GOASIAPLUS April 2019
Taking the cover feature of our April issue is Mayflower's CTO, Cheah Kwan Cheong (KC) sharing his experience and insights on building aviation and travel start-up websites. For a different travelling scene, Taman Negara in Pahang might just be what you are seeking for, alongside the city of Gwangju in South Korea. The final touch to our April's table are the unmissable dessert places in Kuala Lumpur for a sweet finish.
Taking the cover feature of our April issue is Mayflower's CTO, Cheah Kwan Cheong (KC) sharing his experience and insights on building aviation and travel start-up websites. For a different travelling scene, Taman Negara in Pahang might just be what you are seeking for, alongside the city of Gwangju in South Korea.
The final touch to our April's table are the unmissable dessert places in Kuala Lumpur for a sweet finish.
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INSIGHT<br />
American singer Jon Bon Jovi once said<br />
“Nothing is as important as passion. No<br />
matter what you want to do with your life,<br />
be passionate.” Cheah Kwan Cheong is the man who<br />
exhibits similar energy through his works in the<br />
tourism digital world.<br />
Behind the big build and friendly demeanour,<br />
Kwan Cheong or better known as KC, is the person<br />
behind the curtains that first build AirAsia.com back<br />
in 2002 who now delivers Malaysia’s leading travel<br />
e-commerce, Mayflower.com.my.<br />
The unbelievable truth on how KC started out<br />
in this industry all hangs on his determination and<br />
passion in software engineering. When he was first<br />
approached to build AirAsia.com, KC interestingly<br />
revealed, “I did AirAsia.com on my own, without<br />
going for any class or training. When my ex-boss<br />
called me about this vacancy, there was nothing inhouse.<br />
I had to take over from agency and build the<br />
website from scratch.”<br />
The challenge is indisputable as KC did not<br />
come from a IT or computer background. Instead,<br />
KC graduated with a Degree in Mathematics from<br />
Universiti Putra Malaysia. To add, internet is rare<br />
and it has just been initiated everywhere back then.<br />
AirAsia online platform is build by a man who taught<br />
himself how to do programming, coding and scripts.<br />
“I always tell my guys today to learn from<br />
experience and knowledge. It is something that no<br />
one can’t take away from you. One day when you<br />
move on with your job, you actually earn it and own<br />
it yourself.”<br />
KC shared his extensive experience comes<br />
from his ten years stint with AirAsia, GDS platform<br />
Travelport and starting a business of his own before<br />
forming joint venture with Mayflower for digital<br />
travel business.<br />
BUSINESS ON ONLINE PLATFORM<br />
“Travel industry is going through a change where<br />
you digitise your business or you’re out. The margin<br />
is getting lower and the cost is getting higher.” And<br />
the only way to offset the growing change is through<br />
doing more volume via online business.<br />
Mayflower travel agency has more than over 50<br />
years of history in the Malaysian tourism industry<br />
offering services from travel packages, hotels,<br />
flights, car rentals and etc. So, KC is brought in to<br />
elevate Mayflower traditional business onto digital<br />
platforms.<br />
“Key objective is to digitise the business. Three<br />
years on, we have done over 300 times of businesses<br />
in terms of online volume”. KC’s passion in building<br />
the e-commerce platform followed with his business<br />
expertise makes him a professional in digitising<br />
conventional business.<br />
“Mixing business and technology together is<br />
something I like to do, something that feels quite<br />
fun because when there are problems, there are also<br />
many ways to solve it. Even though you solve a small<br />
thing, it can make a lot of difference”<br />
As Mayflower is leading the travel market in<br />
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