As we hear more and more that we're at an 'inflection point with AI', Harikrishna Kundariya, founder of eSparkBiz technologies, shares his overview on how technology will transform our sector.
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Guest Post: An overview on how technology is going to transform the industry
What is travel technology?
The term "travel technology" refers to a broad range of applications for modern tech, including mobile, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence in the tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors.
In one form or another, technology solutions may be placed at nearly every point of travel, significantly transforming the consumer experience.
Automating travel and related operations, saving time, cutting costs, and improving customer travel experiences are the ultimate motives or goals driving travel technology. Technology can improve consumer satisfaction throughout the journey.
Why is travel technology important for business?
Businesses can use travel technology to automate tasks that would otherwise require active human involvement or to accelerate tasks that are currently done manually.
As a result, a business may need fewer employees, spend less money, and make more money, which will enhance its financial results.
Technology can also help organizations by increasing simplicity and precision while reducing or eliminating employee mistakes.
To ensure that best practices are employed, however, and that rival firms do not acquire a competitive edge, it is crucial to consistently follow the latest developments in the tourism industry.
The future of travel and tourism business is shaped by a wide variety of technological advances. Let's have a look at the top tech solutions for the travel and tourism industry for 2023:
AI Chatbots
Chatbots equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) can offer clients immediate responses to their inquiries 24/7, regardless of employee availability. Meeting today's customers for customer service is crucial.
Using messengers with chatbots is practical as more individuals use apps for travel planning. Chatbot technology saves travel companies money by reducing manual labor and the need to hire more staff to serve customers.
Guests do not need to download an app since they can communicate with their hotel using an alternative they are already familiar with. This lowers development costs and enhances hotel loyalty.
Cybersecurity measures
The threat of cyber-security affects the travel and tourism sector. It is not unexpected. Because they handle sensitive information about their clients, travel agencies can learn a lot about their interests, routines, and purchasing preferences.
The only way to guarantee information security is to strictly adhere to personal information protection guidelines. Additionally, one of the sectors that use Internet payments the most is tourism.
Travel and tourism companies often use services like booking hotel rooms, purchasing airline tickets, and other online payment infrastructures. Therefore, processing banking data safely and putting into practice all security regulations is one of the most crucial jobs for travel agencies.
Contactless payments
Accepting contactless payments is another key travel technology. All modern, technologically sophisticated, and widely used payment methods in the travel industry are built on contactless technology.
Faster, more convenient, and most importantly, safe purchasing is the most significant benefit of using various devices. Consumer experience is positively impacted.
Contactless technology can be used for more than just payments. Other modern trends becoming more prevalent in the travel industry can benefit from contactless technology as well.
These include digital smart locks, touch-free elevators, QR codes, eSignatures, passport scans, etc.
AR and VR
When Facebook introduced the Metaverse and rebranded itself, virtual reality (VR) recently gained new attention. It is a hypothetical virtual world that will eventually take the place of well-known social networks.
These visions appear fascinating and unsettling at times. But will virtual and augmented reality have an impact on the tourism business in the future? Apparently, the answer is "yes."
People can travel the world in virtual reality without ever leaving the cozy atmosphere of their homes.
Before making an actual trip, consumers can get a peek at an exotic location through virtual tours.
By integrating graphical overlays to provide customers with useful information or pure delight, the tourism industry may dramatically enhance the consumer experience.
Robotics
The use of robotics in the travel and tourism sector will continue to gain relevance. Companies must exercise caution when implementing this kind of smart technology, though.
Robots have been employed in hospitality settings, such as hotels, to serve in concierge-like capacities and welcome arriving customers while providing information. Some hotels have expanded their use even further by including housekeeping and baggage handling activities.
Robots might be used in restaurants to help with food preparation and serving. While some manufacturers also utilize robotics to develop luggage cases that intelligently track you, they can detect hidden weapons at airports.
Additionally, robots pre-screen customers at travel agencies, which makes the customer wait times more efficient.
Internet of Things (IoT)
In many fields, the Internet of Things is beneficial technology. The tourism sector also uses this cutting-edge technology to link numerous devices. When clients receive exceptional services through connected devices, IoT solutions can be deployed in hotels and airports.
To increase client engagement, some travel companies use wearable technology. For example, hotels are starting to integrate some IoT-enabled sensors and voice control devices to control things like air conditioning.
With the use of an in-room tablet, hotel guests can effortlessly control the temperature, music, lighting, and curtains, changing the mood of the room and further personalizing their stay.
AI and Big Data
AI enables tourist businesses to process large amounts of data and customize consumer experiences. Businesses save time and money and are less likely to experience human error. AI technology also handles a lot of data, allowing it to serve more clients than employees could.
An in-depth understanding of consumer behavior or any other data required for service enhancement is provided through big data analysis. These insights allow travel agencies to improve their services.
These developments aid businesses in the travel and tourism sector in more fully understanding travelers and their behavior while on vacation and throughout the holidays.
Recognition Technology
To verify a person's identification, facial recognition software categorizes a single face according to gender, age, retina, emotions, or other features. Currently, it ranks among the most potent surveillance devices ever created.
Even though many people are content to use it to unlock their phones, businesses, and governments are starting to make more use of it.
Some hotels use this technology to enable semi-contactless check-outs or biometric room access. However, it is envisaged that in the years to come, this technology would allow guests to pay for dining in the hotel restaurant. This would be done just by passing through the entrance.
Wrapping up
Businesses can give other service providers interaction chances. On their properties, they can advertise their services. For example, a hotel chain could allow its agents to run advertising campaigns for nearby sights that guests can view online before traveling.
Solutions for collecting and analyzing massive amounts of data, which businesses can utilize to customize services, will be the hottest travel technology trends in 2023.
As a result, businesses will continue to digitize and mechanize their booking and reservation operations in 2023.
A large majority of large and medium-sized businesses, however, will focus on other innovations in travel and tourism, especially robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and contactless check-ins.
