when receiving a review and viewing it from the central panel of OTA reviews within the Review Master, a translation from any language to the browser settings can be displayed with just one click. This feature extends to the Review Collector, which collects the online reviews from the operator’s customers. On the other hand, TourReview offers a geolocation analysis service. This shows a map-like graphic that illustrates the location of the company's products (tours, experiences or activities) and allows you to observe the number of reviews for each location along with the satisfaction breakdown. This is especially useful for identifying the products and destinations with the most feedback, the best rated, highest attendance and therefore, the best sellers. “It is very useful for a tour operator to understand which products and destinations are having the highest satisfaction, and at the same time it is extremely important to know which of them should pay more attention to improve the score of the reviews,” explains Juana Muro, COO of TourReview, ”this way companies can offer better experiences to their travelers, providing quality services, improving their online reputation, and therefore increasing their sales.
Ctrip, Baidu offer translation for Chinese tourists
The language barrier discourages Chinese from travelling independently, Ctrip claims Ctrip has teamed up with Baidu, the Chinese search engine, to provide a new translation service for Chinese tourists abroad. Using Baidu's "optical character recognition" (OCR) technology, tourists can translate English content into Chinese by taking a photograph of the text via the Ctrip app. The service is said to be more accurate than inputting characters manually. According to a report by the China Tourism Academy and Ctrip, more than 62 million mainland Chinese travelled abroad in the first half of 2017, up 5% year-on-year. More than half (58%) of these were independent travellers, while 42% were on group tours. The language barrier is one of the main reasons that tourists choose group tours, according to Ctrip.
Web in Travel reveals APAC travel trends for 2026
Representative Image Web in Travel (WiT), Asia’s leading travel intelligence platform, has identified five key trends set to shape the Asia Pacific (APAC) travel landscape in 2026. Editor-in-Chief Siew Hoon Yeoh highlighted the rapid adoption of AI, the rise of secondary cities, and a focus on value-driven travel as pivotal changes in the region. AI is becoming integral to travel planning, with 58% of active travellers in key APAC markets using AI for travel-related tasks by late 2025. This figure is expected to rise to 63% in 2026, according to Agoda's 2026 Travel Outlook Report. AI tools are enhancing itinerary creation, real-time translation, and personalised recommendations, marking a shift towards hyper-personalised commerce. Secondary cities are emerging as new growth engines, with searches for destinations like Fukuoka and Denpasar outpacing traditional hotspots. This trend is supported by domestic travel growth, as 35% of Asian travellers plan to explore within their own countries in 2026. Experience-led travel remains dominant, with culinary, cultural, and entertainment events driving demand. Major events such as Tomorrowland in Thailand and K-pop tours are expected to boost intra-regional travel. Affordability is a priority for 39% of Asian travellers, with 73% seeking accommodation under $100 (US$100) per night. This value-conscious approach is leading to more frequent, shorter trips. Finally, expanded flight networks, relaxed visa rules, and seamless digital payments are making APAC increasingly accessible. Over 600 new aeroplanes are expected to be delivered in 2026, enhancing connectivity across the region. Yeoh noted, “APAC continues to be the world’s most dynamic travel region... AI will transform planning, but equally important is the rise of secondary cities, the hunger for meaningful experiences, and the push toward value and accessibility.” WiT plans to host events in Japan, Singapore, and New Zealand in 2026, bringing together influential travel leaders. ```
DingTalk, Amap, and Alipay join forces on AI corporate travel
On January 20, DingTalk, Alibaba’s workplace collaboration platform, released version 8.2.5. The “AI Travel” product jointly developed by DingTalk, Amap, and Alipay officially went live. All enterprise users can simply search for keywords such as “AI Travel,” “business travel car service,” “flights,” or “hotels” within the latest version of DingTalk to activate the service instantly, at no cost, with no upfront payment or service fees required. In this release, capabilities such as AI Print and AI-powered real-time interpretation for meeting minutes were also fully rolled out. DingTalk AI Travel is designed specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees. By integrating services such as Amap ride-hailing and Alipay corporate payments, it provides end-to-end travel solutions across