(Source:http://www.jiudianjm.com/news/201711/15/hqzxnr10872.html)
Visitors will be welcomed first by the small robot waiting at the entrance. After an interesting conversation, the robot will guide visitors to different iPads and click on orders or advice. Guests can also take a visa photograph in the self-service photo room. If they are thirsty, they can buy an iced drink through the slot machine. If they are tired, they can find a chair to take a rest... In addition, just tapping the iPad, an online travel agency will show up instantly on the screen and provide immediate service for guests.
(Source:http://www.jiudianjm.com/news/201711/15/hqzxnr10872.html)
This "unmanned travel agency", its official name is "Sima Yi smart travel experience shop." A one-stop shop can provide information consultation, booking & registration, travel services, self-service, ticket sales and other functions.
Pan Yibo, the CEO of Shanghai Golden Palm Enterprise, the R&D company that launched the shop as stated above, said that the smart travel experience store is their first new product in 2017 based on tourism big data and artificial intelligence technology. It represents the development trend of new retail sales in China's travel service industry. It has four major innovation features in terms of digital economy, sharing economy, scene economy and service economy. The smart travel experience store has overturned the traditional store management model. It provided a new travel service store operation mode through program guidance, technical output and service support, and also upgraded the tourism store from a traditional trading venue to a self-service area combing “trip service & offline experience”.
However, a number of industry analysts pointed out that the "unmanned travel agency" can not provide professional labor services for those who do not frequently use the Internet. And compared to online travel agencies, it is less convenient to make orders for office workers. Thus, which customer groups will be attracted in the future remains to be further observed.
In addition, another point of view argued that the access of manual consulting services in the store itself proves that “unmanned travel agencies” cannot truly be completely “unmanned”. Golden Palm also confided to the Beijing Business Daily reporter that at this stage, the “unmanned travel agency” can only accomplish the goal of reducing human resources to the greatest extent. They cannot remove completely the first-line service personnel. Besides, according to Golden Palm, this online manual consulting service is a contract with a travel agency or a travel expert, and is charged based on the rating of the level of the travel agency or expert. Therefore, it’s hard to say whether consumers are willing to accept payment consulting while they are accustomed to the traditional travel agency free advice service.
Although there are still many problems to be solved for “unmanned travel agency”, some tourism industry experts are optimistic about the development of this model. The concept of “unmanned travel agency” is indeed a concern as a way of new retail sales. It is also the result of further standardization of current travel agency products. The prospect of the concept is worth looking forward to, especially in the future, where the package technology of tourism products will become more mature, and the market outlook will also appear.
Perhaps travel agencies could achieve complementary cross-selling between different business formats to further reduce store operating costs. Maybe one day we can buy a trip package in a convenience store while buying a breakfast.
Sources: http://www.ctnews.com.cn/art/2017/11/13/art_148_12073.html
http://www.bbtnews.com.cn/2017/1127/219877.shtml
Photo sources: http://www.jiudianjm.com/news/201711/15/hqzxnr10872.html
By Xiaoqing & Wenhong
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