two monkeys travel blog

Interview with Kach and Jonathan of Two Monkeys Travel Group

Two people from across the globe shared one passion – and that is to travel. Kach Medina Umandap from the Philippines and Jonathan Howe of the United Kingdom is a match made in heaven. They both gave up their careers to explore the world and share their adventure through their blog.

What started out as a personal blog grew into a community travel blog where other travel enthusiasts share their stories. Two Monkeys Travel Group thus was born and is now one of the most visited blogs online because apart from the interesting personal travel stories, there are also useful travel tips and guides. They also have another blog called Mr&Mrs Howe .

VroomVroomVroom had a pleasure of interviewing Kach and Jonathan of Two Monkeys Travel Group. Read more to find out how the lovely couple met, their favorite destination, and their Christmas holiday suggestion.

VVV: We rarely see a community travel blog and reading stories of travel writers from all over the world is quite interesting. What made you decide to put up a community travel blog rather than a personal travel blog?

K and J: We began as a personal travel blog, but we realized quite quickly that we didn’t want it to be all about us all the time. We also know from experience how hard it can be to find good sites to guest post on when you’re just starting out. We wanted to create an outlet for people to publish their travel stories. Click here for more details on why and how they did it.

VVV: How do you choose the writers who contribute in your blog? Are most of them your friends or travel buddies?

K and J: Actually, only one of our 22 writers is an old friend from before the blog. I (Jonathan) went to university with Craig and now he lives with his girlfriend in Canada. Most of our writers contact us or keep in touch with us a lot through our Facebook page or Travel Forum. Readers turned writers!

VVV: How did you guys meet? Do you both belong to a group of travelers?

K and J: We met in Luang Prabang in Laos. I was riding a cheap motorbike around Asia with a friend from home and Kach was backpacking with her brother and sister. We went on our own ways after several days, but we kept in touch for two months and she came to visit me in Hanoi for a couple of weeks and never left! Check out the couple’s story below:

VVV: Do you always travel together or there are times that you prefer travelling alone or with a group?

K and J: No, we pretty much always travel together, but we usually meet other people along the way and travel with them for a while, before going back to just the two of us again. Of course, everyone needs their own space every now and again, so I’ll just go walking around on my own, taking pictures or stuff that Kach isn’t into, like hiking.

VVV: Just like most travel bloggers who decided to quit their jobs to travel, what or who inspired you to give up your career? Don’t you miss the corporate life?

K and J: We don’t miss it at all! We had no idea at the time, but we were both quitting our jobs at almost the exact same time, me in the UK and Kach in Iraqi Kurdistan. We’d both been through different jobs trying to find something that felt right, but nothing did. Click here to find out more about Kach’s story.

VVV: You’ve both travelled to different parts of the world, what’s the most memorable destination for you?

K and J: Hands down, it’s Chilean Patagonia! We spent a month hitch hiking down the Careterra Austral, surrounded every day by snowcapped peaks, turquoise rivers and lakes and vast glaciers. There’s no other place like it on Earth! Click here to read more about their adventure in Patagonia.

VVV: Do you have a bucket list of places that you would like to visit in the coming months?

K and J: Not a bucket list as such, but we’re thinking about leaving Colombia, where we’ve been living for 3 months, to move to Suriname and travel to Venezuela, some Caribbean Islands and hopefully Antarctica.

VVV: Christmas is fast approaching and many people are looking for a place where they can spend their holidays. What place do you suggest they visit?

K and J: We really enjoyed Christmas in South America last year, they really know how to do Christmas! We were in La Paz in Bolivia and everyone was out in the streets, dressed up in fancy dress, huge street shows and parties going on until morning. Choose any South American city and you’re gonna have a great time.

VVV: Have you ever tried renting a car or campervan? If so, please share your road trip experience with us.

K and J: We haven’t rented one yet, although we plan to build our own campervan in the Philippines in the next year or so. We actually bought an old car in Costa Rica and drove it all around the country, from the South Pacific side, all the way to the Caribbean and back again. I still have no idea how we kept that thing going!

VVV: How long do you see yourself travelling? Do you have plans of settling down someday?