four core scenarios: flights, hotels, train tickets, and ground transportation. Compared with other corporate travel platforms on the market, DingTalk AI Travel connects directly to the systems of hotel groups including Jinjiang, Home Inn, Dossen, Atour, and Yaste, offering more competitive hotel rates. The product also features AI-powered price comparison, automatically searching across the web and multiple booking platforms in real time to identify the lowest available rates. For employees who travel frequently, the AI travel assistant makes business trips significantly easier. With a single sentence, users can plan an entire itinerary; even complex multi-city routes can be optimized within 30 seconds, with travel requests generated automatically—eliminating the need for manual form filling. One of the most convenient features for employees is the “frictionless reimbursement” ride-hailing service co-launched by DingTalk and Amap. After submitting an outing or business travel request, employees can book a ride directly within the approval form or by searching “Amap ride-hailing.” Once the trip is completed, invoices and itineraries are automatically linked to the corresponding approval, completely removing the hassle of collecting and sorting receipts. On the payment side, DingTalk works with Alipay corporate codes to enable company-paid travel, allowing employees to travel without advancing funds, while enterprises can activate the feature as needed. For management teams, AI Travel comes with built-in professional travel management tools. Companies can customize travel policies, including flight booking lead times, hotel price ranges, and train seat classes. The system also generates detailed reports and rankings by department and by employee, making travel costs fully transparent and controllable. In terms of audio and video collaboration, DingTalk further upgraded its AI real-time translation and interpretation capabilities in version 8.2.5. During face-to-face communication or cross-border video meetings, users can hear translated conversations in real time. Even those with limited foreign language skills can communicate more confidently when traveling or attending meetings abroad. The new face-to-face simultaneous interpretation feature supports not only translated subtitles but also real-time voice translation. With just a standard Bluetooth headset, users can enable live translation across multiple languages such as Chinese, English, and Japanese. Different languages can even be assigned to the left and right audio channels, allowing two people to communicate smoothly using a single headset. DingTalk video meetings now also support two-way simultaneous interpretation in multiple languages. Participants simply select their preferred language to “hear their own mother tongue” in international meetings, while the system automatically generates meeting summaries and action items—significantly improving the efficiency of cross-border collaboration.
2026’s first hot money-making play: Medical trips to China
Recently, major hospitals in China’s first-tier cities have started seeing an increasing number of foreign patients from around the world. After the visa-free policy was expanded, more and more foreigners have been flocking to China for medical treatment. The reasons behind this trend are not only the country’s exceptional healthcare efficiency but also the boost from its visa-free entry policies. By July 30, 2025, China had implemented unilateral or mutual visa exemptions for citizens of 75 countries, and the number of countries with transit visa exemptions had expanded to 55. According to official data, by December 16, 2025, the number of foreign arrivals at all ports of entry had surpassed 40 million, a year-on-year increase of 27.2%. As inbound tourism continues to recover rapidly, some foreign consumers’ demand has shifted from “touring China” to “seeking medical care.” With the growing interest in foreigners coming to China for healthcare, some in the domestic market have realized that “bringing foreigners to China for medical treatment” could become a new profitable trend in the inbound tourism sector. This group includes English-speaking medical escorts providing translation services, entrepreneurs in the “medical tourism” industry who facilitate foreign patients coming to China, as well as professionals with clinical medical backgrounds. When a foreign tourist visits China for travel, stays at hotels, buys duty-free goods, or comes for health checkups, medical treatment, and rehabilitation, these activities do not require subsidies or take up land quotas yet they can directly drive employment, service revenue, and local tax income. So, if you ask whether “bringing foreigners to China for medical treatment” will be the most profitable sector in 2026, we may not have a definitive answer right now, but it is undoubtedly poised to become an increasingly important piece of the puzzle in China’s inbound consumption ecosystem.
