A new book, “How To Talk To Strangers” by Kerrie Phipps, launched to help people decrease anxiety, build confidence, and heal the pandemic affected world

Singapore, Aug 12, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – A new self-help book, How To Talk To Strangers by Kerrie Phipps, was launched globally along with the co-authors of the book, reaching over 1000 people through the event was aired live on Facebook and Youtube. The book is an invitation to think more deeply about how you connect with others, so you don't overlook essential connections or risk missing opportunities to impact people and the chance to change your own life in the process.

Kerrie Phipps, the Author and publisher, says, "Stories of the kindness of strangers are so moving, the impression they have on people, and the power of encouragement in our lives – strangers or friends, family, colleagues, and it was vital to share some in a book."

At the launch, Coen Tan, Director of Ministry of Influence, said, "I grew up as a socially awkward child who was often bullied in school. I was even referred to the Institute of Mental Health for treatment for depression. However, over time, I've developed my speaking and social skills and now, I train and coach leaders internationally to inspire through their stories. I hope that my stories in this book will inspire people, that like me; they too can find their voice and connect confidently with strangers."

Krescendo Communications, Founder, and Global Goodwill Ambassador for Singapore, Malaysia and India, Ganesh Somwanshi, one of the contributors, quips, "I am fascinated with connecting with people since I am in the business of communications. This book is the manifesto of connecting with strangers, a work of light amid dark times. Let us embrace the new normal; let us connect with the world with an open heart and mind. Together we can we shall."

Cathy Johnson, Authentic Leadership Coach, shares, "It's so beautiful to read (and hear) stories of how a stranger can build your confidence – and they often have no idea they're doing it! Let's keep coming together and building our relationships with each other."

Conor O'Malley, Executive Coach, Author of "Trust – Begins and Ends with Self", adds, "I feel I have talked to strangers all my life, however never really seen it that way. I see strangers as real people with a story to share. I hope my stories in this book serve you well when it comes to having a conversation with someone or trusting yourself to reach out to a stranger."

Anupama Singal, Fashion & Technology Entrepreneur, Speaker, Creator & Co-author of SYZYGYmoments, notes, "This book is all about how talking to strangers can sometimes be a life-changing experience and how you could find meaningful connections with strangers. It feels great to be a contributor and share some memorable experiences from my life."

Brandhood Media Founder and Thought Leadership Brand Specialist Nathan Shooter, "When you push beyond your fear, to enter the world of others, you'll discover those small conversations can create big change. People are looking to you for hope and connection, now more than ever."

The insightful Foreword by Masami Sato concludes with, "I invite you to ponder on the power of human connection with me and with us – no matter whether you think you are an extrovert or an introvert. Surprisingly, it starts with just one conversation, one smile, one interaction. That is all it takes – a look, a smile and a conversation. It's powerful. And it really can change our world."

Click https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0994157347/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4 to buy the book in digital or print format. Kerrie's other books include DO Talk To Strangers – How To Connect With Anyone, Anywhere and the sequel, DO Talk To Strangers Travel Toolkit.

For media queries contact:
Ganesh Somwanshi
(+65) 9779 1286

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

LG Uplus Kiosks Go Touchless with Kardome’s Voice Technology

Tel Aviv, Israel, Aug 10, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Kardome today announced it has contracted with LG Uplus to install its Voice Activation Software in the mobile service provider's store kiosks. Kardome is excited to partner with LG Uplus to provide its customers with secure voice interaction in its kiosk digital assistants.

The voice technology startup will install its voice activation technology in 2,000 LG Uplus store kiosks throughout South Korea by the end of the year. LG Uplus is one of South Korea's largest mobile service providers.

The development of voice technology is shifting into high gear, with consumers demanding touchless solutions due to hygienic concerns during the pandemic.

Privacy and security are also a concern when using voice recognition software in public spaces. Kardome allays these concerns with its unique location-based voice user interface (VUI).

"We are proud to see our voice activation technology employed in LG Uplus kiosks," says Dani Cherkassky, Kardome CEO and cofounder. "Our voice user interface software will give the company's customers private, secure voice interactions in any environment."

Kardome's VUI technology provides a personalized digital experience using parametric or directional loudspeakers. The speakers transmit the digital voice assistant's responses only to the relevant customer standing before the kiosk.

The location-based source separation technology enables this secure and private voice interaction, capturing only the relevant customer's speech, regardless of background noise or passerby.

About Kardome

Kardome is an Israeli-based voice technology startup. The company's innovative location-based, noise-reduction VUI technology gives clear, real-time voice command input and audio output in any environment. Kardome's goal is to solve end-user frustrations with speech recognition and voice command devices.

About LG Uplus

LG Uplus Corp is a South Korean telecommunications and Mobile phone service provider controlled by the LG Group, one of the country's largest family-owned business conglomerates.

More information: http://bit.ly/LGUplusKardome
Video demonstration of Kardome's Voice technology in LG Uplus store kiosks in Gwangju, South Korea https://youtu.be/VjsSoOn3e4k

Contact:
Laura Tate, Kardome VP Marketing
+1 323-205-6436
Laura.tate@Kardome.com

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Bluewill U.S. Online Shopping Platform launch on August 4

SANTA MONICA, CA, Aug 4, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Bluewill, is pleased to launch its North America shopping platform on Wed, August 4, 2021 (PST). All Bluewill products will be available for the US opening, at www.Bluewill.com.

