Web in Travel (WiT) turns 21 this year, and to mark it, the organisation asked the people who built Asia’s online travel industry a simple question: If you could go back knowing everything you know now, what would you tell the 21-year-old who was just getting started?
Their answers form part of Online Travel in Asia: The Unwritten Story, a new documentary released this month and premiering at WiT Singapore on 1 October. Almost none of them are about technology.
“Turning 21 is supposed to be the moment you become an adult,” says Siew Hoon Yeoh, founder of WiT, who narrates the film. “Truth is, most of us had no idea what we were doing. I certainly didn’t. Neither did this industry 21 years ago.”
Here is what they would some of APAC’s top travel leaders would tell themselves:
- The uncomfortable moments are the valuable ones
Kerry Healy, chief commercial officer, MEA, Turkey and APAC, midscale and economy, Accor
“Things rarely unfold as you plan, and that’s not failure, that’s just part of the journey. Stay curious, build real relationships, and don’t be afraid of the uncomfortable moments. They usually turn out to be the most valuable in the end.”
- Travel the world and look for your forever home
Laura Houldsworth, managing director APAC, Booking.com
“Go back and do your studies, travel the world, and keep looking for that forever home (which I haven’t found yet)”
- Be bold about the unknown
Darrell Chan, deputy general counsel, Airbnb
“Don’t be scared of the unknown and the uncertainty, especially where we’re facing these unknowns right now with technology shifts and geopolitics. Be bold and courageous, because the future is still bright and hopeful.”
- Do something you enjoy
Rod Cuthbert, founder, Viator
“Get into the travel industry earlier, because it is absolutely the best place to work, to make incredible friends who will be with you for your whole career, to see the world, and to enjoy a life in business doing something you enjoy.
- You are going to work for a hundred years, so slow down
Joe Lu, co-founder and CEO, HeyMax
“Longevity drugs will be out there when you’re older, so don’t worry about getting into work mode so early in your career. You’ll have a hundred years of work life ahead of you. Take breaks, travel the world, go to as many places as possible and get to know as many fun people as possible.”
- Fail cheaply and get your hands dirty
Marcus Yong, vice president, global marketing, Klook
“That age is the best time to try different things. Don’t be afraid to fail. Fail fast, fail cheap, but give everything a shot. Don’t overthink things, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. That’s the beauty of life.”
- Work out what you are willing to give up
Sarosh Waghmar, founder, co-chairman and chief product officer, Spotnana
“Good things take time to happen. Sometimes you have to be relentless in your pursuit, especially if you’re trying to build something generational. Entrepreneurship is not about an idea, and it’s not about the money. It’s about what you are willing to give up. Stay grounded. Sometimes not doing something is okay. Sometimes you have to wait for things to come to you.”
- Fall in love with the problem, not the solution
Qais Amori, chief digital and technology officer, Almosafer
“Stay curious. Technology will always be evolving. There is an AI model every five minutes. That’s okay. Stay focused on the customer. Be obsessed with the problem, not the solution. Everything we are doing is about people. Focus on the team and coach them. That is the core of every business you’ll be doing in the future.”
- Reduce the fear, but keep the paranoia
Timothy O’Neil-Dunne, principal, T2Impact
“Don’t worry, it will all work itself out. Pursue your own dreams, not other people’s. Start early on something that has to become your north star. Risk should be embraced. Reduce the fear, but never suppress the paranoia. Everyone has value, and they like to be acknowledged.”
- Buy Bitcoin, then be your own best friend
Tim Hughes, vice president, corporate development, Agoda
“Obviously I’d say buy Apple, buy Booking Holdings, buy Bitcoin. But seriously, I’d say buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, and the first thing you have to be is your own best friend.”
The documentary argues that the industry has arrived at the same threshold as WiT, at the same moment, and is just as unsure of itself as it was the first time round.
“Generative AI has existed for only a few years, yet the pace of change feels less like four years and more like 40,” says Yeoh in the film. “AI is becoming the interface. Search is starting to disappear. Discovery is a 15-second video. The industry isn’t evolving. It’s resetting. Again.”
Rather than forecast what comes next, the film asks contributors what they would protect while everything else is rebuilt. The recurring answers are trust, people who are not too exhausted to create anything worth remembering, and the traveller on the other side of the transaction who is simply looking for fun and joy.
Online Travel in Asia: The Unwritten Story can be watched at https://youtu.be/wpwg6WkOd9A
WiT Singapore 2026 runs from 30 September to 2 October under the theme 21: A New Beginning, with the Innovation Stage at Pan Pacific Singapore and the Main Stage at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre. For the full programme and registration, visit www.witevents.com/witsingapore
