In the green room at Phocuswright with... Eric Gnock Fah

When was the last time you spoke to one of your customers and why?

Just this week - I was answering calls from customers requesting booking cancellations due to the typhoon and earthquake in Japan.

Our executive team always tries to make time to talk to our customers directly in different scenarios, as this helps us to ensure that our customer service quality is the best that it can be.

Why isn't the travel startup survival rate higher?

Many travel startups focus only on a single market. But because the travel business is global in nature, startups that focus only on a singular market can be easily surpassed by competitors with global ambitions. 

What is the most critical component of your business (apart from people, tech, customers)?

The strong global network that Klook has built with our partner merchants in the tours and activities space, which allows us to provide better service and an optimized user experience for our customers.

We also now have more than 700 staff members made up of over 20 different nationalities, based in 17 offices worldwide, including our first office in the U.S., as well as offices in both Amsterdam and the U.K. for Europe.

Our continuous global expansion allows us to further expand our network and continue to improve our services.

What assumption about travel have you found not to be true?

Previously, we assumed that travelers were more interested in unique travel experiences.

However, we later discovered that travelers, in fact, look for a broader range of travel services, including popular attractions and tours, local transportation, best food and must-eats, as well as unique experiences.

Do you agree with the often-used phrase "travel planning is broken"?

“Travel planning is broken” was a part of the reason why we founded Klook in 2014.

We are glad to be one of the pioneers of making travel planning easier through technology.

By bringing the travel planning segment online, in-destination travel services platforms like Klook are robustly fixing the pains that travelers encountered before in travel planning.

We’ve also made booking on-demand and instant confirmation possible and easier for the quickly growing number of spontaneous travelers.

If you weren’t in travel, what industry/company would you like to be part of and why?

I would very likely still be in the investment bank where I used to work before co-founding Klook.

In a team environment, what role do you usually take on?

Collaborator. Because the co-founders, including myself, didn't come from a travel/tourism background, being able to collaborate with all kinds of people, including ones with key industry know-hows and technological expertise, becomes extra important for us.

This includes being receptive to critical suggestions while staying analytical and decisive when discussing and executing overall strategies for the company.

Tell us about your favorite vacation?

Just last year I visited my home country, Mauritius, after many years.

In addition to getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, this particular trip was an especially meaningful one because I was able to connect with my roots.

After going through much in life - from starting a travel business in Hong Kong that has now expanded globally in the last four years, the experience has changed my perspectives of how I’m connected to Mauritius.

I’ve not only become more appreciative of the beauty and the culture that I’ve taken for granted, I also now see the impact that I and the company I’ve co-founded can make to my home country, especially for the local community.

I’m excited to introduce the beauty of Mauritius to more travelers worldwide.

What was your childhood aspiration?

I wanted to bring the next technological innovation to Mauritius.

Because Mauritius is located in the middle of nowhere and has a small population, Mauritius is often overlooked by many companies. I am really happy to be bringing the innovation we have at Klook to Mauritius now.

What do you consider to be the most important invention in the digital world in the last 20 years?

Smartphones. This invention has given everyone easier access to travel inspirations and made travel arrangement easier, both for planning ahead and for arranging on the spot, with just a few taps on the phone.