Agoda reveals localisation boosts Asia’s tourism sector
Digital travel platform Agoda has unveiled research demonstrating the transformative impact of localisation strategies on Asia's hospitality sector. The report, "Tailored to Win: How Hotels are Using Localisation to Capture Asia’s Tourism Boom," highlights that hotels integrating localisation across marketing, booking, payment, and on-site experiences are seeing significant business benefits, including higher guest satisfaction and increased repeat bookings. The study surveyed 526 hoteliers across 12 Asian markets, revealing that hotels at the forefront of localisation report 99% improved guest satisfaction, 95% higher repeat bookings, and 91% of guests willing to pay more per room. Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President of Supply at Agoda, emphasised the importance of a holistic approach: “Localisation isn’t just a trend. It's a strategic imperative for hoteliers looking to thrive in Asia’s dynamic tourism market.” Agoda's findings show that localisation strategies are not uniform, with hotels tailoring experiences to meet the diverse preferences of different markets. Around 60% of hotels in key markets like Singapore, Japan, and South Korea use local media channels and digital platforms to reach guests effectively. Additionally, many properties offer booking details and prices in guests' preferred languages and currencies, supported by online translation tools. As Asia becomes the world's fastest-growing travel hub, accounting for nearly 28% of global international arrivals, the hospitality sector faces both opportunities and challenges. Agoda's report calls on hoteliers to adopt tailored, localised strategies to enhance guest satisfaction and secure long-term competitiveness in the region's vibrant tourism landscape. ```
VFS Global awarded global contract to process visas to Slovakia
Mountain lake Strbske pleso. Strbske lake with view of the High Tatras National Park, Slovakia VFS Global has been awarded a global contract to process visa applications to Slovakia. The five-year contract, awarded by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Republic, covers both short stay (C) visas—for visits up to 90 days within Slovakia or the Schengen area for tourism, business, or family travel—and long stay (D) visas issued for stays exceeding 90 days, typically for work or study. Under the contract, VFS Global will provide visa services across 83 countries, including India, operating visa application centres in 159 cities. This includes opening 87 new visa application centres in 41 countries in January 2026, with an additional 72 centres in 42 countries expected to open over the course of the contract. The opening of the centres will help meet traveller demand, with Slovakia experiencing a steady increase in international visitors. The country recorded more than 2.16 million visitors in the year to December 2024, a 3.9% increase on the previous year. The highest demand for visa applications over the contract term is expected from India, Turkey, Uzbekistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates, together accounting for approximately 70 % of the total projected volume. Slovakia’s appeal as a destination is fuelled by its cultural heritage, mountain and spa tourism, and opportunities for longer stays, including work and education. The expanded network of VFS Global centres will help meet the growing demand, providing applicants with greater accessibility, convenience, and efficiency. Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said: “We are delighted to resume our partnership with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. With growing international travel to Slovakia, our expanded network of centres will make the application process more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly.” Applicants will benefit from VFS Global’s suite of optional, value-added services, which will be available at all Visa Application Centres. These include document authenticity verification to confirm the genuineness of supporting documents, higher authentication of foreign public documents, translation services, courier return services, and other additional services such as Premium Lounges. These optional services are designed to enhance convenience and comfort throughout the visa application process. It is important to note that choosing any of these services will not affect the decision-making process or timeline of visa applications. VFS Global’s role in the visa application process is strictly limited to front-end administrative tasks, which include collecting visa application forms, required documentation, and biometric enrolment. The decision to grant or refuse a visa rests solely with the Embassy of the Slovak Republic or its designated authorities within the Schengen coordination system.
11 ways travel leaders are using AI: Phocuswright
