From Chaos to Collaboration: 6 ways how technologies will shape a new era in Travel.

The future of travel is likely to be shaped by technological innovations which reduce stress, uncertainty and chaos. Travel will become more collaborative and work on two main issues: how people travel and how the travel industry interacts with travelers. Service users tend to become partners, ‘co-creator’ rather than customers.  The future traveler will find their journey enriched by the new technologies and innovations. It will enhance greater and more fluid interaction with other travelers and travel providers. This article highlights six travelers’ frustrations and the respective technologic solutions.

Figure 1 "Travellers' frustrations versus their expectations". (Credit: Amadeus). Click image to enlarge.

 

 

1.    At the airport – automatic transit
Nowadays, manual airports check-in security and border controls dissatisfy almost ½ passengers. According to a survey made by The Futures Company, passengers expect streamlined travel through an automated identity management system. This technology would track flow of people thanks to facial recognition, artificial intelligence, group behaviour analysis and biometrics.
@ The bloggers’ opinion: Is this measure in adequacy with privacy and security? Does facilitating transit and border controls really necessitate communicating personal information on an international database?
> 53% of the Amadeus survey respondents would agree to provide personal information. And you?

2.    Taking the stress out of the travel
Travel is a stressful and uncomfortable experience for many. This problem has been emphasised by the “massification” of travel, especially with the emergence of low cost carriers and restrictive   security process. Due to ageing population and the rise of wellbeing, technologies such as intelligent tickets, mhealth (mobile health monitoring and diagnostic) and “sensor enabled ‘intelligent luggage’” could be implemented to make traveller’s life less stressful.
@ The bloggers’ opinion: Is travel evolving in such a way that technology is needed to reduce stress? We could change the travelling conditions themselves before creating machines to weaken its negative aspects, which would benefit all travellers, not only technology addicts.
> 82% of the survey respondents would like to have a device to monitor and reduce levels of stress while travelling. Would you rely on a mobile application (mhealth) to determine your health diagnostic?

3.    Finding your way
Internet has brought a too large panel of information in which the travellers have difficulties to find the appropriate data. Consumers have to do much of the research themselves. The technology such as intelligent search engine allows editing choices and saving the traveller’s time through personalized recommendations.
@ The bloggers’ opinion: This type of technology could really make the traveller’s life easier both in time saved and in better adequacy between expectations and experience. However, do you think a machine is able to know you better than you know yourself?
> 86% of the survey respondents are favourable to the implementation of those personalized travel guides. Do you think that travel recommendation and review websites have transformed the way you plan your trip?

4.    Next generation of experience
Within 2 to 5 years, almost everyone will own a Smartphone. Consequently, the tourism industry is starting to realise and imagine the impacts mobile will have on the trip experience. Travellers nowadays seek for different and personalised experiences as well as live social events.
At a very functional level, Intelligent Translation, Augmented Reality and Game based Apps will help people to make the most of an unfamiliar place. As well as a familiarisation tool, those kinds of applications offer an alternative experience of a place.

Figure 2. (Credit: Colourbox)

@ The bloggers’ opinion: This type of Apps could be particularly interesting for cultural travels and give people a full opportunity to enjoy a historically accurate simulation.
> 61% of the survey respondents desire a mobile application that overlays visual information about the physical world. Augmented Reality Apps are already available on mobile devices: have you already tried to use them?

5.    Integrated payments and data
Suppliers do not often share data on the traveler’s needs that reduces the travel providers’ understanding of the traveler to the detriment of the traveler’s experience. The integrated payment technology will allow that all data on travel-related payments will be integrated as a memory of expenditure. For the travel provider, integrated payments and data such as digital breadcrumbs are likely to become an important CRM (customer relation management) and customer-profiling tool. For the travelers, they will be able to browse and learn from this layer of information.
@ The bloggers’ opinion: Regarding the privacy and security concerns, are you ready to provide your personal information for a personalised buying advice? Do you think that the technology used on Amazon.com may be deployed across the travel industry?
> 47% of the passengers agree with the concept of providing personal data for a more personalised service.

6.    Work life balance for Business tourists
In the near future, business travel could fully be reinvented, especially if drop in business travel occurs. It could then be perceived as more of an investment than a cost. Beside, employees increasingly expect a home away from home to stay as much as possible connected to their families. Cloud computing could help them access their own music, videos and data while away from home.
@ The bloggers’ opinion: Business tourists now have to work much harder to reconcile personal and professional lives. Long hours and trips away from home complicate work-life balance. Thanks to this kind of technology, business travellers could really experience a more intimate atmosphere while away from home and share content with their families.
> 59% of the business travellers who answered the survey wanted to experience that home away from home. If you were a business traveller, would you use that kind of technology?
  
Posted by Laurène Deneve; Nina Phanatzis.

Key words: travel, new technology, innovation, customer-profiling tool.

Reference: Mickaiel I. (2012, January 24th ). 6 ways tech will change travel: Amadeus.  Retrieved 2012 January 25th from Zdnet.com.au http://www.zdnet.com.au/6-ways-tech-will-change-travel-amadeus-339330290.htm