Siew Hoon has been covering the travel industry beat in Asia Pacific for decades, starting off as a rookie reporter and going on to lead and launch the region’s key industry media titles. In 2005, she founded WiT (Web in Travel) to tackle how technology was changing travel in Asia Pacific and created a new space in the fast-growing, dynamic region with a dedicated media and events platform.

Over the years, she took WiT to new places, launching editions in Tokyo, Seoul, Middle East and Europe to keep the world’s attention focused on the three pillars of travel, technology and Asia.

Following the acquisition by Northstar Travel Group in 2014, she led the launch of Travel Weekly Asia and M&C Asia and formed the editorial team to execute the entry of Northstar to Asia.

Her work has been recognised by numerous institutions including the Singapore Tourism Board which recognised her as Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014. The WiT Singapore conference, which remains its tentpole event, has won several awards including Most Innovative Marketing Initiative and Trade Conference Of The Year.

In 2020, WiT Singapore became the first travel conference to go fully hybrid, paving the way for a new model in events.

Other than writing about travel, Siew Hoon is also a published author of titles such as “Around Asia In One Hour: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries”, children’s books such as “Adventures of Habibie The Turtle” and “The Story of Baitong and Boon” and host of “A Life In Travel” podcast.

Min Yoon is the CEO and founder of Tidesquare, South Korea’s leading technology-focused travel agency and operator of the #1 premium OTA brand “Privia Travel” as well as Tourvis and Kyte. TIDESQUARE is at the forefront of travel technology development in the region with a strong network of global and local partnerships with industry-leading platform operators across mobile, telecommunications, financial services and more. In addition, Tidesquare has been the co-organizer and partner for WiT Seoul since 2016, fueled with the vision of contributing to the development of the travel landscape and provide an opportunity to share the latest trends and future strategies with global experts.

Prior to Tidesquare, Min Yoon worked for international brands such as Samsung, Korean Air and Hyundai Card. He specialises in hospitality services of operations and marketing, premium marketing, new business development and new media marketing.

Mr. Nicholas Cocks is a Co-Founder and serves as Managing Partner at Velocity Ventures. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer at ReadyVentures. He serves as Board Member at Lumitics. He served as Board Member at Forest Advisorenture. He started his career in 1985 as an accountant with Arthur Andersen Co in Sydney, Australia. He left the profession in 1989 to join his father’s readymix concrete business in Adelaide, Australia. Six months later they sold the company to Adelaide Brighton Cement and he turned his attention to South East Asia.

Timothy Hughes is the Vice President Corporate Development of Agoda (Booking Holdings Company). Timothy is a “retired” blogger and pundit. Previously he was the editor and publisher of one of the top online travel industry blogs (the BOOT: the Business Of Online Travel) and a writer at Phocuswire.

Tim is a former lawyer and venture capitalist. As a venture capitalist and consultant he helped a number of start-ups (inside and outside travel) secure funding, set up online media companies, managed investments in public companies and held regular client briefing sessions for a brokerage house. As lawyer he represented technology, new media, Internet, telecommunications and broadcasting clients in Australia, Europe and Hong Kong.

He first joined the online travel industry in 1999 and has worked for top tier online travel companies in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Tim has a Bachelor of Commerce and Hons Law Degree from the Australian National University.

Mr. Kwon has invested in more than 100 startup companies in Korea since 2010. Auburndale Ventures is a new venture firm which is focusing on investing in local startups, local brands and the local market in Korea.

Kevin is the Founder and CEO of ONDA, a groundbreaking technology company that provides comprehensive software solutions and distribution platforms for the hospitality industry. His vision has grown ONDA into a leading enterprise, serving over 4,000 hotels in Korea and more than 700 hotels in Thailand. To date, the company has secured over $30 million in investment capital.

Before ONDA, Kevin founded Hanintel, a booking platform specialized in B&B and Korean accommodations worldwide. His work with Hanintel afforded him a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the hospitality sector, effectively “connecting the dots,” as Steve Jobs would put it, between technological innovation and market needs.

Trained in Computer Science Engineering and with 8 years of experience as a software engineer, Kevin’s unique blend of technological insight and entrepreneurial spirit has propelled ONDA into its current phase of international expansion. As the company extends its global reach, he continues to focus on innovation and delivering high-value, scalable solutions to hoteliers worldwide.

