Connected Travel & Digital Retail
- Part 1 – The Rise of Connected Travel
- Part 2 – Traveller Confidence
- Part 3 – Digital Lifestyle Ancillaries
- Part 4 – AI & Intelligent Retailing
Part 1 – The Rise of Connected Travel
Asia-Pacific is home to the world’s largest online travel market, accounting for around 36% of global OTA sales. Meanwhile, global online travel bookings are expected to reach $1.2 trillion by the end of 2026, with nearly 65% of all travel bookings taking place online.
Every digital booking creates another opportunity to deliver relevant ancillary products.
But what makes APAC truly unique isn’t just its size.
Across the region, travellers increasingly expect to book, pay, communicate, and manage their entire journey within a connected digital ecosystem. Super apps and integrated travel platforms are redefining customer expectations, making seamless ancillary integration a competitive advantage rather than a differentiator.
As digital bookings continue to grow, every customer interaction becomes an opportunity to create more value by making the traveller’s journey easier.
- A traveller booking an international flight can add an eSIM before departure.
- A rail passenger can secure their booking by delay coverage before a long connection.
- An airport transfer is offered alongside the itinerary instead of requiring a separate booking.
- Fast-Track helps reduce uncertainty at busy airports.
For travel brands, the challenge is no longer finding ancillary products, it’s making them easy to access, integrate and personalise across different markets and customer journeys.
At Hepstar, we make your partners deliver more relevant ancillary offers, enhance the traveller experience, increase ancillary conversion and maximise revenue per passenger (RPP).
As we continue to work with more than 40 travel brands worldwide, we’re privileged to see how ancillary retail is evolving across different markets.
Part 2 – Traveller’s Confidence
Today’s travellers aren’t just looking for protection.
They’re looking for confidence throughout every stage of their journey.
As international travel continues to grow across Asia-Pacific, travellers increasingly value services that reduce uncertainty and give them greater control before and during their trip.
Traveller confidence is no longer created by a single product. It’s created by an ecosystem of services working together.
• Delay coverage for rail and flight disruptions.
• Airport Fast Track during peak travel periods.
• Lounge access during long layovers.
• Baggage protection and recovery services.
• Flexible booking options.
These services do more than solve problems. They reduce stress, improve the overall travel experience, and encourage travellers to personalise their journey.
For travel brands, the focus is shifting from selling standalone or new ancillary products to creating complete traveller experiences that inspire confidence.
At Hepstar, we help travel brands make these services easily accessible through a single integration while using intelligent merchandising and personalisation to ensure travellers receive the most relevant offers at the right moment.
Part 3 – Digital Lifestyle Ancillaries
Travel no longer ends when a booking is confirmed.
Across Asia-Pacific, travellers increasingly expect digital services that support every stage of their journey.
Connectivity.
Mobility.
Convenience.
These expectations are driving a new generation of ancillary products that naturally complement the booking experience.
• eSIMs that keep travellers connected from arrival.
• Airport transfers booked alongside flights.
• Rail tickets that simplify multimodal journeys.
• Lounge access purchased digitally before departure.
• Fast Track for a smoother airport experience.
These products help remove friction while creating a more connected travel experience.
For travel brands, digital lifestyle ancillaries provide an opportunity to remain relevant beyond the initial booking and strengthen customer engagement throughout the journey.
At Hepstar, we help our partners bring these services together through a single integration while using advanced retailing capabilities to personalise offers, increase ancillary conversion, and maximise revenue per passenger.
Part 4 – AI & Intelligent Retailing
The next generation of ancillary growth won’t be driven by larger product catalogues.
It will be driven by smarter retailing.
As travel becomes increasingly digital, travellers expect experiences that feel personalised rather than transactional.
The opportunity is no longer simply to display ancillary products. It’s to understand traveller intent and present services that genuinely improve the journey.
Artificial intelligence and intelligent merchandising are making this possible:
• Personalised recommendations
• Dynamic pricing
• Continuous optimisation
• Context-aware merchandising
• A/B testing
Together, these capabilities help travel brands improve relevance, increase ancillary conversion and maximise revenue while enhancing customer experience.
At Hepstar, we’re helping travel brands combine a broad ancillary marketplace with advanced retailing capabilities to transform every booking into a smarter retail opportunity.
As APAC continues to shape the future of connected travel, we believe intelligent retailing will define the next generation of ancillary growth.