San Diego Ahead of the Phocuswright Conference 2025, leaders reveal how AI has changed their workday and is powering their progress. Artificial intelligence isn’t just reshaping travel technology, it’s reshaping the way travel leaders think, work, and create. From using AI to communicate more clearly to embedding it into enterprise platforms that forecast demand and personalize experiences, executives across the industry are finding new ways to collaborate with machines. Some embrace AI as an everyday assistant; others approach it with caution, mindful of preserving human creativity and judgment. Yet all agree: the potential is enormous, and we’re only at the beginning of understanding how these tools will redefine travel, business, and leadership itself. At The Phocuswright Conference 2025, taking place November 18th-20th at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California, industry leaders will share how AI is transforming their daily work and their companies’ strategies. AI in action: Voices from the industry Eric DeLange, Industry Director and U.S. Head of Finance and Travel, Reddit “I’ve been enjoying using our recently launched Reddit Answers, an AI-powered conversational interface that allows Redditors to ask a question and receive answers sourced and linked to communities and posts. It’s been helpful to get deeper into the human conversations that are happening on the platform, which helps ensure I’m tapped into the conversations relevant to my categories and clients.” Sarosh Waghmar, Founder & Chief Product Officer, Spotnana “Spotnana currently uses AI for a number of different needs and is rapidly adding support for more use cases. Our approach to AI is to focus on highly practical, high-value applications, including virtual travel agents and automated disruption handling. Our R&D teams use a variety of AI coding tools like Cursor, Claude and GitHub Copilot daily to boost productivity and innovation. The goal is to have AI play a major role in our development process.” Mariano Dima, Chairman, Civitatis “It is embedded in my everyday life, from searching, learning and developing new ideas to helping me communicate more effectively with teams and companies. I use various LLMs, Comet as my browser and Cursor and Lovable for coding and building prototypes. Still, there is so much to learn.” Jeff Kim, CEO, Yanolja Cloud, and Chief Strategy Officer, Yanolja Group “I use AI every day, often in ways I hardly notice. Whether it is seeing AI-generated summaries when I search for hotel reviews, getting insights directly in AI-powered recommendations or using translation and writing tools to work across languages and markets, AI has become part of my routine. These tools save time and let me focus on higher-value work. At Yanolja, we are taking those same everyday efficiencies and applying them at scale to create a more connected traveler experience… What excites me is seeing how the efficiencies I experience personally with AI can be scaled through enterprise innovation to connect the entire travel ecosystem.” Steve Schwab, CEO, Casago “AI informs decisions, it doesn’t make them… Looking ahead, I’m excited about AI that surfaces owner-impacting insights faster – predicting when a home is at risk of underperforming, flagging guest-experience friction before it shows up in reviews and summarizing multichannel owner communications so our local teams can stay proactive without drowning in dashboards.” Recep “Richie” Karaburun, Clinical Associate Professor, NYU Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism “I use AI in my teaching and research to analyze trends, generate insights and prepare case studies for students. It helps me bring real-time industry developments into the classroom and make discussions more engaging. Looking ahead, I’d like to see AI play a greater role in predictive analytics for travel behavior and in helping companies design more personalized and sustainable experiences.” Caroline Strachan, CEO, Festive Road “I have a love-hate relationship with AI. I don’t want to lose my critical thinking ability, so I focus AI use on all the stuff I’m useless at: image creation to tell a story, for instance. (I’m a dreadful artist.)” Paul Jacobs, General Manager & SVP, North America and Asia Pacific, Kayak “Much of my job is communication – internally at Kayak and externally with partners. I think I’m pretty well spoken, but I have reluctantly started having AI rewrite things for me. Turns out, I can be shorter and punchier.” David Hoctor, director of U.S. verticals, travel and gaming for TikTok Global Business Solutions “AI is a powerful tool that allows us to level the creative playing field, boost productivity and uncover insights at scale. At TikTok, we've built TikTok Symphony, a suite of generative AI tools that help with creative ideation/production/adaption, leading to more volume and variety for content that resonates.” Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association “AI can help us reimagine the travel experience by improving the systems and technology we already have. Picture TSA lines that adapt in real time to passenger volumes or customs officers deployed where bottlenecks are about to form. Just as important, AI creates the ability to personalize the journey - tailoring information, recommendations and even security or check-in processes to each traveler.” Adam Harris, CEO of Cloudbeds “I already use AI as a thought partner- helping me synthesize information quickly, prepare for conversations and pressure-test decisions. But what excites me most is where this goes next for leaders in hoteliers: agent-based systems trained on hospitality knowledge. Imagine an internal “hotel sage” that can answer any question about your property, from staff onboarding to marketing content, all in your brand’s voice. That’s the future we’re building, and it will change how every hotelier works.” AI at the center of Phocuswright 2025 This year’s conference theme, “Game On,” underscores the urgency for travel companies to adapt to a new era of competition, technology, and consumer expectations. AI will be a central thread across the program, with sessions spanning AI-first OTA strategies, loyalty reinvention, payments and trust, and the rise of social discovery platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube. “AI is becoming the operating system of travel,” said Eugene Ko, Director of Marketing and Communications at Phocuswright.