How TikTok and AI Are Rewriting Booking Decisions in Asia
Photo Credit: Amit Saberwal (L), RedDoorz CEO and Founder, and Ross Veitch (R), Wego CEO & Co-Founder, speaking at Skift Asia Forum on April 29, 2026 in Bangkok. Skift
Skift Take
The customer is technically in charge of booking decisions, but social media and AI systems are increasingly making the decisions for them.
Social media, AI, and price sensitivity are rewriting how travelers across Asia find and book travel.
Amit Saberwal, CEO and founder of RedDoorz, and Ross Veitch, CEO and co-founder of Wego, took to the stage at the Skift Asia Forum on Wednesday with a clear message. Right now, social media dominates discovery for younger travelers, AI referrals are growing, and as Saberwal warned, a $1 price difference could be enough to send a loyal customer to a rival booking channel.
The TikTok EffectFor Saberwal, whose company operates more than 4,500 hotels across Indonesia and the Philippines, it’s clear who controls the booking decision.
“We have a fair idea of how customers behave, especially Indonesian and Filipino customers,” he said. “They continue to be deeply influenced — if I can choose one channel — by TikTok. A large amount of our customers are
