As the Web in Travel (WiT) celebrates two decades of pioneering innovation, it is now looking ahead with a determined eye. Themed “The Next 20 Years,” WiT Singapore 2025 will take place from 6–8 October at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, hosting visionaries and industry leaders who are mapping the future of travel.
To mark the anniversary, WiT spoke to three industry leaders – Rod Cuthbert, founder of Viator; Timothy Hughes, vice president of corporate development at Agoda; and Christine Tan, a seasoned hotel technology and distribution professional – who gave their predictions on the transformations that will define the next twenty years.
- It is noted that WiT is the leading digital travel media and events platform in Asia.
1. Rod Cuthbert: “Experiences will become the new emotional currency of travel”
Cuthbert sees experiences emerging as the absolute core of tourism. “People are no longer collecting objects; they are collecting memories,” he emphasizes, while warning that innovation is being stifled by the dominance of technology monopolies. “Google has taken a toll without giving back value,” he says characteristically. For the future, he predicts more choice, new platforms and authenticity.
2. Timothy Hughes: “Genetic AI will rewrite the rules”
With many years of experience at Agoda, Hughes believes that the next 20 years will be defined by genetic AI and the redefinition of content discovery. “Travel remains unbreakable as an emotion, but trust in content is being tested,” he notes, referring to the potential for image and identity fraud. For 2045, he predicts radical changes in transportation and deeper, multi-sensory destination experiences.
3. Christine Tan: “The power is shifting to hotels and direct bookings”
Tan predicts a significant upheaval in hospitality distribution. “TNI and first-party data will strengthen the direct relationship between hotels and travelers,” she says, adding that the rise of direct bookings is a reality. At the same time, she believes that traditional practices – such as strict check-in/out times or difficulties with family bookings – must be abolished.
WiT Singapore 2025 will host speakers from tourism, technology, finance and media, in a three-day event that aspires to open a new chapter for the industry.
As Siew Hoon Yeoh, co-founder and editor-in-chief of WiT, emphasizes:
“If the last 20 years were the era of digital adaptation, the next will be the era of defining what travel means for the new generation.”
