Travel & Hospitality Tech Outlook | Wednesday, January 08, 2020
The ease of booking trips through mobile phones enabled by travel companies has influenced a large number of travelers to plan trips regularly.
Fremont, CA: Every member of Generation X will remember making phone calls from their home and sending emails from their office. It is no longer the same as employees now carry devices 24/7, which means more of the people now are being inspired, booking, planning, and managing travel through mobile phones. Here is how technology is lending hands to travelers in 2020.
Booking travel is a hectic process for the majority of travelers. When the percentage of travelers booking via mobile apps was minimum years ago, now, the condition has drastically changed. Travelers willingly book their trips on mobile if they are provided with the right content. Over the next decade, mobile will be the most preferred means for travel bookings and payments.
Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.
Next is the peer to peer recommendation, which is the most influential source of information for consumers in the travel industry. Review sites like TripAdvisor are being utilized by 80 percent of travelers. The capability of mobile devices is vast in finding new ways to research travel options, including voice research that will gain traction for the maximum percentage of travelers. This option is available within travel apps and is widely used by business travelers.
However, travelers look for travel agencies who build loyalty even after booking. Timely customer service, offering discounts or special offers are likely to build that relationship further. These travelers deserve to receive regular updates from their agencies once their trip is booked. Also, adding ancillaries like in-flight wi-fi or checking an extra bag after making the original booking can enhance customer experience. Personalization is of paramount importance when travelers want more control over their trips. AI and machine learning will help to gain insights as they provide more access to data, thereby facilitating personalization.
Travel companies are now building new technology stacks, integrating new technologies, and developing marketing campaigns to sell directly to end customers. They are launching platform business models that facilitate marketplaces for the buying and selling of new services for travelers. APIs serve as the delivery system feeding the platform and market places with data while enabling travel suppliers to go direct. On the other hand, MicroServices are software products and services that integrate easily into the platform, adding value to the platform owners and their customers.
More in News