7 technology trends in travel and tourism

The appearance of technology and trends stimulates a change in such industries as the tourism and travel industry, in particular, in the interaction of company and customers. The tourist companies implement different technologies to advance the efficiency of their service and satisfy customer’s needs. Every step of the travel is followed by some technological adaptations. Travel is an important aspect of human communication. However, to be modern and successful, travel organizations have to find a golden mean between the hi-tech and the human component. Providing the customer experience should be always the principal goal for the travel and tourism companies while implementing the technology and developing it.

AI, Wi-Fi, Internet of things

Here are presented 7 technology trends, which are relevant for travel and tourism industry. They are the following: The approaches and the trends of Artificial intelligence which take part in the improvement of the travel industry are Robotics, Chatbots, and Machine Learning. Thanks to AI, some operations become quicker and more effective without human intervention. They help to achieve a new level of quality and performance. The chatbots are able to give instant answers to all appearing problems and difficulties. They receive good experience while interacting with the customers.  Hotels and different travel organizations often implement artificial intelligence technology to process and sort the data. It helps to handle the cooperation with customers and the management of inventories. Artificial intelligence technology is able to make conclusions referring to client commentaries and behavior. It may give advice about the development of company performance. Robots with function speech recognition often replace the places of info and make the process effective and quick. They are used for the security, detection of the weapons and tracking of personal luggage.  In addition, travel agents apply robots for checking the info and orders. AI may help the company optimize the majority of exhaustive manual info control as forming reports for management, adhering to all kinds of laws, making the process of verification easy and comfortable for customers. While traveling, people want to be always online and have access to the internet to find destination sights or places to eat or entertain, and share their impressions with close people with social media and other possible platforms. This trend also helps to strengthen security and to keep data privacy. All services are preferred to be mobile-friendly. An online booking becomes a popular service in the industry. In the last 2 years, the statistics confirm that all booking operations mostly are made online, including flights, tours, entertainment activities, accommodations, reservations. Tourists have the chance to choose the precise deal they prefer, need or expect. The opportunity for online booking attracts customers. Such services solve some essential problems with the customers and services providers as well.

AR/VR, Personalization, Mobile apps

In the last few years, the growth of such technological trends as Augmented /Virtual Reality and mixed reality development prevails in the travel industry. The technologies are used to promote, automate and improve services. Virtual Reality hi-tech is applied for the rendering of 360⁰ pictures and videos. This promising technology allows customers to come virtually to a place where they want to come. The customers may go around the hotel, the places of interest and rooms to choose the appropriate variant. Augmented Reality includes the augmentation of the customer’s current environment, then in the unreal one. One of the main advantages of technology is the available cost, the user must have only a smartphone or tablet. Graphical overlays and visual effects may improve the client experience by giving more travel details. Both technologies Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and their mix (mixed reality) are applied for virtual imitations of travel trips and accommodation features and interactive marketing events. Every year the cost of hardware becomes more expensive, more clients buy appropriate tools to facilitate such an entertaining experience. Personalization becomes the principal priority between the current travel industry trends. Customers prefer the personalized approach of service and offerings. And a company has already started to present some suggestions and special services for the customers. The offerings and services may include recognition, info, and help in any problem. Despite the personalization has many advantages, there is a problem of data capturing and of keeping personal privacy. The personalization requires analytical thinking, energy and technological implementations from the companies, who have the goal to move with the times of innovative technologies. Mobile apps are the easiest programmed trend to use. Travel and tourism industry statistics show that the majority of the booking manipulations are mobile. Mobile apps may facilitate all reservations and orders. Promotional messages are the stimulators for the growth of travel marketing. Many companies try to provide for the customers’ access to all suggested services and proposals by their phones. In other words, it means their service must be mobile-friendly.

Blockchain, Internet of things and Big Data Analytics

Blockchain hi-tech is a promising trend for the travel industry, but it still is a puzzle for different people because of its specification and structure. The principle of the blockchain technology lies in the info keeping and transferring by clusters. They, in particular, serve as the reliable protectors for the data. Info remains secure and tracked. Due to the block chain’s stability and security, the info about the customers is transferred without any difficulty in the network. In the near future, the technology may handle and automate all required procedures online and work with all listed trends in the industry simultaneously. Internet of things includes the internet- formed connectivity between ordinary tools to send and get the data.  In the tourism and travel industry, it allows connecting to necessary services and info. The possibilities of this technology trend may contain the tuning of the light, heat and conditioning systems, providing the warning about the appliances’ repair, the quick check-in procedure and so on. With the improvement in hardware components, it becomes possible to get more information from the client’s physical environment and companies may use it to suggest personalized services. Dealing with data security, the internet of things platforms guarantees the final customers the specialized services without risks of hacks. In addition to all the above said, it should be also mentioned such technology as Big Data Analytics. From the huge quantity of data created by guests, companies in the travel industry may get info that helps them solve some unexpected problems and find accurate solutions for success. Big Data Analytics may help in the promotion of the small company in competition with the big one and gaining necessary experience about the client’s conduct, their living habits, and their preferences. Due to this big data technology the travel agencies make recommendations to customers and support their solution-making. Now, being aware of the existing trends, which provide support for the current development of the tourism industry, the companies should form their own effective digital strategy to take a good position in the market and automate all suggested services. It is clear that business prospers only while keeps pace with time and competitors. The travel company must constantly improve their exclusive customer experience and promote their specialized service for clients.