In a journey marked by both technical acumen and a keen business sense, Kevin has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the hospitality industry. His leadership has been central to ONDA’s mission, navigating the complexities of a changing landscape while cementing the company’s position as an industry leader.

Sookwon Kim is a founder and CEO of Tripstore, a online travel agency.

Tripstore is a meta-search platform where Korean travelers can compare and reserve outbound package tours. Tripstore enables customers to easily find and select the right tours through filters by gathering and standardizing information for each tour from different travel agencies.

Prior to Tripstore, Sookwon Kim was one of co-founder of woowa brother Inc.(Baedal minjok). He worked as a sales director of Baedal minjok and CEO of Baemin Riders.

Jiha Jung is a Korea market expert who has built his career in different industries over the last nine years, ranging from IT to travel. He started his career as an ERP IT consultant at Hyundai where he was specialized in a financial integration. At Expedia, Jihacultivated relationships with local travel associations and tourism boards to increase the affinity for the brand, and managed a portfolio of top partners in an effort to build sustainable online market shares. He now owns and operates the online travel agency Tripbtoz Inc. based in Seoul, South Korea. Jiha holds a master of management in hospitality degree from Cornell University.

Sang-muk “Benny” Lee is the founder and CEO of STAYFOLIO, a leading fine-stay curation and booking platfrom. He co-founded the architectural design group Z-LAB in 2011. At Z-LAB, he has led the planning and implementation of several signature projects, including Blind Whale, Changsin Creative House, Waon, and Zero Place.

Benny Lee has over 9 years of hands-on experience in the hospitality industry, ranging from operating Fine Stays to holding high-level managerial positions since the establishment of STAYFOLIO in 2015. Benny believes in the potential of the next generations and, even as CEO, continues to serve as a mentor while simultaneously carrying out various projects related to spaces, all grounded in good taste and lifestyle.

At KakaoMobility, Hyewon Cho leads the Business division within the Travel and Global Team (TAG), providing global services across more than 30 countries. In her current role, she plays a vital role in shaping TAG’s strategic business direction, incubating new global initiatives, and fostering collaborations with partners to expand services on a more global scale. Her primary objective is to deliver a seamless experience to Kakao T users throughout their travel journey.

Prior to joining KakaoMobility, Hyewon served as a Senior Consultant at EY-Parthenon and as a Business Analyst at Quantum & Partners. During this time, she contributed to the development of business solutions that drove growth and success for her clients. Also, having worked as an International Consultant at the International Trade Centre, she closely collaborated with diverse stakeholders to enhance the competitiveness of businesses and industries on a global scale.

Chee Chong is passionate about the tourism industry, so much so that his 15-year career has been centered around it. He has founded not one, but two start-ups to better meet the needs of the buoyant travel/tourism industry.

He is currently Chief Executive Officer and visionary of GlobalTix, an e-ticketing travel marketplace. Chee Chong was also one of the co-founders of Adventure Glamping, which has pioneered and built the first-ever “glamping” (glamorous camping) resort called Canopi, located in Bintan.

He began his travel industry career with SilkAir, the regional carrier owned by Singapore Airlines and subsequently was seconded to Singapore Airlines.

During his seven-year career with the two carriers, he handled various job functions, including postings to Thailand, Indonesia, and Central Japan which gave him invaluable exposure in the airline industry. In Central Japan, he started many initiatives, including several that continue to today, and the team was recognized with a CEO’s Merit Award for operational excellence.

Chee Chong next joined Sentosa Development Corporation as a member of the management team. He started as the Leisure Operation, Director where he was responsible for ongoing daily operations, from beach operation, attractions to ticketing and subsequently became the General Manager of Mount Faber Leisure Group.

Chee Chong holds a Bachelor of Engineering (2nd Upper) degree from the National University of Singapore.

An early childhood interest in tech and entrepreneurship led Joseph to pursue a double degree in Electrical Engineering and Economics at the National University of Singapore, where he was awarded a government scholarship – a series of events would see him spend the first years of his career working in the Innovation and Startups Group at Singapore’s national enterprise development agency, Enterprise Singapore (ESG).

Having learned the ins and outs of running successful startups, Joseph left his lucrative role at ESG and created Vouch, an international chain approved (Accor, Hyatt, IHG) travel-tech company that provides innovative technology to the hospitality segment to enhance productivity, boost revenue and elevate the overall guest experience. Today, Vouch solutions are present in more than 35,000 rooms across APAC, enabling hoteliers the freedom and ability to focus on things that truly matter.