K and J: We do plan to settle down when we’re ready to have some kids, but we still have a couple more years on the road yet. Eventually we want to buy our little piece of land somewhere and I’m going to build our house on it. By the beach preferably!

VVV: A lot of people read your blog and some of them wanted to start up their own travel blog, what advise can you give them?

K and J: Don’t underestimate the time and work that goes into doing this full time. The lifestyle is amazing if you get the balance right, but it takes a lot of planning if you want to earn a living from it. It’s not all beaches and selfies with ancient monuments! Read their guide here on how to start a travel blog.

VVV: This is a random question that we ask our bloggers. If your life will be made into a movie, what title will you give it and which actor/actress do you want to portray you?

K and J: This is Kach’s answer on this one, because I don’t really like attention, so making my life into a movie is probably the last thing I would do. She would call it ‘Love on the Road’, starring Anne Curtis and anyone with blonde hair and blue eyes to play me.

If you want to keep in touch with Kach and Jonathan Howe of Two Monkey Travel Group, check out their social media accounts below:

FACEBOOK  l  TWITTER  l  INSTAGRAM  l  PINTEREST

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About The Author

Mic Florendo has been writing for more than ten years both professionally and personally. She enjoys writing about travel, food, music, movies, celebrity news, and cool cars.

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A couple who have been working and traveling for 2 years explain how they afford it

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Kach Medina and Jonathan Howe met in Luang Prabang, Laos, in 2013.

Medina, 27, originally from the Philippines, and Howe, 31, originally from the UK, have been traveling together ever since.

"People are curious about how we fund our travels," says Medina. "If you're Asian traveling the world, it's not very common. If you go abroad, it's to work and not to travel — that's the mentality. But now some people assume that Jonathan has a pot of gold hiding somewhere, or a trust fund or something."

Howe has neither. Instead, the pair makes a point of continually developing skills that help them find work wherever they land next.

They document their adventures on their website, Two Monkeys Travel , and on their Instagram, @Kach2Monkeys .

Here, they explain how they afford it.

Medina and Howe started their nomadic lifestyle together in Hanoi, Vietnam, teaching English for about $3,500 a month.

Northern Vietnam!:) A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Aug 13, 2013 at 2:18am PDT Aug 13, 2013 at 2:18am PDT

Northern Vietnam!:)

"I only knew what I was doing as far as teaching English," says Howe. "I didn't have a long-term plan. I didn't know what would happen."

#snorkling in #maldives Awesome and clear beach! Have you been? A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Apr 13, 2015 at 4:35am PDT Apr 13, 2015 at 4:35am PDT

#snorkling in #maldives   Awesome and clear beach! Have you been?

Next, they headed to India to get certified in Ayurveda massage and Tantra Yoga, a process that took about three months.

Holi Festival and beach yoga!!:) A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Mar 16, 2014 at 7:27am PDT Mar 16, 2014 at 7:27am PDT

Holi Festival and beach yoga!!:)

While in India during the early summer of 2014, they started their blog, Two Monkeys Travel. At first, they didn't devote much energy to the site, as they were training eight to 10 hours per day for their certifications.

#HangGliding in #southamerica #brazil A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Jul 10, 2015 at 7:41pm PDT Jul 10, 2015 at 7:41pm PDT

#HangGliding in #southamerica #brazil

From there, they headed to South America, where they started using their new skills to support themselves.

Horseback Riding in the Caribbean Side of Costa Rica! #costarica #puravida #horse A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on May 5, 2015 at 5:43am PDT May 5, 2015 at 5:43am PDT

Horseback Riding in the Caribbean Side of Costa Rica! #costarica #puravida #horse

"Usually we take our time and find somewhere to stop for a while, to learn about the place and enjoy it, and set up some kind of income," Howe explains. "In Peru we had the massage business, and I was teaching donation-only yoga." In Costa Rica, Medina worked in a hostel.

have you experienced a private #yacht tour? #throwback #cartagena #colombia #southamerica #luxury #luxurytravel A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Jul 16, 2015 at 7:18pm PDT Jul 16, 2015 at 7:18pm PDT

have you experienced a private #yacht tour? #throwback #cartagena #colombia #southamerica #luxury #luxurytravel