“What’s fascinating is how leaders are using it not only to transform their companies but also to change the way they work as individuals. At The Phocuswright Conference, we’ll showcase these stories and explore how AI is reshaping strategy, operations, and innovation across the travel ecosystem.” At The Phocuswright Conference 2025, executives will explore how AI is transforming travel – from predictive analytics and personalization to operational efficiency and product innovation. Highlights include: Executive Panel: Social Search, Viral Inspiration and the Future of Travel with Reddit, TikTok and YouTube Executive Interview: Barry Diller Presentation + Executive Interview: Travel Search in the AI Era with Google Executive Panel: Reinventing Hotel Booking with AI with DirectBooker and Thayer Investment Partners Executive Interview: Playing to Win in the Next Era of Travel with Booking Holdings Phocuswright Research: What Can Travel Learn From AI-Native Startups? with Mike Coletta Executive Panel: AI Agents, Real Transactions - The New Travel Economy with Visa, Stripe and Arc
AIME 2026 names its keynote speakers for Knowledge Monday
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has announced three keynote speakers for its highly anticipated 2026 Knowledge Monday programme. The next edition of AIME Knowledge Monday will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) on 9th February 2026 This year’s Knowledge Monday theme Expertise Matters! celebrates the credibility, clarity, and strategic influence of professionals across the business events sector. AIME event director Silke Calder says the 2026 keynote lineup epitomises the theme and the growing strength of the Knowledge Monday platform. Calder said: “Our keynote speakers each bring a unique lens on what true expertise means today. It’s about lived experience, self-awareness and the ability to apply knowledge with purpose. Knowledge Monday continues to be the heart of AIME’s learning experience, inspiring our community to connect, collaborate and lead with confidence.” Meet the speakers Attendees will be guided by three standout speakers who will explore the art and science of expertise from mindset and behaviour to resilience, reinvention, and human connection. Dan Haesler Performance and leadership coach Dan Haesler is a leading authority on mindset, mental skills and leadership. A trusted coach to elite sporting teams, Olympians and global organisations, Dan helps high performers thrive by combining research, psychology and real-world experience. With regard to the theme, Haesler opines: “Expertise matters: however, time and again it’s lost in translation due to environments and delivery that dampen authentic engagement. My keynote is less about the expertise we share and more about the environment we create to share it.” He added that delegates will leave with a more nuanced approach to designing for authentic engagement, something he believes is critical in today’s high-pressure business events landscape. Milo Wilkinson Behavioural scientist and futurist Milo Wilkinson is renowned for decoding human behaviour in high-stakes environments from boardrooms to interrogation rooms. With seven degrees spanning neuroscience, psychology and criminal sciences, she brings a razor-sharp lens to leadership, influence and performance. Wilkinson said: “Expertise Matters! aligns directly with the neuroscience behind intentional design, decision-making, and human connection. True expertise goes beyond logistics, as it requires understanding subconscious drivers of attention, trust, and engagement. By revealing the brain’s pattern recognition and threat-response systems, we can elevate events from functional gatherings to strategically engineered experiences that create measurable impact.” She added that delegates will leave with practical strategies to strengthen mental agility and a deeper understanding of their primal brain, recognising that their expertise is grounded in science, not instinct. Kristina Karlsson kikki.K and Dream Life founder Kristina Karlsson is a globally recognised entrepreneur, author and speaker whose story embodies the power of resilience, reinvention and purposeful expertise. From building and leading a $650 million global design brand to starting again with her company Dream Life, she inspires audiences to dream big, act bravely and create impact that lasts. According to Karlsson: “Expertise isn’t just what you know, it’s what you’ve lived. I’ll be sharing what I learnt from building then losing a $650 million globally loved business and how that can help you, no matter where you are in life.” She also pointed out that attendees will walk away from her talk refreshed and inspired to dream big, with new practical tools to start using immediately in their own lives. Knowledge matters Hosted by BEAM experience founder El Kwang, Knowledge Monday is expected to attract more than 1,500 global event professionals, setting the tone for three dynamic days of networking, learning and connection. The AIME 2026 Knowledge Monday programme brings together AIME Hosted Buyers and Exhibitors, while Visitor Buyers can upgrade their tickets to attend. AIME 2026 will run from 9th to 11th February 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Returning for its biggest edition yet delivered by Calder and her team, the event will feature over 4,500 attendees including 700 exhibitors, 700 hosted buyers and more than 20,000 pre-scheduled appointments.
Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST 5)
PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism) 2022 is an innovative event rallying the hotel industry and its stakeholders to discuss both environmental sustainability and social impact and governance.