On his time off, Joseph can be found tinkering with tech or writing codes to set up his personalised smart home. He is happiest being a father and spending time with his three young children.

Yuwei Chang is currently serving as the Director of International Products at Fontrip Technology. With a strong background in e-commerce travel platforms and a track record of driving growth, Yuwei is at the forefront of shaping Fontrip’s international product strategy for long-term success.

In her current role, Yuwei is responsible for identifying and spearheading potential projects in the new markets that align with Fontrip’s core business of developing and promoting dynamic travel packages for a diverse range of tourism products. Fontrip has successfully implemented its solution in Okinawa, Japan, and Bangkok, Thailand in 2022 and 2023, respectively, solidifying its presence in these key markets.

Before joining Fontrip in 2021, Yuwei held significant positions in several leading e-commerce travel platforms across the Asia-Pacific region.

• Traveloka: Market Partnerships in North Asia (Tours, Activities & Attractions sector)
• KKday: Marketing Director & Supervisor of Business Development Manager
• Voyagin (Rakuten Travel Experiences): Community Manager

Blanca Menchaca is CEO and Co-founder of BeMyGuest, a travel technology company offering a Distribution Platform and a Booking System to Operators of attractions, activities, theme parks, museums, tours, events, and other travel activity services.

BeMyGuest’s distribution network enables real-time connectivity and transactions between Operators of travel activities and the rest of the travel industry (travel agents online and offline, airlines, hotels). Its network comprises top travel brands in APAC and has been increasing in popularity in the Middle East and Europe. The company’s reservation system ‘Xplore’ automates and captures B2C bookings on the Operators’ own websites, ticket counters and other direct sales channels.

Prior to taking over as CEO of BeMyGuest in 2018, Blanca acted as COO for the company since 2013 when she also entered the company as a majority investor.

Her experience in the travel and digital sector spans over 15 years, with former senior management engagements at start-up travel meta search Wego.com in 2010 and at a start-up incubator owned by Enero Group in 2007.

Blanca was born in Mexico City, obtained her BA and Masters in Sydney and Executive Certification in Global Management with INSEAD Abu Dhabi and Singapore. She has been referred to by the industry as “the face of a new global travel generation”.

Since 2021 Blanca and her business partner Ola Andersen, who is also her husband and CFO at BeMyGuest, embraced a digital nomad lifestyle. They spend most of their time between the office in Singapore, the desert in Dubai, soaking in nature in Malaysia, sailing in Australia and visiting family in Norway or Mexico.

Anupong is a CEO & Founder of TraveliGo, a Thai OTA which provide all-in-on travel services including flight, accommodation, ticket, tour package, car rental, travel insurance. TraveliGo has just received investment fundings from KASIKORNBANK PLC to grow its travel business for both domestic and overseas market.

Taro is a CEO & Co-founder of TakeMeTour, the largest peer-to-peer marketplace for local tours in Thailand & expanding to SEA. He takes a leading role in the partnership, business developments, and marketing. Prior to TakeMeTour, he was an advertising & marketing specialist at Google Singapore where he has been coaching thousands of small & medium businesses (SMBs) to growth and success online. Taro & TakeMeTour’s co-founder were recently selected as Forbes 30 under 30 Asia 2018.

Mr. Nicholas Cocks is a Co-Founder and serves as Managing Partner at Velocity Ventures. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer at ReadyVentures. He serves as Board Member at Lumitics. He served as Board Member at Forest Advisorenture. He started his career in 1985 as an accountant with Arthur Andersen Co in Sydney, Australia. He left the profession in 1989 to join his father’s readymix concrete business in Adelaide, Australia. Six months later they sold the company to Adelaide Brighton Cement and he turned his attention to South East Asia.

Timothy Hughes is the Vice President Corporate Development of Agoda (Booking Holdings Company). Timothy is a “retired” blogger and pundit. Previously he was the editor and publisher of one of the top online travel industry blogs (the BOOT: the Business Of Online Travel) and a writer at Phocuswire.

Tim is a former lawyer and venture capitalist. As a venture capitalist and consultant he helped a number of start-ups (inside and outside travel) secure funding, set up online media companies, managed investments in public companies and held regular client briefing sessions for a brokerage house. As lawyer he represented technology, new media, Internet, telecommunications and broadcasting clients in Australia, Europe and Hong Kong.

He first joined the online travel industry in 1999 and has worked for top tier online travel companies in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Tim has a Bachelor of Commerce and Hons Law Degree from the Australian National University.

