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    Digital Innovation Asia announces winners for the 2nd DIA Awards

    September 18, 2014
    Personality / Awards
    Digital Innovation Asia announces winners for the 2nd DIA Awards

    Bangkok, Thailand : After the DIA E-Tourism Asia Boot Camp in Bangkok, Thailand, Digital Innovation Asia announced the winners and runner ups in each of the five categories, as well as presented the Top 5 Digital Innovators recently.

    Both the DIA E-Tourism Asia Boot-Camp, as well as the DIA Awards was free to attend for registered attendees, due to  sponsorship by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and Digital Innovation Asia (DIA), as well as the support of many partners from travel trade media and the tourism industry.

    Last year’s DIA Awards winners included the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tourism Malaysia, Air New Zealand, e-Visa Cambodia (joint project by CINET Technologies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cambodia).

    According to Jens Thraenhart, Founder and Chairman of Digital Innovation Asia, “The DIA Awards are an important component of the mandate of Digital Innovation Asia to help build digital capacity in the Asia Pacific region to showcase innovation in order to inspire others.”

    DIGITAL INNOVATION ASIA AWARD: MOST IMPACTFUL DIGITAL INNOVATION

    This award recognizes online travel ventures that have leveraged technology in innovative ways in order to develop tourism, enhance the travel experience, improve guest services, and drive consumer engagement.

    WINNER

    12Go Thailand www.12go.asia/en

    RUNNER UPS

    Spottly Hong Kong, China www.spottly.com
    Trip38 India www.trip38.com

    E-TOURISM ASIA AWARD: MOST ENGAGING DIGITAL PRESENCE:

    This award recognizes the most viral campaign, most engaging website, most innovative mobile application, or most creative use of social media, promoting Asia Pacific as a tourism destination.

    WINNER

    Tourism Authority of Thailand Thailand Thailand Makeover Campaign

    RUNNER UPS

    Tourism Victoria Australia Remote Control Tourist
    Cebu Pacific Airlines Philippines Rain Codes

    E-TOURISM CHINA AWARD: MOST RELEVANT CHINESE DIGITAL PRESENCE:

    This award recognizes the most relevant mandarin-language website, most creative use of Mainland China social media, or most impactful campaign, marketing to Chinese consumers.

    WINNER

    Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts Hong Kong / China Tibet Pilgrimage

    RUNNER UPS

    Air New Zealand New Zealand Romance Class
    Tourism Indonesia Indonesia Chinese Blogger Trip

    DIGITAL AID ASIA AWARD: MOST SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE DIGITAL INITIATIVE:

    This award recognizes the most impactful and creative campaign, venture, or initiative in promoting and stimulating responsible and sustainable tourism development in Asia Pacific, as well as social and community-based tourism practices, and engaging consumers in being more conscious travelers.

    WINNER

    LocalAlike.com Thailand Tours

    RUNNER UPS

    MySocialMotion.org Thailand Social Giving
    Air Asia Malaysia Philippines Typhoon Relief

    BLOGGER MTCHUP AWARD: MOST CAPTIVATING DIGITAL STORY TELLING:

    This award recognizes the most riveting digitally published storytelling piece, from blog post, video, photo, review, and audio, discovering new and exciting destinations in Asia Pacific.

    WINNER

    Mark WiensMigrationology.com Thailand Thailand: Eating Thai Food Video Blog

    RUNNER UPS

    Bino CainaFramelessWorld.com Philippines Cambodia: Anlong Pi – Life in a Garbage Dump in Cambodia
    Nelson MochilerosMochileros.org Peru Thailand: Exploring Kanchanaburi

    THE TOP 5 DIGITAL INNOVATORS IN ASIA:

    The Top 5 Digital Innovator Award recognizes outstanding individuals that have showed innovation, creativity, leadership, and commercial impact, as well as achievements in challenging situations. The Top 5 Digital Innovators are our annual hot list of leaders that have truly raised the bar for the travel and tourism industry in Asia Pacific when it comes to digital innovation.

    Thapanee Kiapthaibool Tourism Tourism Authority of Thailand
    Angelina Fernandez Aviation Air Asia X
    Michael Leong Hotels Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
    Steven Htut Technology Myanmars.Net
    Amy Kunrojpanya Media Google

     Digital Innovation Asia (DIA), an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is committed to being a catalyst for digital capacity development in Asia Pacific travel and tourism, in order for tourism to develop in a responsible way, and alleviate poverty. 

