We're trying something new with our weekly-ish podcast this year - we're outsourcing it to Artificial Intelligence. Don't worry, our human podcast producer is still on the payroll. For now. 

Jokes aside, we've relaunched Top of the WiT as a weekly digest that's purely hosted by Google's language models, specifically NotebookLM. While we've conducted this experiment a few times, the results seem to be improving and never fail to impress us. 

Industry leaders in the Asia-Pacific travel sector share their insights on the year 2024 and offer predictions for 2025. Their perspectives cover key trends, including the rise of silent travel and micro-sabbaticals, the impact of AI, and the need for sustainable tourism practices. Challenges discussed include overtourism, manpower shortages, and maintaining transparency.

We also highlight Timothy O'Neil-Dunne's (Principal, T2Impact) op-ed on the evolution of the influencer economy. O'Neil-Dunne argues that the era of influencers chasing viral fame is shifting into one of strategic monetization, particularly in the travel industry. Once defined by the constant pursuit of likes and shares, the influencer landscape is evolving as creators recognize the need for sustainable revenue streams. Platforms like NaviSavi and initiatives like Expedia Travel Shops illustrate how influencers are leveraging their digital clout to go beyond fleeting virality and build tangible, monetizable assets, yes true social commerce.

Finally, the report notes a surge in air passenger and cargo demand in the Asia-Pacific region, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.