Technological advances have changed the way we travel, and these new developments promise an even more interactive and exciting experience. Today, nobody doubts technology’s importance in tourism and how it has influenced and continues to shape, the way we travel: from the vacation destination we choose, all the way to what we do once we’re there and even in the time after we’ve come back from our adventure.

Who hasn’t gone somewhere just because Spirit Airlines was offering round-trip tickets for 50 dollars? If we merely feel like going somewhere, we go online and look for what the budget airlines are providing, we see what destination will be the cheapest, and voilà, let’s go! This scenario, so ubiquitous today, was unthinkable some years ago.

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Let’s take a look at some of the technological advances currently leaving their mark on the industry and will, according to various studies, bring significant short-term changes to the sector:

Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT is an extremely exciting present-day technology. It allows every-day smart devices to communicate through the internet and offers wide opportunities along with multiple benefits for the travel-related activities. The Internet of Things (IoT) promises to bring significant updates to the tourism industry. They include integrating sensors connected to the Internet inside items like cars, suitcases, buildings, and more.

The variations of this technology application are numerous. In a hotel, it may be a device, which is connected to the light, heating and conditioning equipment, able to control it all according to the visitor’s preferences and smart energy saving options. Besides, the device may be able to issue warnings on the necessity of repairs or replacement of certain appliances. The Internet of Things technology is also capable to facilitate the check-in process by sending electronic keys to guests’ smartphones. IoT can not only provide tourists with control and access to the necessary data via their phones but deliver a superb customer experience. Be smart and optimize your internal processes to make the most of this digital trend.

Mobile Technology

This is undoubtedly the main character in the new ways of travel. The cell phone has become our tour guide, travel agency, best restaurant locator, map, and more. It’s by our side during the entire purchase journey. In fact, according to TripAdvisor, 45% of users use their smartphones for everything having to do with their vacations. This is why there’s a need to adapt corporate services and communications to these devices.

This system, once someone has made a reservation, sends the user information regarding their ticket through Facebook Messenger as well as their boarding pass or updates about the status of their flight. This way, the user has all the pertinent information about their trip in the palm of their hand using an app that they already use, eliminating the need to download anything else.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) have also entered the travel world, and the truth is that it’s a trend due to the all the possibilities they can offer.

Augmented reality presupposes augmenting a person’s real surroundings. The main advantage of the new technology in travel and tourism is it’s being relatively cheap, especially for the users. Thus having only a tablet or a smartphone with a special app and active internet connection a traveler can find out more about the location, a building or a landmark he is in in real time.

This possibility of getting information right on the go allows the travel industry professionals to enhance their clients’ experience. People buy emotions best and as an expert, you can offer them in such a way information, emotions, and excitement combined. Today, it’s possible to “teleport” ourselves to the most remote corners of the globe without getting off the couch. That’s what you can get using Everest’s EVEREST VR app, that lets you see the top of the world without having to climb to the top. Or, if you would prefer, you can cross the Grand Canyon in a kayak enjoying the landmark’s sights and sounds.

Virtual Assistants

We’re all familiar with Siri and Alexa, the virtual assistants that meet all our needs: what’s the weather like today in my city, turn the radio on, open my email, and more.

Hotels are now starting to enlist this “help” thanks to the arrival of virtual assistants specially-designed for this environment. This is the open technology that firms can employ and adapt to their needs. This way, the virtual assistant won’t be called Watson but instead, have the name that the hotel chooses.

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Big Data

There has been a lot of recent talk about Big Data, but they have yet to show all the opportunities it offers for the travel industry. Nonetheless, many industry players are already using it.

Some hotels use information about their guests to figure out what is the best target for marketing campaigns. Primarily, they examine their database to look at the amount spent, the reason for the trip, the country of origin and cross-checks this information with public data from government sources to develop the most appropriate customer profile and achieve a higher success rate. This way, they make a better segmentation for their campaigns to increase their efficacy and optimize the investment required for these campaigns.

Blockchain

Blockchain technology has literally exploded in the digital world several years ago and still remains a vague notion to many of individuals. However, those, who can see the opportunities, realize the great potential the technology has for almost every sphere of our life and especially for the world of travel.

Though at present the technology is mainly referred to in the terms of digital currencies, and the aspect of secure transactions is really vital, the essence of the blockchain lies in the data storage and transferring through special clusters, where the information is always secure, traceable and transparent.

Blockchain is a technology poised to transform the world as we know it. Although it’s mainly associated with finance, it also appears that it can impact travel. While there has not been that much experimentation with it, it is possible that it will be useful in identifying passengers at the airport, guaranteeing transparency in tourists’ opinions, and easy and secure payments.

As we are aware of how travel technology is revolutionising the tourism market, we have developed our own progressive digital strategy to make the most in the market. As a travel industry business leader, we know that it’s vital to keep pace with the competitors and even get an advantage over some of them, improving at the same time the unique customer experience we offer our clients. Being aware and making use of the new technologies, we  are now able to embed innovations in the services you offer.