With the volatile markets of 2020-2021, people prefer to shop online, with E-commerce catching and finally surpassing offline retail in terms of annual sales. Many shops and merchants have tried to capture this growing market, offering low prices, but product quality and service guarantees often end up lacking in the end. This will continue in the coming months and years, but there are also some positive changes taking place. The Bluewill team is working hard to bring something new!

A brand new way of shopping, 'Sharing is Saving'

Bluewill brings a new concept to e-commerce, 'Sharing is Saving'. Achieve a lower price by creating or participating in '2 People Group' or '5 People Group' after clicking "Group Purchase" in lower right corner of product page, shopping with up to 70% discounts. People could buy the same product with their friends, family, neighbors by sharing links through Whatsapp, Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, Pinterest etc, or even waiting for strangers to join the group, purchase any products at lower prices, after successfully placing a "Group Purchase".

So far, over 90% of Group Purchase participants have succeeded in buying with their friends. Then, the "Price Match Policy" ensures that customers on Bluewill always get the lowest prices compared to any other online shopping mall or marketplace. As a final reward for everyone, the "Deal of the Day" offers three new super-deal products daily, to all customers.

Patents, Supply chains and Smart products

The Bluewill team's parent company was founded in Germany in 2005. Over the past 17 years, it has been building relationships with over 700 factories and achieving strategic partnerships with high-quality industrial supply chains. Their products and services have been granted 649 patents and 122 software copyrights with 232 patents pending and earning over 1 million positive reviews worldwide.

They have an established research and development centre as well. They are dedicated to creating smart products and offering a smart digital life to global citizens on their own individual terms. In 2020, their total annual sales exceeded US$1.5 billion.

Bluewill's supply chain has been integrated and optimized to maximize benefits to its customers. Over the years, Bluewill has maintained close relationships with a variety of global brands to bring a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience to people around the world. The Bluewill platform will be available in other countries soon, so stay tuned.

Media Contact:
Josh Carter, Bluewill
E: info@Bluewill.com
T: +86 755 3362 2851
U: www.Bluewill.com

SOURCE: Bluewill

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Dynasty expects revenue to nearly double year-on-year to over HK$170 million in the first half of 2021

HONG KONG, Aug 2, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Dynasty Fine Wines Group Limited (Stock Code: 828), a premier winemaker in China, today issued a profit alert update based on its latest unaudited consolidated management accounts. The Group expects to record a year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue of approximately 90% to 100%, reaching more than HK$170 million for the six months ended 30 June 2021 ("the Period"). The consolidated profit for the Period is expected to be between HK$10 million and HK$20 million.

The significant increase in Dynasty's revenue during the Period was mainly attributable to three factors. Firstly, as the COVID-19 pandemic has gradually been brought under control in China, the government has relaxed the restrictions on consuming places, which has boosted the resumption of consumption occasions and consumer sentiment, as well as the growth in economy, particularly in domestic demand, which led to recovery of sales. Secondly, compared with the same period last year, sales of medium to high end wine products increased during the Period following the Group's upgrade of its brands and products. Thirdly, the Group's sales team strengthened its cooperation with distributors which subsequently purchased goods before festivals. This also demonstrated the Group's steady progress through the implementation of sales and marketing reforms.

During the same period last year, Dynasty recorded a non-recurrent gain of approximately HK$184 million from the disposal of a chateau and related facilities, as well as non-recurrent employee compensation costs of approximately HK$13.3 million due to the implementation of an employee reform plan, bringing the Group's unaudited consolidated profit for the first half of last year to HK$142.6 million. Excluding the effect of these non-recurrent gain and expense, the Group would have recorded an adjusted unaudited consolidated loss of approximately HK$27.8 million for the same period last year, while the consolidated profit for the Period is expected to be in a range of HK$10 million to HK$20 million, a significant improvement by turning around from loss into profit. The upturn was mainly due to rising sales of medium to high end wine products and a higher gross profit margin.

In 2021, Dynasty adjusted its layouts of product, sales channels and marketing, and achieved remarkable results in the process. In terms of product strategy, in response to market demand and riding on its competitive edges, Dynasty further advanced its "5+4+N product strategy", in which "5" represents the five key product lines, namely the air dry series, seven-year reserve series, merlot series, classic series and best-selling series, covering all mainstream price segments,"4" refers to the four dominant categories i.e. dry red wines, dry white wines, brandy and sparkling wines, to increase the market share; and "N" stands for the development of various customized products to meet the diversified needs of consumers.

In order to promote its new products, Dynasty held its first brandy tasting and business fair event this January and also took part in the China Food & Drinks Fair held in Chengdu this April. During the fairs, the Group actively promoted its latest product mix, and received an enthusiastic market response. In June of this year, the Group once again held a launch event for the upgraded Dynasty Classic Collection – Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red Wines. The upgraded series comprises eight products, with price segments further covering the mainstream market for mass consumption.

