Incorporating technology in travel & tourism
Each year, we look at forecast travel industry trends that will greatly impact global tourism and hospitality. With the gravity of the COVID- 19 crisis over the last two years, it has been difficult.
Instead these forecasts or insights have become much more than travel trends but rather, they have become values and principles that will help guide the industry towards a healthier and more sustainable future ‘ post COVID’ – if there is such a thing.
Lately I have been pondering and identified key travel trends that I think tourism and hospitality enterprises should consider when mapping out their strategies for future growth. It has become apparent that the role of technology in travel continues to grow in importance.
Within the developed and developing world we see so many evolving changes from digital vaccine passports to real- time travel notifications and so forth. Technology solutions are playing a pivotal role in keeping the public informed and providing guidance for many travel arrangements and decisions made by the tourist. Countries have begun to welcome back visitors although vaccinated travellers, requirements for testing, quarantines, and the like still vary from destination to destination.
This, calls for destination management organisations and marketers to provide and communicate clear and current international travel requirements as well as timely updates should any travel conditions change that affect their location. This will actually be essential for supporting travellers throughout their journey and eliminating any uncertainty. Of late, contactless technology continues to bring ease to the travel experience. Many global travel companies have embraced innovative tech solutions to keep travellers safe and provide instant access to help and information. Such examples include contactless check- in and boarding, ordering food or services via App, or concierge support through Whatsapp and these have become solutions that provide extra peace of mind to the travelling tourist. There are also many opportunities for virtual reality technologies. Some of these are actually solutions such as virtual tours of hotel suites, aircraft cabins, museums, and many other attractions. These technologies help travellers research a destination more thoroughly, providing confidence within trip planning for the tourist. They also provide an inclusive virtual platform for those who might not be able to travel due to conditions they might be living with.
We have been catapulted to a new era and many opportunities await the young Motswana in the spaces of tourism destination management and technology.