No one can argue today that travel and technology are the ideal competition. This collective force is also vital to how we travel, from the terminus we select for our vacation to the activities we engage in while we are there and even after we return from our experience. Because of how commonplace it is, only 13% of travelers still use travel activities to get ready for their journeys, while 74% of passengers plan their trips online, according to Google Travel research.
Travel and technology advancements
There are many mitigating factors, but some of the key players are the new technical solutions that are emerging.
“The shift goes beyond enhancing processes or the tourist experience; it entails reinventing the tourism system itself,” said Salvador Anton Clavé, Director of Eurecat’s Tourism Innovation Department, during the Forum TurisTIC de Barcelona event. We are taking part in the development of new business models, as well as process, customer, and relationship enhancements. All of this inevitably results in advantages for the traveler, allowing them to streamline and frequently improve the vacation preparation process.
Similar sentiments have recently been expressed by Arjan Dijk, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Booking.com, who said that “in this new decade, we’ll see how the travel industry tries to respond to the needs of a type of traveler more concerned with sustainability, and with more tech knowledge or curiosity, through developing products, functions, and services make discovering the world easier for all.”
We’ll then look at some of the technological developments that are already having an impact on the market and that, based on numerous studies, are expected to have a big short-term impact on it.
Some top technological advancements in the travel sector include:
Mobile Technology
The protagonist of the new modes of transportation is unquestionably this. Our cell phones now serve as our tour guide, travel agency, best restaurant finder, map, and other functions. Throughout the entire purchasing process, it is by our side. 45% of TripAdvisor customers say they conduct everything related to their vacations on their phones.
To accommodate these gadgets, corporate services, and communications must be modified. For instance, KLM has already developed a Facebook Messenger-based information service for travelers.
Once a reservation is made, this system provides the user with their boarding card, ticket information, and updates about the status of their flight via Facebook Messenger. By using an app, they already own, the user can have all the information they need regarding their journey in the palm of their hand without having to download anything additional.
(IoT) Internet of Things
The tourism sector is expected to experience considerable changes as a result of the Internet of Things. They incorporate Internet-connected sensors into a variety of products, such as automobiles, luggage, buildings, and more.
The Internet of Things “is going to be the key revolutionary force in the personalization of the consumer experience over the next few years,” according to Spain’s Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero (ITH). Customers at some Virgin Hotel locations can interact with the thermostat or the television in their rooms using an app. To prevent lost luggage at the airport or other public locations, some suitcases feature technology that enables users to track where their suitcase is at any time using their cell phones.
5G Internet
The support of 5G networks increases the power of 5G travel Technologies. They guarantee significantly quicker download and upload times, more coverage, and more reliable connections. Beyond making content downloads 20 times faster than before, 5G opens up new technological possibilities for us that were previously restricted by 4G. As a result, smart device connections will be more effective, and we’ll be able to begin fully utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT).
Travelers will become the protagonist of their experiences thanks to technology, which is known as immersive tourism. Additionally, 360-degree video and augmented reality (AR) will be increasingly widely used and available.
Blockchain
The world as we know it is about to change thanks to a technology called blockchain. Despite being mostly related to finance, it also seems to affect travel.
Although there hasn’t been a lot of experience with it, it could be useful for identifying travelers at airports, ensuring honesty in travelers’ reviews, and facilitating safe and simple payments.
The virtual assistants
The virtual assistants which can answer questions like “what’s the weather like today in my city,” “turn on the radio,” “open my email,” and other common queries, are well-known to us all.
Due to the introduction of virtual assistants created expressly for this setting, hotels are now beginning to employ this “help.” Watson Assistant, an AI-powered virtual assistant that offers users a customized and engaging experience, was just released by IBM.
This is the open technology that businesses can use and customize to their need. By doing this, Watson won’t be the name of the virtual assistant; instead, the hotel will choose the name.
