Unlocking the digital traveler
From chatbots, smart luggage options, beacons to virtual assistants... travelers today have more research and booking options at their fingertips than ever before. They're looking for more information and expect it to be at their fingertips to help guide them in their
Here we've compiled some of the latest trends we believe will drive the growth in
Engaging content: Engaging travelers in real-time on social platforms will go a long way for travel providers in turning customers into their brand advocates. Airlines are pushing themselves to achieve this feat. Travel service providers such as airlines & hotels are increasingly taking ownership of end-to-end travel experiences for their users and will eventually find the need to drive more engaging destination content by promoting ancillaries, encouraging more bookings and thus increased revenue.
Adoption of 'wearables': The rise of wearable technology has been the most talked about
Enabling connectedness with IoT: With today's traveler displaying an almost unquenchable thirst for being connected all the time, industries are exploiting the potential of IoT managed solutions. Gartner predicts that by 2020 around 25 billion devices will be interconnected across the globe. Use of beacon technologies, sensors data etc. can help in generating interesting insights in passenger experiences providing valuable information for improved services and personalization opportunities. These also present the service providers a chance at generating new digital revenue opportunities via ancillaries at every step of the journey. IoT is here to stay and it will be interesting to see how the landscape of the industry will change with future innovations in this space.
Seamless experiences across devices: With the proliferation of wearables and mobile technology, consumers are moving towards a 'spontaneous travel' framework and looking for more on the go solutions. Continuously shifting across devices as they plan their travel and interact with travel providers,
Robotics & AI: Customer facing robots, biometric self-service kiosks, virtual assistants and virtual tours are changing the way consumers are planning and exploring their travel options. IDC predicts that worldwide revenues for the augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) market will grow from $5.2 billion in 2016 to more than $162 billion in 2020. With brands such as Mariott exploring the immersive experience with campaigns such as 'Travel Brilliantly', VR technology can be expected to take off in the near future.
While we wait and watch to see how these technologies advance in the near future, we believe the underlying theme that ties them all is – passenger empowerment. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it's up to airlines and travel service providers to benefit from the opportunities generated by creating persuasive digital travel experiences that facilitate them to better engage and connect with