"High touch" used to come from a concierge or customer service agent. Today, it can stem from technology, so long as it gives the customer "what they want at that moment when they need it."
When a travel company announces a “Chief Spring Officer,” it sounds like a gimmick, but Klook’s experiment reflects how platforms are trying close the gap between inspiration and booking. If this works, similar seasonal roles could emerge around major events.
Don't expect a dramatic surge in Booking.com's access to new experiences inventory. Its announcement that this will happen "incrementally" was a tip-off.
It has taken nearly a decade and hundreds of millions of dollars for Klook to reach profitability. Now, the real test will be whether it can convince investors that its growth story is worth buying into.