As for marketing, Dynasty has stepped up its brand promotion efforts and advertising investment. Since March of this year, Dynasty has title sponsored a high-speed train that has a route covering the core areas of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai – Dynasty's key markets. The Group has also launched marketing efforts at offline points of sale in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region, as well as via its flagship online stores on JD.com and TMall, enabling the rollout of nationwide sales and marketing activities. Meanwhile, Dynasty has continued to expand its distribution channels, including tobacco and liquor shops, convenience stores and medium and large supermarkets, catering outlets and social communities. It also penetrated social communities by flexibly organizing interactive and thematic activities and engaging opinion leaders and content marketing, so that it may have the benefit of diverse yet fully integrated channels. Moreover, in July of this year, Dynasty also adjusted its marketing strategy for dry white wines to extend beyond coastal cities. Based mainly in southern China, the Group has spread the coverage of its marketing efforts to 18 cities across the nation. It promoted Dynasty dry white wines by a systematic and large-scale approach through tasting events, provision of complimentary drinks and the use of various displays, etc.

In the first half of this year, Dynasty successfully boosted the sales of its medium to high end wine products and improved its gross profit margin by making effective strategic adjustments and leveraging its strong execution capabilities. Going forward, Dynasty will pursue continuous innovation in response to consumer demand and strive for competitive differentiation within the industry in terms of brands, products, sales models and talent.

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ZALL Makes Headway in Global Digital Trade with New Strategic Rebrand

SINGAPORE, Jul 16, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – ZALL Smart Commerce Group (ZALL), Asia's largest B2B e-commerce group, looks to become the world's leading global digital trade platform with its new strategic rebrand. It aims to create an open and interconnected B2B trading ecosystem between China and ASEAN, and to drive the rapid growth and development of industries and businesses through the use of new trading methods and advanced technologies.

With the strategic rebrand, ZALL aims to create value through its global intelligent services across B2B transactions, supply chain services and digital cloud services, transforming industrial value chains across the region and enabling businesses to improve overall efficiency. ZALL currently serves around 30 B2B platforms in China, the United States and Singapore, to millions of SMEs worldwide. It has also been investing heavily in the development of next-generation intelligent trading platforms to help empower seamless data exchange across platforms integrating information, logistics and capital flows across wholesale and commodities, retail trade and logistics industries in China and Singapore.

Testament to their hard work and effort, ZALL and its Singapore-based international trading platform, Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC), were recently conferred the prestigious Gold and Silver Awards at the 2021 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards during the virtual awards ceremony held on 14 July 2021. It is a major achievement for the teams as it highlights ZALL's dedication towards transforming global trade and supply chains since its strategic rebrand.

Peter Yu, Executive Vice President of ZALL Smart Commerce, Singapore, shared, "As the world continues to adapt and rise up to the challenges posed by the pandemic, we wanted to focus our efforts on digital innovation, creating an even more resilient and sustainable global trade and supply chain ecosystem. This can be done by incorporating data and digital technologies into every part of the industrial value chain, from both the demand to the supply side. With our expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Blockchain, we believe we are well-positioned to help businesses worldwide adopt innovative technologies to succeed in the new digital world order."

On the back of its strong technology research and development capabilities, ZALL was also ranked 58th in the '2020 Global Blockchain Invention Patent Ranking' published by the incoPat Innovation Index Research Center. ZALL's research institute was granted more than 200 intellectual property rights last year, namely in the fields of blockchain, artificial intelligence and big data. Recognising the complexity and difficulty of adopting blockchain for many enterprises, ZALL recently launched 'Z-Block Gateway', a blockchain Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) solution that is both low-code and easy to operate and deploy across various industries and mainstream cloud servers.

Alongside ZALL, CIC has also launched "CORP INFO" that offers "Know-Your-Counterparty" and "Credit Info" services to help SMEs manage their business risks by being able to verify and conduct due diligence on prospective business partners and counterparties before engaging in official dealings. Companies will have access to a range of essential business information such as business registration, historical background, holding companies, shareholders, legal and financial activities, lawsuits and related risks of more than 200 million companies and 2.1 billion trade records in Singapore, China and other parts of the world to help businesses better identify their counterparties.

About Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC)

The Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC) is a global trading platform for physical commodities including Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals, Chemicals & Plastics, Oil & Petroleum, and Agri Commodities. Officially launched in Singapore on 12 Oct 2018, CIC is a Joint Venture between China-based ZALL Smart Commerce Group, Global eTrade Services (GeTS) and Singapore Exchange (SGX) to build trade connectivity through digital marketplaces and to grow a vibrant trading ecosystem in Singapore.

CIC aims to revolutionise commodity trading and facilitate cross-border trade through deal matching, trade finance, supply chain logistics, track and trace and global trade compliance. Since its establishment in October 2018, CIC has achieved a GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) of more than US$13.4 billion (S$17.6 billion), with over 5,800 registered users covering markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China, among other countries in Asia. For more information, please visit https://www.cic-tp.com/.

