Daily Briefing: STB, Airbnb Experiences unveil virtual tourism platform; Startup Cavago aims to be the Airbnb for horse-riding community

And Costa Rican firm OMNi aims to bring electric motorcycle-sharing to SG.

From ChannelNewsAsia:

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will partner with Airbnb Experiences to offer a variety of online tourism experiences to global audiences amidst the “new international tourist climate.”

In a news release, STB and Airbnb said they signed a two-year memorandum of understanding on 22 October to "co-promote and grow a range of experiences" hosted by locals on the Airbnb Experiences platform.

Airbnb describes the Experiences platform as one that allows customers to partake in “one-of-a-kind activities designed and hosted by locals.” Examples include guided museum tours, dance classes, and cooking sessions with locals.

“Airbnb Experiences and STB will jointly drive quality travel experiences in Singapore as well as encourage Singapore tourism industry players to digitalise and pivot towards innovative hybrid business models,” the release read.

Read more here.

From e27:

Headquartered in Singapore, Cavago is a tech company for people who love horses.

In boarder terms, Cavago is a booking platform built to bridge the gaps in the equestrian community by unearthing hidden gems and bringing them together on a single, digital platform.

“It is the product of a desire to share the best that the equestrian service world has to offer,” Qadri tells e27.

“With more than 500 breeds of horses and literally millions of horses and horse people, Cavago is a celebration of horse cultures around the world.”

Cavago is where hosts can offer their equine and equestrian offerings—from basic riding lessons, horse lease, clinics, to full-fledged riding holidays to users, riders, and guests.

Read more here.

From ChannelNewsAsia:

A year ago, OMNi was one of 12 firms vying to operate shared services for personal mobility devices (PMDs) under a Land Transport Authority scheme.

Those plans came to a halt, however, when the scheme were scrapped, in line with Singapore's ban on the use of e-scooters and other PMDs on footpaths.

Now, the Costa Rican firm intends to make a comeback, but with electric motorcycles.

It has tied up with Taiwanese electric motorcycle manufacturer Gogoro to bring the vehicles to Singapore, said OMNi’s Asia-Pacific Chief Executive Erik Cheong, adding that they would be rented out like the shared electric cars offered by BlueSG.

He told CNA that he expects to have 2,000 motorcycles available in Singapore within the next three years, which members of the public will be able to rent as a first-and-last mile mode of transport via the OMNi app. 

Read more here.