By 2050, over 70% of the world population will be living in cities covering less than 2% of the earth’s surface. Never had city been so challenged and the trend continues to grow. And, this rise to many issues like rising inequality, environmental pollution, infrastructure access, traffic congestion, mobility, safety and health of residents are only a few examples.

As an economic barometer, the tourism industry is among the first to bear the brunt of economic slowdown and grapple with uncertainties on future directions. The challenge to find the next big opportunity is getting tougher, as it requires looking beyond the obvious to identify underlying trends and make accurate predictions. So what are the genuine needs of today's global travelers? What gaps are there in the market?

Ctrip is gradually drifting away from being a transactional platform offering simply a search tab or budget-friendly deals. Instead, it is introducing functionalities with upgraded user interface to make it easier for travelers to figure out where to go and what to do.

Deal-making in the Asia Pacific region continues to gain momentum from its successful run in 2018. Despite regulatory headwinds and macroeconomic uncertainties, cross-border M&A within Asia has remained strong, with a number of big-ticket transactions being announced. Meanwhile, new regulatory initiatives such as the Greater Bay Area (GBA), is driving renewed investor interest into the region.

India's Bharti Airtel has agreed to pay 60 billion shillings ($26 million) over five years and cancel debt to resolve a dispute over ownership of its Airtel Tanzania unit, the Tanzanian government said on Monday.

South Africa-based integrator of advanced network and cloud computing services Echotel International Proprietary Limited has received the green light from the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) to acquire 80 percent of iWayAfrica Kenya.

Amsterdam and Nairobi-based CarePay International, a mobile health payments platform, has raised €40 million (about Sh5.1 billion) in a Series A financing round for regional expansion.

As China sharpens its focus for the BRI, and Mena economies redouble their diversification efforts, new synergies are emerging, making the region the next one to watch for the historic project.

CGA Monthly Bulletin (June 2019)

This year we will start to see the transition to the fifth generation wireless networks – known as 5G. For example, Etisalat, the UAE’s biggest telecom operator, is already upgrading its network and infrastructure to be ready to provide the service as soon as the 5G mobile handsets are available in UAE.