About ZALL Smart Commerce Group

ZALL Smart Commerce Group is a leading Chinese B2B e-commerce group (Fortune" China Top 500 list in 2020) with a global footprint across the world and its entities are listed on three exchanges on HKSE, NYSE and SSE. ZALL Group develops and operates Asia's largest B2B offline-to-online trade ecosystem in China and Southeast Asia, including Singapore, with more than 30 B2B platforms in China, US and Singapore, and a GFA of more than 10 million sqm of wholesale trade centres in China. In 2018, ZALL Group achieved a GMV of more than RMB 600 billion (US$85.2 bn), serving over 1 mil SME customers worldwide. ZALL has also obtained a virtual banking licence and currently operates Z-Bank in China since 2017, one of China's Top 5 digital banks that has supported more than 5.5 million SME and individual customers.

Since 2018, ZALL has invested in five projects in Singapore, including the Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC), Singapore's first physical commodity eTrading platform (B2B) powered by blockchain technology; ezbuy.sg, Singapore's leading global online shopping platform; ZMA Smart Capital, an online trade finance company; ZALL Chain Technology, a blockchain solutions company. For more information, please visit http://en.zallcn.com/

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Sapo selects Fundiin as their Interest-Free Buy-Now-Pay-Later Partner

Vietnam, Jul 15, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Fundiin, the leading Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service provider in Vietnam, has announced a strategic partnership with Sapo, a leading omnichannel commerce platform in Vietnam, to integrate a BNPL solution at checkout for over 100,000 merchant clients on the Sapo platform. Retail customers will have a smart and easy payment option which splits purchase amounts into three monthly installments at zero cost. Fundiin's BNPL solution can increase a retailer's sales by 30% without the need of a credit card or an application download.

Vietnam has one of the fastest growing internet economies in Southeast Asia, with a growth rate of 36 percent in 2020 (Statista). Fundiin is backed by international venture capital investors, such as 1982 Ventures.

The Vietnam retail sector was valued at USD 170 billion in 2020, and it is projected to register a CAGR of more than 10% from 2021 to2026. E-commerce is set to play a larger role in the economy and projected to grow at 29% CAGR through year 2025 (Google, Temasek and Bain, e-Conomy SEA 2020).

Despite the COVID-19 crisis, Vietnam has managed GDP growth of nearly three percent. Ongoing urbanization and evolving consumer demand are fueling rapid expansion of ecommerce. Over 40% of Vietnam's digital consumers have come online due in part to COVID-19. Vietnam's government is supporting the trend and targeting online shopping to reach 50% market share of all commerce in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by 2025. Officials also aim to reduce cash payments and are actively working to improve the regulatory framework for e-payments.

Retailers are rapidly adopting solutions that can increase sales while reducing pressure on their consumers. Besides traditional sale promotions and free shipping, Fundiin's interest-free BNPL solution has proven to be a great budgeting tool for consumers and increases sales for retailers.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Cuong, Co-founder and CEO of Fundiin, shares: "The Covid-19 pandemic created a wave of digital transformation and strong investment in omnichannel solutions for the retail industry. This shift to online shopping in Vietnam has created an urgent need for a simple and more affordable payment options for customers."

Mr. Mai Van Tam, Director of Sapo Fin, shares: "With a deep understanding of the retail market, e-commerce and the recent change in consumer behavior, we believe that the Buy-Now-Pay-Later solution is an inevitable trend. Fundiin is the only company that meets Sapo's strict criteria in terms of technology, customer experience, as well as stability in operations. Our cooperation as two leading Vietnamese technology companies promises to generate significant value to our merchant clients and help retailers increase sales."

Sapo is a leading omnichannel commerce platform in Vietnam, servicing more than 100,000 merchant clients. The cooperation between Fundiin and Sapo will help Sapo's 100,000 merchant clients increase sales up to 30% by integrating Fundiin's BNPL payment solution. Eligible merchants will provide customers the option to split their orders into three interest-free monthly installments, which can be done in seconds with one single photo of ID card, without the need of a credit card or any application download. Retailers will receive full value of orders upfront.

About Fundiin

Fundiin is the leading zero-cost Buy-Now-Pay-Later service provider in Vietnam, helping retailers increase sales by up to 30% by allowing end-consumers to pay in 3 interest-free monthly installments without need of credit card or app download. Fundiin is on mission to bridge the financial inclusion gap for the unbanked and underbanked population in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

About Sapo

Sapo is a leading omnichannel commerce platform in Vietnam, servicing more than 100,000 merchant clients. Sapo provides retail businesses with an overall sales and management platform from online to offline including Sapo POS, Sapo Web, Sapo Social, Sapo Omnichannel.

Contact Info:
Nguyen Anh Cuong, CFA
cuongna@fundiin.vn
+84907465010

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Dusit International expands hotel operations in Thailand with the opening of pet-friendly dusitD2 Hua Hin

Hua Hin, Thailand, Jul 15, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has expanded its operations in the kingdom with the opening of dusitD2 Hua Hin, an upscale pet-friendly retreat in the heart of Hua Hin, a popular seaside destination just three hours by car from Bangkok.

dusitD2 Hua Hin

Deluxe Terrace Bedroom

Family Terrace Bedroom

Rooftop pool

Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International

Located just a seven-minute walk from Hua Hin's main beach and near popular local attractions such as Cicada Market and Bluport Hua Hin Resort Mall, the new hotel is designed to offer a modern and comfortable haven where families and groups of friends can recharge, relax, and easily discover everything the destination has to offer, with space to bring their pets with them.