"Wherever we are, we're trying to figure out which business is best to focus on," Medina explains. "Before blogging I spent most of my time doing massage. I usually had five clients a day for 60 minutes each, so I'd work all day and be free at night. Now with the blogging and the massage, I massage in the afternoon and blog at night. But when we tried to start blogging in December, we worked like 16 hours because I didn't know how to set up the system — it's quite technical. Now we're trying to work four to five hours per day."

just happiness please.. life is awesome this way!! ❤️❤️ A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Jul 23, 2015 at 4:15am PDT Jul 23, 2015 at 4:15am PDT

just happiness please.. life is awesome this way!!  (in Praia Grande - Arraial do Cabo - RJ)

Medina manages their finances and has instituted an Excel spreadsheet and an envelope system for cash (popularized by personal-finance expert Dave Ramsey), since that's how they receive most of their income. "Once they pay us, I put one-quarter of the money into our business, one-quarter to savings, and half to bills. The blog money goes to our PayPal, which is connected to Jon's savings, then I write for some magazines in the Philippines and that goes to my account there."

#iguassu falls #brazil side!!! @visitbrasil 👌👌👌👌👌 A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Aug 1, 2015 at 1:11pm PDT Aug 1, 2015 at 1:11pm PDT

#iguassu falls #brazil side!!! @visitbrasil

Between their various income streams, Medina and Howe typically earn $4,000-$5,000 a month. For the past few months, they've been earning about $4,500.

Jonathan survived #skydiving in #itaipu #Iguassu overlooking #paraguay #brasil #argentina #extreme #travel #southamerica A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Aug 5, 2015 at 2:57pm PDT Aug 5, 2015 at 2:57pm PDT

Jonathan survived #skydiving in #itaipu #Iguassu overlooking #paraguay #brasil #argentina #extreme #travel #southamerica

They recently left Brazil for Ecuador.

Just visited the "end-of-the-world" swing.. not scary and very easy to go. Entrance fee is $1. #Ecuador #Baños A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Aug 19, 2015 at 3:03pm PDT Aug 19, 2015 at 3:03pm PDT

Just visited the "end-of-the-world" swing.. not scary and very easy to go. Entrance fee is $1. #Ecuador #Baños

They're saving money to set up their own traveling massage business with a camper van in the Philippines next year.

Mama and my younger sister @kristapatata finally made it to Machu Picchu yesterday! #Peru #southamerica #MachuPichhu A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Aug 9, 2015 at 6:54am PDT Aug 9, 2015 at 6:54am PDT

Mama and my younger sister @kristapatata finally made it to Machu Picchu yesterday! #Peru #southamerica #MachuPichhu

Medina emphasizes that people who want to travel long-term need a plan to generate income as they go. "If you want to sustain your travels, you really need to invest in your skills. Jon was already invested in his certification to teach English before quitting his job — aside from savings, you need to invest in skills."

The kind of life I want to have now and in the future.. To volunteer in different charity and teach yoga or any skills to kids!! It's all before we settle down, have our own yoga resort and charity!:) A photo posted by Two Monkeys Travel (@kach2monkeys) on Apr 21, 2014 at 5:24am PDT Apr 21, 2014 at 5:24am PDT

The kind of life I want to have now and in the future.. To volunteer in different charity and teach yoga or any skills to kids!! It's all before we settle down, have our own yoga resort and charity!:)

• Main content

How this woman met her husband, traveled the world, and built a business

• Nira Macaspac
• February 3, 2021

“Hindi mo naman kelangan makapag-asawa ng successful para umahon sa buhay, pwede naman kayo magsikap pareho and umasenso ng sabay! Hindi rin porke’t you married a foreigner ay magiging mayaman ka na kagad. It takes hardwork and finding the right partner in life!" 

