The Southeast Asian budget hotel market is currently worth between US$15 million to US$20 million, according to reporting by The Edge Markets in 2017. However, the real beneficiaries of this market could be the booking platforms who redirect tourists to budget hotels that offer the best deals. Most booking platforms employ a standardised model, aggregating available rooms in hotels within a certain city and forming a network of available rooms across multiple cities.

With every tweet, Donald Trump seems to be eroding America’s leadership position within the rubrics of the liberal international order. His latest tirade that “trade wars are good, and easy to win” has more than sullied America’s position as the bastion of free trade in the world. To be fair, his poise towards economic protectionism was not unexpected.

Islam has had firm roots in Southeast Asian history – from the Arabian who traded at the ports of Melaka, the Sufi mystics who spread their influence in Aceh and now, through developments in Islamic finance and banking.What is Islamic finance?While not exclusive to Muslims, Islamic finance offers an alternative to its Western alternatives and is regarded as scrupulous by those who use it.

South Korea’s second largest conglomerate by market capitalisation, SK Group has set its sights on expanding to the ever growing and dynamic market that is Southeast Asia. Why is Southeast Asia a lure?The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region has been the apple of every investor’s eye given its tremendous prospects and excellent economic growth rates.

Although Southeast Asia hopes to make renewable energy 23% of its total primary energy by 2025, at present, its energy mix still consists largely of oil, coal and natural gas, according to the 2017 Southeast Asia Energy Outlook Report. One of the ways in which Southeast Asian governments have pushed for renewable energy use within the region is through the effective implementation of strategic tax policies.

The 2018 Winter Olympics in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang drew to a close yesterday with athletes from South and North Korea emerging for the closing ceremony under their own national banners. A stark contrast from the opening ceremony which saw a unified Korean entrance into the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium – displaying the flag of a unified Korean peninsula. From the get-go, the games were more than just about snow and sports – they were also about diplomacy.

According to Anthony Couse, Asia Pacific CEO of real estate and investment management firm, Jones Lane LaSalle (JLL), proptech refers to the utilisation of technology to create or renovate services offered in real estate to buy, sell, rent, develop, market, and manage property in a more efficient and effective way.

The potential for the app market is huge in Southeast Asia, where smartphone usage accounts for more than 90% of overall internet use in the region, according to a 2017 joint report produced by Google and Temasek Holdings. Apps are generally divided according to the functions provided, be it for shopping, gaming or business, and the operating system on which they run.

Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are now, more than ever, exposed to the risks of climate change and environmental degradation. More nations have now answered the clarion call of the Paris Agreement and are including investments for projects that help protect the environment under their respective national agendas.ASEAN cannot afford to be left behind.

In the not so distant future, cross border transfer of money can be done with a few taps on your smartphone. Cash stored in virtual wallets and accessible via a secure smartphone application would make physical currency obsolete, while paving the way for digital cryptocurrencies. Such advancements fall under the wider web of financial technology or fintech for short.The fintech sector in Southeast Asia is currently facing a boom.