Alongside 152 contemporary guest rooms and suites ranging in size from 30 to 92 sq m, including selected rooms equipped with pet-friendly amenities for up to two pets, the bright and airy property offers a wide range of facilities for work, rest and play.

Current dining facilities include Cafe Soi, an all-day dining restaurant where guests can take a culinary journey to Southern Thailand and indulge in traditional delicacies from Surat Thani, Phuket, Songkhla, Krabi and beyond; Som Bar, a vibrant rooftop bar inspired by Hollywood party pads where guests can enjoy cocktails and admire panoramic sea views; and Dusit Gourmet, Dusit's signature bakery and coffee shop, where guests can indulge in a variety of Thai and international favourites, all made using high-quality ingredients.

Alongside a rooftop infinity pool, a large garden, and a fully equipped gym, the hotel also offers an extensive kids club, The Beary Club, featuring a children's swimming pool, a play area with a sandbox and a treehouse, and a wide range of activities for children ages 3 to 15. Bag painting, tree planting, cooking classes, and treasure hunts led by friendly mascot 'Beary' – a unique 'half bear, half hog deer' character specially designed to raise awareness of endangered animals in the region – are just some of the fun activities offered. All children are given a Beary Map on arrival with the chance to win an ice cream by collecting stamps throughout the property.

All room types, from the airy Deluxe to the spacious Two-Bedroom Suite, feature the latest in connectivity, with high-speed internet access and 55" 4K UHD Smart TVs for easy streaming of entertainment. Each room and public area is also equipped with a Panasonic Nanoe(TM) X machine, which filters the air to eliminate odours and inhibit the activity of airborne bacteria and pet-derived allergens.

Guests seeking to stay on top of work during their travels will find plenty of quiet, thoughtfully designed corners to focus on their important tasks. The versatile and well-equipped Dok Jok function room is also available for up to 76 people in a theatre-style arrangement, or 37 people in a classroom set-up, ensuring ample space for safe and memorable gatherings.

Alongside Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, all guests also benefit from Dusit's carefully crafted 'Dusit Care' services. Designed to offer ultimate peace of mind, these go beyond enhanced hygiene protocols to deliver additional convenience, experience and value while maximising guest safety. Flexible check-in, anytime breakfast, and mobile payment methods are just some of the services offered.

dusitD2 Hua Hin, which officially opens on 16 July 2021, is Dusit's third hotel in Hua Hin. The renowned Dusit Thani Hua Hin, a deluxe beachside resort, has been operating in the destination for 30 years. Dusit also recently began managing Seapine Recreation Centre, next to Suanson beach. Dusit International's property portfolio now comprises more than 300 properties, across six brands, in 17 countries worldwide.

"We are delighted to open dusitD2 in Hua Hin and expand our market reach to delight a whole new segment of travellers in this popular seaside destination," said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. "Complementing perfectly the full-service offerings of our long-standing Dusit Thani Hua Hin resort, dusitD2 Hua Hin is ideally positioned to meet the needs of the large drive-to-leisure market from Bangkok. From modern Thai-inspired design and our distinctive gracious hospitality, to pet-friendly rooms, extensive lifestyle facilities, and a great location near popular shopping areas and the main beach, the hotel has all the ingredients for a highly memorable stay. Ultimately, dusitD2 Hua Hin offers excellent value for young families, groups of friends, and even those looking for a comfortable and convenient base to work from anywhere. And all guests can rest assured that, with Dusit, their well-being and safety will always come first."

To mark its opening, dusitD2 Hua Hin is now offering The Journey has Begun package featuring accommodation in a Deluxe room, breakfast for two adults, an extra bed for children under 18 years old, and 20% food and beverage discount at Cafe Soi and Som Bar.

Available for booking from 16 July 2021 for stay dates through 31 August 2021, the package starts at THB 2,499 net per night. Guests who book to stay two consecutive nights will also receive a southern set dinner for two at Cafe Soi.

For more information about the hotel and its opening room rates, please visit https://www.dusit.com/dusitd2-huahin/specialoffers/the-journey-has-begun/.

About Dusit International

Established in 1948, Dusit International is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Building on its two core areas of business – Hotels & Resorts and Hospitality Education – the company has expanded its operations over the past four years to comprise five business units. The additional units include Foods, Property Development, and Hospitality-Related Services. Today, the company's property portfolio comprises more than 300 distinctive hotels, resorts and luxury villas operating under six brands across 17 countries worldwide, as well as two leading hospitality colleges with campuses in Thailand and the Philippines. Following a three-pronged strategy for sustainable growth, including balance, expansion and diversification, the company has recently expanded into food production, on-demand hospitality services, and property development to reach new markets and add further recurring streams of revenue to the company.

For more information, please visit www.dusit-international.com

Official photos of Dusit Hotels & Resorts can be downloaded at medialib.dusit.com

Media Contact:
Sureerat Sudpairak | Director of Marketing Communications | Dusit International
Tel: +66 (0) 2200 9999 ext. 3321 | Mobile +66 (0) 89 006 8697 | Email: sureerat.sp@dusit.com

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Mid-Market Organizations Gain Robust Multi-Way Matching Capabilities with Adra(R) by Trintech

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE, Jul 14, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced a new automated multi-way transaction matching feature in its Adra Suite to help mid-market organizations save time and reduce risk in the transaction matching process. With this new automated multi-way matching feature, customers can set up match scenarios and deploy intelligent rules to automatically review one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many matches.