"From backpacking, hitchhiking, volunteering, cleaning toilets, teaching Yoga, and doing Ayurveda massage to finally starting our travel blog and online business in 2014. We were so broke for years, living with a 10$ per day budget (for both of us!) and we never asked our family for financial support since it’s our choice to quit our jobs to go traveling around the world" Kach Umandap- Howe

Kach's Advice

"Learn new skills and consider working online, “work from home” is a new trend now and there are so many opportunities to earn money while traveling anywhere you want. You can become a digital nomad. Also, never give up on your childhood dreams, your current situation might not where you wanted to be but always remember, everything happens for a reason. Dreaming big is good and don't listen to naysayers when they say you're too ambitious. Go change your life in 2021, it's your time to shine!" Kach Umandap- Howe Tweet

• Facebook: Two Monkeys Travel
• Instagram: 2monkeystravel
• Website: twomonkeystravelgroup.com

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Financial Case Study UPDATE: Jon and Kach Howe, Two Monkeys Travel Group

Last Updated: January 19, 2023

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Jon and Kach Howe (aka Mr. and Mrs. Howe ) are a married couple who have been traveling the world together since 2013. They met while backpacking in Laos and quickly decided to start a life of adventure together and visited over 80 countries on every continent, including Antarctica. They spent two years living and sailing in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean on their previous sailboat S/V Empress with their two cats, Captain Ahab & Little Zissou. After four years of adventure travel, they moved and bought a Stonehouse Villa in Herceg Novi, Montenegro to start their new Expat Life with their cats.

This financial case study was originally published in 2015 while they were still backpacking around the world. So I asked them to give us an update as to how their lives and careers have changed (which, spoiler alert – is pretty dramatically)!

ADDITIONAL NOTE: While this update was published in early 2020, their lives have changed dramatically again! Jon & Kach are now separated, and Kach is the sole owner of Two Monkeys Travel. Check out this interview I did with Kach in 2022, where we discuss what it has been like to go through a very messy breakup (with tips for other people to prevent some of the worst of it), as well as Kach’s mission to visit every country in the world, and now to help people come to live in Montenegro, her chosen home. Kach Howe: Philippines Passport Travel, $ Tips, Montenegro Residency

Where have you traveled to?

2015: We’ve been to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, India, The Maldives, The UK, Croatia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil.

2020: We’ve already traveled together to 80 countries on all seven continents but Kach has traveled solo to and reached 143 countries using her Philippines passport.

Please describe what you do for income.

2015: We both started out teaching English in Hanoi Vietnam, but when we traveled around India, we trained as yoga teachers and massage therapists, specializing in Ayurveda therapy. When we moved to Peru, we taught private English classes and turned the spare room of our apartment into a massage therapy room. In October 2014 we started to take Two Monkeys Travel more seriously and it started to generate some income for us, as well as simply supporting our travels.

2020: We now have different websites aside from running our travel and immigration consulting company that is registered in Montenegro.

How many hours per week do you work on average?

2015: When we taught English in Vietnam we worked about 30 hours per week each and lived an extremely good life. In Peru our combined teaching and massage hours were about 45 to 50 hours per week, but with the website this jumped up to 16 hours a day!

Now that we’re traveling again and our only income is the site, we do our best to only work half of a day maximum and spend the rest of the day exploring.

2020: Thankfully, we now have four full-time staff helping us with the online work but when I’m not traveling then I still work eight hours per day. Whenever we’re traveling then I only reply to emails. Jon is also not working on the blog anymore as he was busy managing our sailboat for two years and more recently our house renovation.

How much money do you make?

2015: We haven’t yet had a full year of income from Two Monkeys Travel, but right now we would be earning an average of $30K a year, spread across various indirect advertising – like sponsored posts – affiliate sales, freelance writing and product sales.

(See also: How to Start a Travel Blog )

2020: We make five-figures (Euro) per month from our various sources of income. Sorry, we are not keen on showing our income anymore since we have a lot of friends / family reading this and for tax purposes.

Do you make enough money to support your lifestyle?

2015: Our lifestyle is something else that changes constantly, depending on whether we are traveling and where we are traveling. We generally make more than we spend, so we put some aside for our future plans.

2020: Thankfully with our blog and proper budgeting/saving, it helped us to have a sailboat and sail around the Caribbean for two years. Last year, we were also able to buy a 700 sq.m. property with a beautiful Stonehouse Villa in Montenegro. We paid it full in cash.

