Technology, undoubtedly, has become an integral part of the travel and tourism industry and has helped businesses not only with daily operations but also to improve customer experiences.
Due to this, airlines, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses should stay in the loop regarding the technological trends surfacing within the tourism industry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the expectations of consumers are shifting.
Let's have a look at the different technologies that have benefited the travel industry.
Contactless Payments
One especially booming travel technology is the facility of contactless payment. This has allowed travel companies to process payments quickly. It’s helpful in situations where the customer may not have their debit or credit card on them or cash. It also certainly enhances the experience for customers because it saves time.
Contactless payments first started off to make things more convenient for consumers. It then, however, became a key point travel companies used for marketing during the pandemic. The use of contactless payments helped to protect the customers and the staff.
Voice Control and Search
Smartphones, AI assistants, and smart speakers have helped in increasing the relevance of voice search, in special regard to the tourism industry. Particularly, travelers have been found to be increasingly using the voice search feature to look for and book hotel rooms, tickets, and tours.
Thus, relevant companies should design their websites, taking voice search into account so that they can capitalize on the trend.
Also, voice control is playing an increasingly common role within the actual traveling experience as well. Hotel rooms are using voice-controlled devices, which guests can use to control heating and lighting within rooms. They may also be able to use these to obtain tourism information without having to speak to staff.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality is a technology that is emerging in several different sectors. However, it has played an especially significant role within the travel industry. It has enabled travelers to experience locations from all over the world while they are sitting at home.
It can be the factor that decides whether they will book your hotel and whether they feel the place is for them.
Through the use of 360 Virtual Tour Services, customers are able to experience hotels, landmarks, restaurants, national parks, and activities specific to the area.
The immersive nature of virtual tours allows you a competitive edge over rival companies that are not yet making use of tech trends like these. Most 360 tours are compatible with all web browsers and can be the deciding point for keen travelers to take the step and book their tickets.
Robots
Robotics is getting more and more integrated within the travel industry, exciting avid travelers who may never have experienced such technology before. For example, many hotels have started using robots as concierges so that they may greet guests at arrival and provide them with relevant information.
Restaurants are using robots within foodservice and preparation. There are also robotic luggage cases that follow you through the airport, making it less of a hassle to travel.
In Conclusion
There are clear benefits that emerging technology has brought to the world of travel and tourism. From contactless payments to actual robots, there is still much for us to see, even though we have come quite far already.
