UAE’s emerging travel tech trends
Tech trends of the region are focused on the ‘personalised’ travel experience. The typical traveller of 2016 – whether they travel for leisure or business – wants the ability to self-serve and manage their own bookings, which means that mobile technology
As such, one third of the bookings in major countries around the world are now coming from mobile devices and in app bookings took off last year, accounting for 35-40 per cent of mobile bookings. This means that today’s travellers are super connected, including during their trip, with 46 per cent valuing free in-room Wi-Fi as a must-have amenity. Before a trip, travellers tend to base their plans on online reviews and rankings and, after a trip, they will probably share their experience online, including on social media. A total of 42 per cent of stories that were shared on Facebook users’ timelines in 2012 were travel experiences, making it the top story being shared by users. There are also currently a staggering 200+ million reviews written across the Internet. Travelport has invested in our mobile offering to allow our customers to interact directly with travellers, which is becoming increasingly significant in this hyper connected world. Whether that’s the new MTT-powered mobile app for Etihad or Travelport ViewTrip, the mobile itinerary management tool accessible whilst on the move, we’re enabling our customers to remain relevant and add value in an increasingly complicated world. Having said this, travel agents add value for their customers by providing a ‘personal touch’. Something that should never be underestimated and will always be relevant. Great advice from an experienced and trusted agent can prove to be far more valuable than an anonymous comment on a travel review site. And this is why it’s so important for agencies to invest in their people.
This year we have seen a further maturation of airline merchandising, as more and more airlines recognise the enhanced revenue opportunities offered by new distribution options that allow for a full and rich content retailing experience to the travel agency and corporate channels. In the Middle East we have seen leading national carriers such as Etihad and Emirates following this trend. Their content, devices through which it is sold, and the airline’s needs regarding content have all evolved. Airlines want to more effectively control how their flights and ancillaries are visually presented and described on travel agency screens. Airlines want this content aligned to the airline’s value proposition and displayed more in line with the airline’s own website. The key is making all this new airline content available is an intuitive, comprehensive merchandising platform that allows travel agencies to offer their customers more travel choices, convert more sales opportunities, and sell more airline products and services more often.
Airlines want to more effectively control how their flights and ancillaries are visually presented and described on travel agency screens. They want this content displayed more in line with the airline’s own website