Nora’s Note: I lived on sailboats in the Caribbean for three months . It’s a lifestyle unto itself!

What is your vision for the future of your lifestyle on the road?

2015: We probably have another year or two of traveling before we decide to settle in a place for a longer period of time. We plan to buy a piece of land on an island to build our own Yoga and Ayurveda retreat, so we can get married and have a family in paradise.

2020: This is funny, we finally settled down in November 2019. We’re still traveling but finally found a home. Not in an island but along the beautiful coastal town of Herceg Novi, Montenegro. It’s still a paradise since our house is up in the hill overlooking the whole Boka Bay.

Any advice for the aspiring traveler about living and working on the road and managing finances?

2015: Be prepared to adapt to a variety of situations, economies and markets, unless your income is based entirely online. If you plan to work in each place you visit, then it’s practically essential to have more than one skill that can be used to create income.

2020: This is the same advice! Also, how much you save is more important than how much you earn! The nomadic lifestyle is great but at some point, you’d want to settle down and you’d want to do it better than the old lifestyle you left behind.

See also: Financial Planning for Travelers and Digital Nomads

3 thoughts on “Financial Case Study UPDATE: Jon and Kach Howe, Two Monkeys Travel Group”

They have a great chance to travel around.

Not sure why it’s dated as 2020. Sadly, Jon and Kach Howe have separated ways in 2020.

Hi Jana, Thanks for the update. They obviously split after submitting this financial case study update. That’s very sad! I’ve reached out to Kach.

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Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE:GBTG) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript

Published on may 8, 2024 at 11:19 am by insider monkey transcripts in news , transcripts.

Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE: GBTG ) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript May 7, 2024

Global Business Travel Group, Inc. isn’t one of the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds at the end of the third quarter ( see the details here ).

Operator: Good morning. And welcome to the American Express Global Business Travel First Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call. As a reminder, please note today’s call is being recorded. I will now turn the call over to the Vice President of Investor Relations, Jennifer Thorington. Please go ahead.

Jennifer Thorington: Hello. And good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us for our first quarter 2024 earnings conference call. This morning, we issued an earnings press release, which is available on sec.gov and on our website at investors.mxglobalbusinesstravel.com. A slide presentation, which accompanies today’s prepared remarks is also available on the Amex GBT Investor Relations webpage. We would like to advise you that our comments contain certain forward-looking statements that represent our beliefs, our expectations about future events, including industry and macroeconomic trends, cost savings and acquisition synergies among others. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made on today’s conference call.

More information on these and other risks and uncertainties is contained in our earnings release issued this morning and in our other SEC filings. Throughout today’s call, we will also be presenting certain non-GAAP financial measures such as EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted operating expenses, free cash flow and net debt. All references during today’s call to such non-GAAP financial measures have been adjusted to exclude certain items. Definitions of these terms and the most directly comparable GAAP measures and reconciliations for non-GAAP measures are available in the supplemental materials of this presentation and in the earnings release. Participating with me today are Paul Abbott, our Chief Executive Officer; and Karen Williams, our Chief Financial Officer.

Also joining for the Q&A session today, is Eric Bock, our Chief Legal Officer and Head of Global M&A. With that, I will now turn the call over to Paul. Paul?

Paul Abbott: Thank you, Jennifer. And welcome to everyone and thank you for joining our first quarter 2024 earnings call. In the first quarter, we delivered strong financial results with continued share gains, significant margin expansion and 24% adjusted EBITDA growth to reach the highest first quarter adjusted EBITDA in our company’s history. Total transaction value of TTV grew 9% in the quarter and revenue grew 6%. Adjusting for fewer work days in the first quarter this year versus last year, growth would be 10% and 7%, respectively. These strong results were in line with our expectations and put us on track to deliver against our full year guidance. Increased demand for our leading software and services resulted in continued share gains.

See also 13 Best Reddit Stocks to Buy Now and 15 Fastest Growing Cities in California .