"As companies continue to grow, expand and adapt, specifically companies in the eCommerce and restaurant industries, they begin to realize that a manual multi-way matching process cannot effectively scale to handle reconciling new sources and higher volumes of data," said Darren Heffernan, President, Mid-Market at Trintech. "With our robust matching engine that is not typically found in a solution designed and priced for the mid-market, matching can happen daily, so transactions don't accumulate at month-end when you need time for higher-value tasks like analysis and reporting."

With Adra, matching transactions with bank statements, credit card statements, point of sale, merchant, 3rd party delivery services, and other external sources happen in a fraction of the time that manual spreadsheet or paper-based processes take, allowing F&A teams more time to spend on unmatched transaction exceptions – improving the accuracy and reliability of your close.

"The time savings isn't just during the close process, we also see it from a day-to-day perspective," said Shelly Traylor, Sr. Treasury Analyst at Torchy's Tacos. "We are no longer spending time manually matching accounts because we now let Adra do the matching automatically so we can spend our valuable time focused on the exceptions."

Just some of the benefits finance & accounting departments will gain include:

– Focus only on exceptions to start your day
– Utilize automated multi-way matching (3-way, 4-way, etc.) that scales with business growth
– Save time by continuously processing transactions so they don't pile up
– Effortlessly import new data types and sources
– Record all activities in an audit-ready format
– Illuminate potential mismatches and generate exception reports that mitigate risk

For more information on how Adra by Trintech can save you time and reduce risk in your transaction matching process, please click here. https://www.trintech.com/adra/suite/adra-matcher/

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech's portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency(R) Platform, Adra(R) Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET(TM), T-Recs(R), and UPCS(R), help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company's cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Kristina Pereira Tully
Vested
650-464-0080
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Study: More than half of the world’s population will use mobile wallets by 2025

SINGAPORE, Jul 8, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – The biggest report ever on the growth of mobile wallets projects that one in two people will use a mobile wallet by 2025. At the end of 2020, there were over 2.8 billion mobile wallets in use. That number is projected to increase by nearly 74% to reach 4.8 billion mobile wallets in use by the end of 2025 – nearly 60% of the world's population. The fastest growing markets are Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa & Middle East where mobile wallets are displacing cash and cards for more convenient digital payments.

Boku, a fintech pioneering the world's first global mobile payments network, has released its 2021 Mobile Wallets Report in partnership with digital technology analyst house Juniper Research, which provides insight into mobile wallet adoption and use in leading markets across the globe. In 2019, mobile wallets overtook credit cards to become the most widely used payment type globally and the shift to online driven by the pandemic has accelerated adoption. Mobile wallets use is growing rapidly across the world with emerging markets leading the way.

Key findings

– Southeast Asia is the fastest growing mobile wallet region
Mobile wallet use will grow by 311% between 2020-2025, reaching up 439.7 million wallets in use across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam from 141.1 million in 2020. The rise in e-Commerce and dominance of super-apps like Grab and Gojek, particularly in markets like the Philippines and Indonesia, is driving accelerated mobile wallet adoption.

– China reaches maturity but Japan, Korea and Taiwan set for hyper-growth
The Far East and China continues to be the largest mobile wallet region in the world with 1.34bn users in 2020. Market saturation is resulting in slowing growth in China with a CAGR of just 2.2% per year. Meanwhile, markets including Japan, Korea and Taiwan will continue to see accelerated adoption of mobile wallets with 98.4% market penetration by 2025.

– Africa & Middle East is the second biggest mobile wallet market
The second biggest mobile wallet market is set to grow by 147% between 2020-2025. This is driven by expanded usage of mobile money services such as M-Pesa which are increasingly offering additional services such as access to eCommerce.

– Latin American growth is being supercharged by eCommerce
This region is set to increase mobile wallet use by 166% between 2020-2025. Long held back by consumers' preference for cash-based payments and comparatively lower smartphone penetration, this is fast changing, and the region's eCommerce growth is supercharging mobile wallet use.

– Slow growth in Western Europe and North America
With 65% growth in Western Europe and 50% in North America by 2025, these regions will see the least amount of mobile wallet growth in the next five years. However, markets such as the UK are seeing a rise in card-based mobile wallets due to the adoption of contactless spurred on by the pandemic and shift towards cashlessness.

"While mobile wallets are being used on a global basis, we see two distinct types being used today. One is card-based mobile wallets, like Apple Pay and Google Pay, which provide an easier way to pay with cards people already have. The other is stored value mobile wallets, like AliPay and GrabPay, that enable consumers to transact with digital cash and are popular in emerging markets with fast-growing e-Commerce sectors," said Adam Lee, Chief Product Officer at Boku. "The markets that are set to grow the fastest are those with the lowest levels of card penetration, stored value wallets are thriving. In North America and Western Europe, which are dominated by card-based mobile wallets, we are seeing the slowest growth in mobile wallet adoption, as the technology provides merely incremental benefit."

