The travel industry is manifesting all the latest technologies to deliver the best experiences for their customer base. Since the choice of power has shifted to consumers from service providers, the traditional travel segment has changed drastically. From hotel and accommodation agencies to travel and ticketing companies – each segment has adopted technology in one or other way. Offline businesses are thus increasingly switching to become online aggregators for staying relevant in such a competitive market.
The biggest reason why the travel and hospitality industry now entirely relies on website bookings is because the online curated content replaced the job of travel agents. Plus, the psychology of today’s travellers has seen a transformation in the last few years. As travel expectations and behaviours are changing, companies are using technologies for simulating even immersive experiences.
Mobile apps have been a significant source of guiding travellers throughout their online booking journey. Right from booking a destination ticket to landing at the place and look for a restaurant – smartphones have an app for everything. TripAdvisor estimates that around 45% of mobile users use mobile apps for booking everything related to their next vacation. Many travellers are changing their approach from following a fixed itinerary to being spontaneous. Social media and travel blogging sites provide details of such undiscovered placed where people can blend with the culture and experience authenticity.
Apps are of great significance for businesses because they enable businesses in keeping the updates of any changes in flights or stay schedules. The technology has compelled some of such accommodation agencies to go a step further. Apart from offering ancillary services, now there are smart room keys enabling guests to unlock their rooms through an app or wearable. Additionally, hotels now have their app through which customers can bring the management’s attention to any problem faced by them during their stay. This is a huge implication for the businesses that no matter how small the service they offer, a mobile-friendly presence is highly needed.
Technology has changed the complete process of choosing a holiday destination. This shift is from going through reviews and ratings on a site to how well they can experience its content. The new ways of experiencing emerged with combining Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality. Websites are now offering a virtual experience/tour of a place on the site itself. So customers can now virtually get around a place they want to visit, before even going there. The focus behind such a step is to deepen the engagement level of the seeking traveller with the destination.
Some platforms are now offering VR proprietary services for virtually viewing the destinations from the tourism websites all around. Plus, customer engagement levels and their experiences are crucial for tourism companies to survive in such a technologically-dominated future. AI can change the game by introducing Chatbots and helping the sites become virtual assistants themselves. According to a study by Gartner, 2020 will see around 85% of the consumers interacting with a virtual assistant instead of replacing the human staff. AI and Machine Learning also help businesses in automating the entire journey from flight booking to cab booking. It can now even facilitate report generation and verifying the background checks on guests.
The Internet of Things and Big Data join forces to diminish the boundaries dividing physical and virtual worlds. Smartphones and computers are now capable of integrating physical surroundings into the customers’ minds using connected devices and sensors. It is already in the making with hotels offering a smart environment, where guests can control everything in the room from televisions to air-conditioners through an app. Similarly, airlines have introduced beacons in airports to facilitate checking-in and boarding procedures. Additionally, suitcases also have integrated devices enabling customers to use their smartphones to track them if it gets lost.
All of these activities are bound to generate a vast amount of data about these travellers. Here, Big Data comes into play that enables travel agencies to derive valuable future insights for their growth. Big Data analytics is now accessible on a subscription basis too so that startups and small businesses can also have the latest weapons in their arsenal to compete. It can help them analyze data on past trips and stays and segregate travellers on different criteria like interests and preferences. Travel sector can hugely benefit from such innovation as they can make the most profitable itineraries and offer better travel experiences.
User Interface is an essential factor to consider while developing web and mobile apps for travel solutions. 9series offers such travel solutions that enable businesses in combining skills effectively with technology. Custom templates for websites and portals provide access to agencies and allow companies to manage everything from inventory, payment gateways, and online bookings. This is the exact reason why 9series is increasingly becoming one of the best travel software solutions providers realizing the different needs of our clients.
The biggest challenge in front of travel industries is attracting customers and keeping them engaged. This calls for an exceedingly well-built frontend and backend algorithms that drive precision. The entire journey of travellers from searching for flights to stay options must be dealt with consistency. Travel agencies need to be in constant contact with the agents for seamless interaction throughout the travel journey. 9series has a dedicated b2b agents portal from where multiple tours and packages can be uploaded. Customers can directly access these tours and itineraries from a varied range of choices. Moreover, you can also segregate these travel packages according to the criteria of travellers. The package management system allows you to manage the visibility of such packages where you can choose who can see which package.
Investing in a travel solutions partner can be a difficult choice. 9series ensures that our consultation and expert services provide a wholesome and smart infrastructure for your company. Intelligent investment decisions can lead to transforming your company and help you survive in this increasingly competitive tech-savvy market.