Q&A Session

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We reported new wins value of $3.3 billion over the last 12 months. This includes $2 billion of SME new wins, demonstrating continued progress with this large profitable customer segment. Our focus on driving operating leverage is also clearly evidenced in our Q1 financial results. Adjusted operating expenses increased just 2% compared to 6% revenue growth, and we drove significant adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of 300 basis points year-over-year. Our progress to positive and accelerating free cash flow remains an important focus for the company, providing us additional opportunities to invest in our growth and drive shareholder returns. We generated positive free cash flow of $24 million in the quarter, an improvement of $133 million year-over-year, and we continue to lower our leverage ratio.

Importantly, in the first quarter, we announced that we have entered into an agreement to acquire CWT. The transaction value of approximately $570 million represents a highly attractive post-synergy multiple of 2.5x adjusted EBITDA, including approximately $155 million of identified annual run rate cost synergies. This accretive transaction is expected to close in the second half of this year and will accelerate our growth and create significant shareholder value. So our momentum continued in the quarter as we execute on our strategy and deliver strong financial results. Starting with transaction growth, transactions were up 6%, driven by increased demand for business travel and our share gains. Please note there was a negative workday timing impact of approximately one percentage point in the quarter, which will have an offsetting benefit over the balance of the year, largely in the second half of 2024.

So on a like-for-like basis, transactions were up 7% in the quarter. Please also note transaction growth, which was previously reported on a gross basis, is now reported on a net basis to exclude cancellations, refunds and exchanges. This better aligns transaction growth with the way that we measure and recognize TTV and revenue. TTV grew by 9%, driven primarily from transaction growth as well as higher average ticket prices and higher hotel room rates. On a workday adjusted basis, TTV was up 10%. Revenue was up 6% to reach $610 million for the quarter, driven by growth in transactions, TTV and increased demand for our products and professional services. On a workday adjusted basis, revenue was up 7%. Finally, our focus on margin expansion and operating leverage resulted in adjusted EBITDA growth of 24% to $123 million.

Solid transaction growth was driven by share gains and increased demand for business travel from our diverse and premium customer base. Looking at our trends in more detail, which we’ve worked day adjusted here, so you can see the true momentum. The absolute growth was in line with our expectations. However, the shape was different. We saw a relatively faster growth from global multinational customers compared to SME customers. Our first quarter global multinational transactions were up 11% and SME transactions up 5%. In global multinational, we’ve seen very positive same-store sales growth across several sectors, particularly technology up approximately 30% in the first quarter. We also saw double-digit growth in professional services, pharma, mining, energy and utilities.

Our most recent customer survey shows that our top 100 customers now expect travel spend to be up approximately 8% in the full year 2024. This is an improvement of four percentage points versus the previous survey, and it’s reflected in these strong Q1 trends. The percentage of clients expected to spend more on travel over the balance of this year has also increased by three percentage points. For SME, growth has slowed by three percentage points over the last two quarters, largely driven by slower same-store sales. We believe this is being driven by higher interest costs and sustained higher inflation, resulting in stronger controls on SME spending. This is a broader trend with U.S. SME customers that American Express also highlighted in their Q1 results.

Domestic and international air transactions, both up 5%, air TTV was up 11%, with very strong growth in U.S. air TTV of 14%. Growth in hotel transactions was 9%, which continued to outpace the 5% growth in air transactions. This reflects industry trends as well as our intentional focus on increasing our volume of hotel bookings as we continue to strengthen our hotel content and display and provide customers with more value and more choice. Finally, here on a regional basis, transaction growth was 7% in both the Americas and EMEA. Asia Pacific continues to lead the growth rates at 13%. So turning to the commercial highlights. We continue to gain share and reported total new wins of $3.3 billion over the last 12 months. Importantly, customer retention remains high at 96%.

Our biggest opportunity remains with SME customers, which represents approximately $950 billion of travel spend. We are already a leader in managed travel in this segment. But 70% of this opportunity is not currently in a managed travel program. As our progress clearly demonstrates more and more SME customers are recognizing the value of our leading software and services and a professionally managed travel program. As a result, SME new wins over the last 12 months totaled $2 billion. Moving on to our product and technology highlights. 79% of our transactions came through digital channels in the first quarter. Over 60% of the digital bookings now come through on our own software platforms, Neo and Egencia. In our Neo1 spend management platform, we saw 10% growth in customer count in the first quarter.