"We are seeing clear bifurcation in the market between card-based mobile wallets in developed markets and stored value mobile wallets that are ubiquitous in Asia and rapidly growing in all emerging markets," concluded Lee.

"Southeast Asia is one of the most rapidly digitalising regions in the world. In 2020, the region added 400 million new internet users, with 70% of the region now online. Together with consumption trends brought about due to lockdowns during the pandemic, that has led to a familiarity with e-Commerce and an exponential rise in mobile wallet use," said Loke Hwee Wong, Vice President and General Manager, APAC at Boku. "This is also because the region was heavily dependent on cash and bank transfer before mobile wallet use, and the convenience and accessibility, especially with stored value mobile wallets, will see Southeast Asia leapfrog the rest of the world in mobile payment adoption."

The growth and bifurcation of mobile wallet use presents both an opportunity and challenge for merchants. The number of mobile wallets transacting over $1 billion per year is set to grow by 27% from 54 wallets in 2020 to 69 wallets by 2025. This provides a lucrative opportunity for merchants looking to acquire valuable customers, many of whom only use mobile wallets. However, not only are consumers using mobile wallets more, they are using more mobile wallets. Consumers in high growth markets such as India and Indonesia use an average of 2.74 wallets. This means that not only do merchants need to accept wallets but they need to ensure broad coverage across each target market.

"We are witnessing a paradigm shift in payments driven by mobile wallets. Mobile wallets have lowered the barrier to making digital payments and in parallel ushered billions of new consumers into eCommerce. These consumers are not in North America or Western Europe, they are in emerging markets, and while they don't have credit cards, they overwhelmingly have mobile wallets," said Jon Prideaux, CEO at Boku. "For global merchants, mobile payment acceptance is not about accepting one type of mobile wallet or another, but ensuring that consumers in every market will have the required selection on payment types in order to monetize transactions."

To download the 2021 Mobile Wallets Report please visit: http://boku.mobilewallet.report/

About Boku

Boku Inc. (AIM: BOKU) is a fintech pioneering the world's first global, mobile payments network. With 45% of global consumers using mobile payment methods to buy goods online, compared to 18% using credit cards, the future of commerce is mobile-first. Boku's technology platform helps the world's most demanding merchants attract, convert, and retain customers using mobile payments. By turning payments infrastructure into a source of sustainable competitive advantage, Boku safely activates a range of new merchant business models – from bundling to subscriptions.

Boku's platform is used in over 70 countries with more than a billion verified transactions in 2020, contributing $8.5 billion to the digital economy. Customers that trust Boku to simplify sign-up, acquire new paying users and prevent fraud include global leaders such as Apple, DAZN, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Sony, Spotify and Tencent.

Boku Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in London, UK, with offices in Brazil, China, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the US. To learn more about Boku please visit: https://www.boku.com/

About Juniper Research

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

Enquiries:
PRecious Communications for Boku, Inc.
Singapore/Asia Pacific: Clarence Lim, boku@preciouscomms.com

Boku in Asia

In Asia, Boku's payment partners for Mobile Wallets include: AliPay, Dana, GCash, GoPay, GrabPay, KakaoPay, LINE Pay, Ovo, PayMaya, PayPay, Toss, Touch 'n Go, Truemoney.

Boku also partners with payment partners to offer Direct Carrier Billing: AIS, BSNL, Celcom, Digi, dtac, Globe, Indosat Ooredoo, Jio, Korea Telecom, KDDI, LG U+, Maxis, M1, NTT Docomo, StarHub, Singtel, Softbank, SK Telecom, Smart, Smartfren, Tata Docomo, Telkomsel, Three, TrueMove, Vodafone, XL (amongst others).

Additional insights from the Mobile Payments Report 2021

Other insights from the Southeast Asian region include:
1. Indonesia represents one of the greatest opportunities for merchants accepting mobile payments: its mobile wallet penetration is at 25.6% in 2020, and set to triple to 76.5% by 2025. The report also expects that mobile wallet transactions will increase by volume to 16 billion transactions in 2025 (from 1.7 billion in 2020), and $107 billion in 2025 (from $28 billion in 2020) – the highest in the region.
2. Malaysia mobile payment adoption is behind other Southeast Asian countries currently, at a 31.7% penetration rate, but is poised for hyper growth over the next five years to 93.9%.
3. Philippines has one of the lowest levels of mobile wallet penetration at 22.4% of the population, but expected to grow to 63.4% by 2025 with a mobile wallet transaction value of $63.4 billion by 2025 (from $15 billion in 2020).
4. Singapore is set to reach mobile wallet penetration of nearly 95% by 2025 from 30.4% in 2020 – the highest in the Southeast Asian region, and with mobile wallet transactions projected to increase by 11x (from 101 million transaction volume in 2020, to 1.1 billion in 2025).
5. Mobile wallet penetration in Thailand is at 21.4% in 2020 and set to grow to 63.4% in 2025. The country is also set to hit $36.7 billion in transaction value in 2020 (from $10.6 billion in 2020).
6. Vietnam is primed for massive mobile payments growth – with mobile wallet transaction growth of 7x expected to 5 billion by 2025 from 674 million in 2020, and a mobile wallet penetration rate of 55.5% in 2025 (from 19.7% in 2020).

