Digital-savvy holidaymakers upend travel, tourism trade

Digitalisation has given travellers choice in a big way. Holidaymakers are now increasingly using their mobile devices to enrich their travel experiences.

Innovations in travel technology will continue to transform the tourism industry, with cloud passports, personalised travel, virtual reality and apps predicted to re-shape consumer habits and marketing strategies over the short to mid-term, according to a report by Colliers International.

In its Tourism and Technology Trends report, produced ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) to be held from April 24 to 27, 2017 in Dubai, Colliers named five trends driving the travel industry: biometric baggage solutions, cloud passports, personalised travel, spontaneous travel apps and virtual reality travel.

Simon Press, senior exhibition director, ATM, said: "Biometric technology will play a significant role in the evolution of baggage tracking systems and immigration clearance, with some forward thinking names already introducing such technology to the industry, such as Dutch airline KLM and Dubai International Airport. In addition, we can expect travel-related services to be further developed to enhance personalisation through guest data. Dubai is already at the forefront of travel technology and the discussion now is how far we can take that without travellers finding it intrusive."

Colliers has identified four evolutions in hospitality technology. The first is the utilisation of beacons to pilot Bluetooth across public spaces, allowing for on-demand flash marketing within the property or guest identification. The second, ease of alternative accommodations, focuses on channels such as Airbnb.com and the increasing appetite for experiential travel without the need for hotels. In addition, virtual payment systems and integrated smartphone apps are also tipped to be highly influential.

Press added: "When it comes to technology in hospitality, we have seen a complete transformation of the hotel space over the last decade and that same pace of change is set to continue. This will be based on connectivity and the sharing economy. Guests want instant access to useful services and easy solutions to common issues. Dubai is set to welcome its first Bluetooth-connected property in the near future and alternative payment gateways such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, along with the use of apps to personalise the hotel experience, are beginning to have a significant influence on hotel operations."

Virtual reality experiences
Virtual reality travel has already been popularised by Marriott International with its Travel Brilliantly campaign, which focused heavily on promoting destinations first. The chain has also pioneered VRoom Service, a first-of-its-kind guest service that allows guests to order inspiring virtual reality experiences to their rooms, created in collaboration with Samsung Electronics America.

In Dubai, Emaar Hospitality was one of the first to introduce in-room iPads for guest to do everything from book dinner to control their environment and even draw the curtains. The use of the iPads helped to increase in-room spending through flash promotions sent directly to guests.
Drone photography is also expected to increase in popularity due to its ability to capture hard-to-reach locations and the sustained popularity of image-led social networking sites.

Press added: "Like the rest of the world, the travel industry is adapting to our highly digitised lives and this is presenting huge opportunities for innovative thinkers to pioneer new solutions."

Another key theme at ATM 2017 will be the application of artificial intelligence in travel and how such technology could help make travel and tourism safer in future.

- business@khaleejtimes.com