7 Emerging Technology Trends in the Travel Industry

Travelers endeavor for faster, safer, and more comfortable ways; fortunately, new tech is making this possible. Technology comes in handy to enhance how people travel and how travel companies operate, resulting in greater efficiency, lower costs, and positive customer experiences. It digitizes the travel industry, a win-win situation for travel businesses, hotels, airlines, and travelers.

Technology allows you to plan and execute trips to anywhere in the world seamlessly and maximize experiences. With many travel technology providers, enterprises and travelers can get optimal solutions for their needs. Learn seven technology trends disrupting the travel industry, from virtual reality to drones and big data.

1. Internet of Things (IoT)

Since IoT involves interconnectivity between devices, hotels have an in-room tablet that guests use to control the lighting, temperature, music, and curtains for greater comfort and convenience.

As such, the guests can personalize their rooms and increase the overall guest experience and satisfaction.

Airlines are using IoT to streamline their baggage process as the number of lost, misplaced, and damaged bags increases by 1.5 million in the first half of 2022. Some airports leverage IoT-enabled sensors and tags on passenger bags to monitor them. As a result, passengers can track their luggage location and receive a notification when it gets to the carousel.

2. Virtual Reality (VR)

VR uses visual, sound, and special effects to provide real-life experiences of travel destinations, from hotels to tourist attractions and activities. Consequently, clients can sample them before they visit in person. For instance, VR allows guests to preview a hotel room before booking to determine if it meets their needs and expectations.

3. Online Booking

Online bookings are the norm in the current digital age due to their ease, convenience, and time savings. People are increasingly digitizing their travel plans and booking flights, accommodations, and activities online.

With a button click, you can reserve a premium hotel room or economy air ticket or hire a destination tour guide from anywhere, anytime. You get incredible deals and can even compare hotels, airlines, and travel operators. Cashless payments have made online bookings seamless, allowing travelers to pay for services using cards, bank transfers, digital wallets, and cryptocurrency.

As online bookings surge, the use of travel apps has increased significantly. More people use apps for booking, comparing travel costs, and forecasting destination weather.

Also, they contain safety information such as weather-related disturbances and emergency services, invaluable for travelers. The most common travel apps are Booking.com, Airbnb, and Hopper, according to Statista.  

4. Recognition Technology

Recognition technology has gained popularity in the travel and tourism sector, and with good reason. It uses biometric identifiers such as retina scanning, facial recognition, and fingerprints to improve security, enhance customer service, detect fraud, and inform market research.

Facial recognition technology, for instance, uses facial features to allow access to hotel rooms. Also, airports can use the technology as an alternative for boarding passes and passport checks. Similarly, security teams and law enforcement leverage facial recognition to enhance airport security.   

5. Drones

People like to immortalize activities and experiences with pictures and videos when traveling. Drones allow travelers to capture gorgeous shots and footage of their destination to share with friends and family. The availability of drones with different features and functionalities enables travelers to choose one that suits their needs and budget.

6. Cybersecurity

Nowadays, cybersecurity is vital in every industry, including travel. Travel information such as personal data, payment details, and itinerary is sensitive, and unauthorized access can be damaging. Travel companies, hotels, and airlines are also prime targets for data breaches and digital attacks.

With advances in travel technology, businesses in the travel sector can protect their websites and customer data from malicious attacks.

Educating employees, installing security software, and backing up data can go a long way to prevent cyberattacks and promote cybersecurity. Travelers also have a role in securing their data and should refrain from using public WiFi networks when purchasing and transmitting personal data.  

7. Big Data

Big data is invaluable for businesses in the travel and hospitality industry for a number of reasons.

First, companies can make informed decisions about demand, future trends, and customer experience. The technology increases revenue by merging customer and travel data to optimize costs. United Airlines, for instance, reports a 15% revenue increase from big data analytics.

Third, big data improves customer experience as travel companies learn what products to improve or include. Lastly, applying big data helps with targeted marketing and reputation management. In the latter, travel agencies get insights about customer preferences and customize marketing campaigns, increasing customer satisfaction and campaign efficiency.

Conclusion

Technology plays a fundamental role in the travel and tourism industry. It enhances the efficiency and profitability of the travel business while lowering travel costs and boosting experiences for travelers. The above technology trends are shaping the travel industry, increasing its competitiveness and sustainability.