Blanca Menchaca is CEO and Co-founder of BeMyGuest, a travel technology company offering a Distribution Platform and a Booking System to Operators of attractions, activities, theme parks, museums, tours, events, and other travel activity services.

BeMyGuest’s distribution network enables real-time connectivity and transactions between Operators of travel activities and the rest of the travel industry (travel agents online and offline, airlines, hotels). Its network comprises top travel brands in APAC and has been increasing in popularity in the Middle East and Europe. The company’s reservation system ‘Xplore’ automates and captures B2C bookings on the Operators’ own websites, ticket counters and other direct sales channels.

Prior to taking over as CEO of BeMyGuest in 2018, Blanca acted as COO for the company since 2013 when she also entered the company as a majority investor.

Her experience in the travel and digital sector spans over 15 years, with former senior management engagements at start-up travel meta search Wego.com in 2010 and at a start-up incubator owned by Enero Group in 2007.

Blanca was born in Mexico City, obtained her BA and Masters in Sydney and Executive Certification in Global Management with INSEAD Abu Dhabi and Singapore. She has been referred to by the industry as “the face of a new global travel generation”.

Since 2021 Blanca and her business partner Ola Andersen, who is also her husband and CFO at BeMyGuest, embraced a digital nomad lifestyle. They spend most of their time between the office in Singapore, the desert in Dubai, soaking in nature in Malaysia, sailing in Australia and visiting family in Norway or Mexico.

Mr. Kwon has invested in more than 100 startup companies in Korea since 2010. Auburndale Ventures is a new venture firm which is focusing on investing in local startups, local brands and the local market in Korea.

Mr. Kwon founded the company after serving at Gyeonggi Tourism Organization Planning, International(inbound) Marketing Division. Mr. Kwon is focusing on the hidden attractive contents in local areas starting from Gongju. Mr. Kwon believes that the Korean traditional lifestyle is the best content for visitors from all over the world.  

Mr. Jang runs Banglang Salon and Jochiwon Beer in old cities. Mr. Jang believes the historical stories in local areas are the best items in order to revitalize old cities in rural areas.

Smalldays is a company which provides local trip experiences for the foreign travellers. Mr. Seol is an expert in cultural tourism in Korea and served advisory positions in several departments. 

Hwaran Lee is a lead of Language Research Team at NAVER AI Lab and Safety Team of HyperCLOVA X. Her current research interests are controllable language generation, trustworthy of language models, and safety & ethics for AI. She obtained Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2018. In 2012, she obtained B.S. in Mathematical Science at KAIST. Before joining NAVER AI Lab, she worked at SK T-Brain as a research scientist from 2018 to 2021.

Seo Yeon (Kevin) Oh is the CEO and founder of Amuse Travel, Korea’s leading barrier-free travel agency. Amuse Travel is a social venture that helps families pursue emotional and physical recovery, communication, and harmony through travel. They provide specialized care in travel destinations for families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities through partnerships with a number of specialized travel product partners. Having supported over 36,000 travellers over the past seven years, Amuse Travel continuously strives to develop accessible travel destinations and content. Amuse Travel is also the first Korean travel agency to receive Bcrop certification and joined “1% for the planet” to protect the natural environment.

Seo Yeon (Kevin) Oh holds a master’s degree in business administration from Aju University Graduate School of Business. He served as a member of the public-private committee for the tourism disadvantaged in Seoul and a member of the Korea Tourism Organization’s expert advisory board.

ByeongKwan JO is the CO-CEO of STORICITY Inc., which operates the largest travel community media in Korea, “TRAVELHOLIC (여행에미치다).”

In 2016 he co-founded “TRAVELHOLIC (여행에미치다)”, a social media-based travel community. Now it has become the largest social network-based community media, boasting 4 million followers across multiple channels including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook. With its vast content assets, creator community, and innovative tour packages, TRAVELHOLIC creates inspirational branded campaigns with national tourism boards, local governments, and lifestyle brands all over the world.

Donggun Lee is a founder and CEO of MyRealTrip. Lee launched MyRealTrip’s first service in 2012, while he was a university student. Started as a Tour & Activity platform, in 8 years of its operation, MyRealTrip has been fast growing to be a full-service OTA that enables seamless booking experiences to travelers. Today, it offers 18,300 tours in 680 cities around the world with over 500,000 trustworthy reviews.