Our recently announced partnership with American Express to integrate virtual cards into Neo1 is also gaining traction. Customers are now issuing virtual cards within the Neo1 to cover additional spend use cases and they’re using virtual cards to set budgets at an individual level. And this brings better control over employee spend with purchasing, travel and expense data all in one place. Finally, of course, an important event in the first quarter was our announcement that we have entered into an agreement to acquire CWT. This agreement clearly shows that we are executing against the significant M&A opportunity in a large and fragmented industry and delivering on our priorities to drive growth, deliver cost synergies and shareholder value.

The acquisition of CWT will grow our revenues by 1/3 with the potential for significant earnings contribution over time. Our integration teams have now been established, and our proven track record gives us confidence that we can achieve the $155 million in annual run rate cost synergies that have already been identified. This results in a highly attractive post-synergy multiple of 2.5x adjusted EBITDA. We project the acquisition to be neutral to EPS in the first year and accretive thereafter, driving significant shareholder value. We continue to expect closing to occur in the second half of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals. And now I’d like to hand it over to Karen to discuss the financial results in more detail before moving to our 2024 outlook.

Q1 2024 NYSE:GBTG Paul Abbott Yahoo Finance Jennifer Thorington Earnings Call Transcript Show more... Show less

AI Fire Sale: Insider Monkey’s #1 AI Stock Pick Is On A Steep Discount

Published on may 1, 2024 at by inan dogan, phd.

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

The whispers are turning into roars.

Artificial intelligence isn’t science fiction anymore.

It’s the revolution reshaping every industry on the planet.

From driverless cars to medical breakthroughs, AI is on the cusp of a global explosion, and savvy investors stand to reap the rewards.

Here’s why this is the prime moment to jump on the AI bandwagon:

Exponential Growth on the Horizon: Forget linear growth – AI is poised for a hockey stick trajectory.

Imagine every sector, from healthcare to finance, infused with superhuman intelligence.

We’re talking disease prediction, hyper-personalized marketing, and automated logistics that streamline everything.

This isn’t a maybe – it’s an inevitability.

Early investors will be the ones positioned to ride the wave of this technological tsunami.

Ground Floor Opportunity: Remember the early days of the internet?

Those who saw the potential of tech giants back then are sitting pretty today.

AI is at a similar inflection point.

We’re not talking about established players – we’re talking about nimble startups with groundbreaking ideas and the potential to become the next Google or Amazon.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

Dive into the AI gold rush and watch your portfolio soar alongside the brightest minds of our generation.

This isn’t just about making money – it’s about being part of the future.

So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your investment life!

Act Now and Unlock a Potential 10,000% Return: This AI Stock is a Diamond in the Rough (But Our Help is Key!)

The AI revolution is upon us, and savvy investors stand to make a fortune.

But with so many choices, how do you find the hidden gem – the company poised for explosive growth?

That’s where our expertise comes in.

We’ve got the answer, but there’s a twist…

Imagine an AI company so groundbreaking, so far ahead of the curve, that even if its stock price quadrupled today , it would still be considered ridiculously cheap.

That’s the potential you’re looking at. This isn’t just about a decent return – we’re talking about a 10,000% gain over the next decade!

Our research team has identified a hidden gem – an AI company with cutting-edge technology, massive potential, and a current stock price that screams opportunity.

This company boasts the most advanced technology in the AI sector, putting them leagues ahead of competitors.

It’s like having a race car on a go-kart track.

They have a strong possibility of cornering entire markets, becoming the undisputed leader in their field.

Here’s the catch (it’s a good one): To uncover this sleeping giant, you’ll need our exclusive intel.

We want to make sure none of our valued readers miss out on this groundbreaking opportunity!

That’s why we’re slashing the price of our Premium Readership Newsletter by a whopping 75% .

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Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

• The Name of the Game-Changing AI Stock:  Our in-depth report dives deep into our #1 AI stock’s groundbreaking technology and massive growth potential.
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A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

Published on may 2, 2024 at by insider monkey staff.

I work for one of the largest independent financial publishers in the world – representing over 1 million people in 148 countries.