    Sept. 2013

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      Air India Orders 30

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      The airline finalized an incremental purchase of 20 737-8 jets this month and an order for 10 737-10 airplanes was previously unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website. Both purchases exercised existing options as Air India expands its route network to meet rising travel demand.

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      As Air India expands its fleet and network, Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook forecasts the Indian and South Asian region will need nearly 3,300 new airplanes over the next two decades with 90% of those single-aisle jets like the 737 MAX. ( February 2 , 2026 )

      WTTC chooses  Madrid

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      London, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announced that its Operating Committee has unanimously approved Madrid in Spain as the location for the organisation’s new Global Office.

      Five destinations expressed interest in hosting the Global Office – Dubai (UAE), France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland – with the evaluation criteria based on six areas: office rental and operating costs; the tax, incentives and competitive environment; fast-track visas and work permit frameworks in the destination; government support; cost of living to attract and retain talent; and proximity to international organisations.

      The decision to choose Madrid was endorsed by all 17 members of WTTC’s Operating Committee, following a comprehensive assessment of WTTC’s long-term strategic and operational needs. Members agreed that Madrid offered the most attractive option due to the city’s competitiveness, a more favourable tax environment, government support, easier visa processing for employees and overall lower operating costs. Challenges linked to Brexit, such as constraints on talent mobility, made the UK less attractive as WTTC wishes to further build its leadership position and become even more agile in the sector.

      Madrid was also selected for its strong international connectivity via Madrid-Barajas Airport, competitive business environment, incentives from government, synergies with international organisations in the sector such as UN Tourism and alignment with WTTC’s global mission. The new office will form a central part of WTTC’s worldwide network, supporting its highly-respected advocacy, research and member engagement activities across the globe.

      Bangkok named Asia’s best

      holiday destination for 2025

      Bangkok has been ranked as the best city to visit in Asia for 2025 by Smart Travel Asia, a leading digital travel magazine, based on the opinions of hundreds of thousands of travellers and readers worldwide.

      The city received the highest votes in the “Best Holiday Destination in Asia” category, retaining its top position for the second consecutive year.

      Smart Travel Asia highlighted Bangkok’s strengths as its 24-hour vibrancy and diverse experiences, including food, culture, shopping, and the friendliness of its people, describing it as a “city full of energy and colour, day and night.”

      The city’s dominance stems from several compelling factors. Bangkok has emerged as a paradise for food enthusiasts, offering everything from legendary street food stalls to Michelin-starred restaurants and panoramic 360-degree rooftop bars. Its cultural and heritage sites, including the iconic Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Arun, and Wat Pho temples, remain major attractions to international tourists.

      Additionally, from luxury malls in the city centre to the Chatuchak weekend market, Bangkok caters to every type of shopper. Affordability and friendliness also play a key role, as Bangkok remains an accessible living cost destination where welcoming smiles continue to charm travellers.

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      Gulf Cooperation Council Tourism 

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      Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030 aims for 39.3 million visitors per year, while Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 targets 150 million domestic and international visits, emphasising how tourism is being established as a key element of economic diversification throughout the region.

      At Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, industry leaders emphasised that sustainable revitalisation of destinations must align tourism investments with community partnerships, cultural authenticity, and immersive guest experiences to provide lasting value for both residents and visitors.

      During the session on “Considerations and Implications of Involving Communities in Destination Revitalisation” on the ATM 2025 Global Stage, experts shared insights into building resilience, enhancing local prosperity, and ensuring tourism growth is both inclusive and enduring.

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      to drive growth of ITB India 

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      “Messe Berlin’s presence in India reflects our strategic intent to strengthen our international reach by being where the growth is. India is a key market for us — vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunities. With Messe Berlin India, we are laying down long-term foundations to build strong partnerships, support local industries, and elevate our global platforms,” said Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO, Messe Berlin.

      ITB India, inaugurated in 2023, continues as the flagship event under the new subsidiary. Held annually, ITB India is a three-day B2B travel trade show and convention that connects the global travel and tourism industry with the Indian market. Alongside MICE Show India, Travel Tech India, and the ITB India Conference, ITB India serves as a unique platform to forge new partnerships, strengthen existing ties, and capitalize on the fast-growing potential of the Indian and South Asian travel economies. The show hosts key players from the MICE, Leisure, Corporate Travel, and Travel Technology sectors. The upcoming edition, ITB India 2025, will take place from 2 – 4 September 2025  in Mumbai.

      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)