As part of the Mobile Payments Report 2021, Boku also conducted an in-depth consumer survey of 1035 respondents in Indonesia, during May 2021, which showed that:
1. Consumers use an average of 3.2 wallets in use per respondent, one of the highest in the world after India. The top reason for using more than one type of mobile wallet included different wallets giving different benefits (63%).
2. Cash was the payment type that is most in use prior to mobile wallets (at 66%), followed by bank transfers (63%) and debit cards (44%), which can likely be attributed to the extremely low credit card penetration rate in Indonesia.

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Dusit International makes its Oman debut with the opening of dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar

Jabal Akhdar, Oman, Jul 6, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has expanded its presence in the Middle East with the opening of dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar – the first Dusit-branded hotel in Oman.

dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar, Oman

Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International

Owned by the Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN), which is the executive arm of the Sultanate for tourism development, the deluxe resort is located within a brand new 8,000 sq m Adventure Park on the Saiq Plateau in the Jabal Akhdar area, just a five-minute drive from the 'Grand Canyon of the Middle East,' and two hours by car from Muscat International Airport.

Comprising 252 beautifully decorated rooms and suites, the contemporary resort fully embraces its unique mountain location with a spacious layout that blends seamlessly with its stunning natural surrounds.

Alongside breathtaking views, guests can enjoy a wide range of facilities, including an all-day dining restaurant, a fitness centre, and a large outdoor swimming pool. A specialty restaurant, a Kids Club, and a signature Namm spa offering traditional Thai-inspired massage therapies and treatments are set to open later in the year. Dusit's new group-wide wellness concept and approach will also be introduced to weave well-being elements throughout the stay experience. With a focus on physical vitality and mental health, this unparalleled approach will include the provision of mountain running, yoga, pilates, Thai boxing, guided meditation workshops, and other experiences and events that harness nature, sustainability, and adventure, to deliver healthy fun for adults and children alike.

The resort is also well-equipped for future business events and social gatherings, with a grand ballroom that can cater for up to 150 guests, and several adjoining meeting rooms featuring the latest audio-visual equipment.

The Adventure Park, slated to open later in the year, will feature exciting activities to delight visitors of all ages, such as zip-line rides offering impressive views of the surrounding valley. A petting zoo and science centre where budding young Einsteins can get to grips with all kinds of fun experiments are also set to open when the world reopens to international travel.

To uniquely link guests with the location, dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar will also soon offer educational hiking, cycling and quad biking tours to ancient forts, traditional markets and other local attractions, such as the historic town of Nizwa, known as the 'Pearl of Islam.'

Alongside Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, all guests also benefit from Dusit's carefully crafted 'Dusit Care' services. Designed to offer ultimate peace of mind, these go beyond enhanced hygiene protocols to deliver additional convenience, experience and value while maximising guest safety. Flexible check-in, anytime breakfast, and mobile payment methods are just some of the services offered.

"We are delighted to make our Oman debut with this vibrant resort which showcases the heritage, culture and visual splendour of the destination in truly distinctive fashion," said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. "From enriching wellness experiences and exciting dining journeys to adventurous excursions and a wide range of exhilarating activities, dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar has all the elements in place to provide a highly memorable vacation for visitors of all ages. Bright days are on the horizon for international travel, and we look forward to making the property a resounding success."

Mr Gerhard Stutz, General Manager, dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar, said, "Uniquely blending Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality with local customs and traditions, our resort provides unparalleled access to wonder and adventure in a gorgeous location surrounded by breathtaking mountains and valleys. It's truly a distinctive proposition for travellers, and we look forward to leveraging our unique position and offerings to deliver amazing vacation experiences that help to put the area on the map as a must-visit destination to the benefit of our broader community."

For more information about the resort and its opening room rates, please visit dusit.com/dusitd2-naseemresort

About Dusit International

Established in 1948, Dusit International is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Building on its two core areas of business – Hotels & Resorts and Hospitality Education – the company has expanded its operations over the past four years to comprise five business units. The additional units include Foods, Property Development, and Hospitality-Related Services. Today, the company's property portfolio comprises more than 300 distinctive hotels, resorts and luxury villas operating under six brands across 15 countries worldwide, as well as two leading hospitality colleges with campuses in Thailand and the Philippines. Following a three-pronged strategy for sustainable growth, including balance, expansion and diversification, the company has recently expanded into food production, on-demand hospitality services, and property development to reach new markets and add further recurring streams of revenue to the company.

For more information, please visit www.dusit-international.com

Official photos of Dusit Hotels & Resorts can be downloaded at medialib.dusit.com

About OMRAN

Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN) was established in 2005 by the Government as the executive arm of the Sultanate responsible for delivering the objectives contained in 2040 National Tourism Strategy. OMRAN works closely with the Ministry of Tourism and other governmental entities to identify priorities, projects and opportunities that will maximise the potential of the Sultanate's tourism sector.

OMRAN creates sustainable and authentic tourism assets, lifestyle communities and destinations that drive economic growth and contribute to diversification of the economy.

Media Contact:
Sureerat Sudpairak | Director of Marketing Communications | Dusit International
Tel: +66 (0) 2200 9999 ext. 3321 | Mobile +66 89 006 8697 | Email: sureerat.sp@dusit.com

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com