We’re independently funding today’s broadcast to address something on the mind of every investor in America right now…

Should I put my money in Artificial Intelligence?

Here to answer that for us… and give away his No. 1 free AI recommendation… is 50-year Wall Street titan, Marc Chaikin.

Marc’s been a trader, stockbroker, and analyst. He was the head of the options department at a major brokerage firm and is a sought-after expert for CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and Yahoo! Finance…

But what Marc’s most known for is his award-winning stock-rating system. Which determines whether a stock could shoot sky-high in the next three to six months… or come crashing down.

That’s why Marc’s work appears in every Bloomberg and Reuters terminal on the planet…

And is still used by hundreds of banks, hedge funds, and brokerages to track the billions of dollars flowing in and out of stocks each day.

He’s used this system to survive nine bear markets… create three new indices for the Nasdaq… and even predict the brutal bear market of 2022, 90 days in advance.

Click to continue reading…

Travel Blog

Travel blog is the compilation of stories on the road, tales of experiences, and a bunch of tips about traveling. Take a look at these articles and learn how is the best way to see the world, meet people, make new friends, and survive long-term traveling, and enjoying life.

Furthermore, these articles provide you with what to expect in the world of traveling if you want to start your journey of conquering the world.

What Does this Travel Blog Cover?

Everything related to traveling is what you will read here. Travel guides, visa guides, travel tips, a list of cheap hotels, backpacker hostels, luxury hotels, cruising, sailing, and even traveling with pets! You can find all your travel concerns here. 

Traveling is about enjoying your life on the road, making the best moments while it lasts, and creating new memories that you can treasure forever. However, without enough information, your dream holiday vacation might end up a nightmare. That’s why travel blogs exist. It will give you an overview of what you might encounter while you’re on the journey. It gives you insights on what to expect or what you could do to make your trip extra special. Not only that but it can also help you plan your trip ahead of time.

Why Should I Read a Travel Blog?

Imagine a scenario where you don’t have enough information about the place you’re heading to. You don’t know what kind of people you will encounter, the food you will eat, the dos and don’ts, and the culture that you’re not aware of. You might end up offending the people, or worst you can be ban from going to that certain place.

Yes, you can still read this type of information on the internet like news articles. However, a travel blog is made by travelers for travelers. They’re written by people who have raw experience from that certain place or country. So they’re one of the best sources of information you can have when planning for a holiday trip. 

Furthermore, travel bloggers are easier to reach. Asking questions and inquiries regarding your trip with the help of the internet is now easier. So they can give you tips first-hand which is a really big help.

With the number of travelers increasing year by year, reading a travel blog is now a must and something you can find anywhere on the web. Just a few clicks will bring you to the article you’re looking for. The good thing is we compiled all of them for you. Covering countries from Asia to the Americas, even Antarctica, you will have the information you need. Tips, the estimated budget, and where to eat, all of those can be found here! All you have to do is read. And when you get to your destination, enjoy everything, do a lot of fun activities, explore different places, and take a lot of Instagram-worthy photos! By the time you went back home, you can also share your experiences with your friends and loved ones. 

Discover Turkey’s Lesser-Known Gems For The Adventurer

The lesser-known beaches of the aegean coast: relaxing on pristine stretches of sand away from the crowds of popular resort towns, 48 hours in tokyo – exploring japan’s vibrant capital, how to find the best hotels in new york, top california destinations for families to enjoy, scuba diving and snorkeling in the philippines, what are the benefits of booking flight tickets in advance, unforgettable moments: maximizing your monaco vacation, budget-friendly strategies: finding the best deals on bangalore to ranchi flights, exploring manchester: a travel influencer’s guide to music and culture, solo snaps: photography tips for solo travelers, what to wear with palazzo pants: wide-leg wonders, luxury on the waves: a guide to yacht charters in corfu, holidu reveals the sunniest winter workation destinations around the world, the ultimate guide to dubai’s most reasonably priced restaurants, how to travel the world on a philippines passport, getting the most out of your holiday in bali, geneva road trip: exploring swiss charms and beyond by car, subscribe to our newsletter.

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