Kathleen Tan has been named CEO of the AirAsia Expedia joint venture many believe could change the travel game, at least in Asia. According to the news, Tan will oversee Expedia, AirAsiaGo, and Backick businesses in Asia, India, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Tan’s former position was with AirAsia’s group as their Senior Vice President of China. She was AirAsia Group co-founder Tony Fernandes’s right-hand executive managing six branded airlines. The Expedia deal, encapsulated by Tnooz’s Siew Hoon Yeoh here, has not quite lived up to expectations so far.
AirAsia, part of the larger Tune Group, partnered with Expedia in a 50-50 deal to list and sell flights and packages throughout Asia Pacific, outside Australia and New Zealand. The deal made some months ago, is obviously a thorn in the side of all other OTAs wishing to offer AirAsia deals to customers in these regions. The rub for Tune Group and Expedia now seems to be ramping up marketing and associative offerings etc. Ít seems logical to assume this may be job one for Tan.
About AirAsiaExpedia: AirAsiaExpedia is the joint venture company between the world’s leading online travel company, Expedia Inc. and the world’s best low cost airline, AirAsia.
Headquartered in Singapore, AirAsiaExpedia oversees both Expedia and AirAsiaGo businesses across Asia Pacific.
