New Technologies in the Travel and Hospitality Industry

 Your Current Roles and Responsibilities as the Chief Information Officer at KKday  

As the CIO of KKday, I am currently responsible for shaping the company’s technological landscape and safeguarding its digital assets. My responsibility encompasses a broad spectrum of tasks, from overseeing IT equipment purchases to orchestrating comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. In essence, I expect myself to become the bridge between technology and KKday's success, ensuring that IT investments drive growth, efficiency, and security.  

Main Obstacles Face by the Travel and Hospitality Industry  

Most travel experience providers in Asia have not digitized and lack an automatic system for operation, pushing up the demand for digital transformation.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the travel industry was severely affected. This included airlines, hotels, traditional travel agencies, and even small suppliers or individuals. Many of them had to reduce their operations or even shut down because of the pandemic. However, some sectors used this opportunity to complete digital transformation and prepare for the reopening of international travel.

KKday has observed that in the Asia-Pacific region, up to 80 percent of travel experience providers have not yet undergone digital transformation. Many of these providers are small travel agents or individuals who offer a wide variety of travel services, such as water activities and cultural experiences. In the past, they had to use a lot of manpower and time to handle customer orders and inquiries, which often led to mistakes in orders. These providers also haven't been able to establish automated systems.

To address the challenges faced by travel providers, KKday designed Rezio, the SaaS booking system, during the pandemic. This system helps travel suppliers set up booking websites, control inventory, integrate orders from different channels, collaborate with other businesses, and use QR code verification services, all in one platform. Currently, more than 3,500 merchants worldwide have adopted this system, serving over six million travelers. Additionally, KKday introduced the KKday marketplace, allowing travel experience providers to create their brand stores and list their products on the KKday platform, reaching a global audience. Over 1,000 global businesses have already joined this service.

With the ongoing recovery of the cross-border travel market in the Asia-Pacific region, it is believed that the pace of digital transformation in the travel industry will continue to accelerate.

Technologies Leveraged to Emerge as a Unique Platform in the Tourism Ecosystem  

Multi-Languages by AI Services  

When serving travelers from various countries, language can be a significant challenge. To address this issue, a lot of AI technology is being used to improve translation quality.