A NEW BORN in the collaborative tourism industry: the KLM Must See Map.

A new trend in the tourism sector has emerged for these last years named the collaborative tourism. This new form is more focused on the social aspect than other aspects, which means travellers are more able to share their experiences and knowledge thanks to new specialized websites such as Tripnco  and Aventuro. These both websites are platforms for travellers for which in one hand want to find other partners to organize a common travel and in the other hand for traveller who desire to participate in a travel already prepared either by the members or by other travellers registered in these websites. Aventuro is more specialized in the adventure tourism than Tripcno but both of them have the same purpose toward their customers. And as we can see, consumers are on the centre of the process of decision-making. That is what we call prosumers.

Therefore, advantages are numerous both for travellers and travel agencies.

Firstly, for travellers, there is a better share of their experiences and interests with people who want to have information about a destination or desire to have information about a specific region or country due to a lack of information. Then, it is easier to constitute a group with people sharing similar interests. Another significant advantage is the cost sharing which allow “collaborative economies” for travellers. As regards the advantages for travel agencies, we can notice that they can target the expectations and needs of their customers easier and faster. As a consequence, they could observe the real trends that are related to their customers. They make their customer in the same time more loyal. The collaborative tourism will certainly modify the tourism sector in a near future because travellers are still looking for better expertise and service. That is why the tourism sector has to adapt rapidly to these new trends if they want to be competitive.

Being competitive creating new services, this is one of the objective and a success of KLM with the project of the Must see map. This is a great example of the collaborative tourism since using the Must see map, travellers can prepare their new stay with the recommendation of their friends from different social network on the places to go, to eat, etc…

Once, the friends end their say, KLM print and send the complete map with all the advices included on the map to the user for free.

To know more about the KLM's Must see map, watch the video. 

Sources:

- http://www.aventureo.com/
- http://www.etourisme-outgoing.fr/tourisme-communautaire-et-collaboratif/
- http://www.tripnco.com/fr/
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dosrsAy4ENY

New technologies: separating us or bringing us closer together?

The technology revolution we are living started only 30 years ago. To compare, the industrial revolution needed 150years to succeed! Things are changing in a very deep way: the attendees to events and the people in general take control of everything: what to do, with whom, what to buy, at which price, on which channel… Corbin Ball, independent 3^rd-party analyst focusing on meetings and tradeshow technology, shares his knowledge on his website (www.corbinball.com).

Through an article based on the I-pad, we want to ask ourselves the question “How to use technology and adapt it to our professional and private lives?” It is a challenge for all of us, not only the Y Generation. We have decided to confront our ideas about this usage in general and in the events industry in particular.

Is the speedy evolution an opportunity or a threat? What advantages and constraints do you see in the usage of all these new technologies?

This development of new technology is going too fast. We are aware that we can’t stop it, it is there, but scary. With all these technologies, we forget the most important: face-to-face communication and interaction. Technology is everywhere in our today lives, we are hidden behind our laptops, tablets, smartphones... When we are travelling and we want to discover something, we do not ask our way to real people any more, we ask internet or our applications. Moreover, “meeting people” almost disappears with this technology explosion.

Additionally, there are no longer any barriers between private and professional life: our boss can contact us anytime, anywhere regardless of traditional work hours.

The absence of brochures, although it is very good for the environment, makes the product less tangible and authentic for people who like to see and touch. Furthermore, the virtualization of meetings and negotiations make networking and deals less real and concrete.

On the other hand, I.T offers great opportunities for businesses. We have to be greener and new technologies encourage people to forget paper. Moreover, in the tourism and event industry, we are selling intangible goods and experiences. Experiences are not lived through brochures, but through people and actual discovery. In addition, thanks to these technologies, people can share personal information very quickly: time is money, no time to lose it! It is now easier to share content; distributing notes after a conference for instance.

Thanks to tablets (and social networking media), it is now possible to involve people from all over the world in professional worldwide events. I-Pad will become “a natural tool for audience members to post questions to speakers (either via a tweet stream, SMS, or other channel)”, having answers live, without even being in the same room or the same continent! The world is becoming smaller thanks to technologies and it leads to new businesses opportunities. The access to technology is easier for everyone, even those who can’t afford to travel regularly all over the world to meet relevant people and businesses. It is still a green approach: people now need to fly less in order to meet partners in “real life” to finalize deals!

With tablets, travelling is easier: no heavy documentations to carry and less content restrictions than a traditional brochure . You can have all types of information with you all the time. For instance, when a hotelier meets a prospect, he can show him in a very precise way all the facilities of his hotel and the fees agreement possible. Moreover, in very large exhibitions like ITB for instance, thanks to GPS applications adapted to the booths maps, it is no longer necessary to carry maps: your technology tells you where you are and how to reach your point of interest in the most convenient way!

Images from:

http://www.hotel-seminaire-alsace.com/videoconference-web-ou-reunion-face-a-face/videoconference

http://blog.tigglobal.com/index.php/uncategorized/eye-on-the-industry-the-next-wave-in-the-mobile-boom-are-you-ready/

Facebook factor’ inspires 52% to book a holiday, reports Skyscanner.

How to find a new destination? What’s influenced our choices? This article written by Theodore Koumelis in traveldailynews.com shows the influence of Facebook, and social networks in general, in our travel choices’.

In communication and especially in advertising we know the importance of images. We also know that the most influenced pull factors are friends advices and friends experiences and especially in tourism sector. As Sam Baldwin said “A picture worth a thousand words”, this article illustrates perfectly this notion. Indeed, according to the author 52% of Facebook users admit that seeing fiends’ holidays picture had inspired them to book a holiday to the same place.

But why is it such a big deal? Why is it important to know that 52% of

Facebook users are influencing by their friends holiday’s pictures for their travel choices? Just because Facebook is know representing a community of more than 500 million people, it’s mean that around 260 million people choose their destination for holidays by being influenced by their friends holiday’s pictures. Its represent a fantastic target for DMC, DMO, hotels, clubs… Those organizations need to reinforce their presences on social networks and can use Facebook to be aware of the new travel trends and try to influence them. It’s a real opportunity to promote a destination, by seducing a few numbers of people to go to a destination, DMO’s know that will create a snow ball effect, and more people will go to that destination by viewing their friends holiday’s pictures.

Skyscanner survey also reveal that Facebook’s role in tourism sector do not limit itself in influencing people choices, but take more part in group travel organization. Indeed, according to that survey, 46% of Facebook users having either organised or been invited on a trip via the site.

Facebook is know a real tool of promotion for DMOs, to use with caution…

Image: http://www.traveldailynews.com/images/upload/Image/FACEBOOKx510.jpg