The advent of technology is accelerating changes in the travel and tourism industry. It affects how businesses interact with their customers. As a result, travel companies are adopting a variety of technologies to improve operational efficiency and meet customer expectations.
Technological innovation is impacting our lives in many areas, including travel and tourism. The idea of digital travel is now a reality. The hospitality and tourism sector, therefore, is finding technology an essential tool. The latest tech implementations help you choose your travel destination, decide what to do when you get there, and determine what to do before you start your trip.
Travel and Tourism Post COVID-19
Table of Contents
Tourism remains one of the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and while countries have opened up, its outlook remains highly uncertain. Destinations that depend heavily on international, business, and event tourism faced particularly tough times, with many coastal, rural, and rural areas outperforming cities.
While tourism has resumed, helping to ease the impact on jobs and businesses in some destinations, recovery is slow in others. The following technological advancements offer a better outlook for the industry as the world recovers from the pandemic.
Enhanced Passenger Experience with Augmented and Virtual Reality
Several airlines are increasingly adopting virtual reality (VR) as part of their in-flight entertainment. In a highly competitive market, these airlines hope richer experiences, including VR games and movies, will help attract more customers.
VR technology is also useful as a training tool for flight attendants and for passengers to experience the aircraft before boarding. Japanese company First Airlines has created the first-ever virtual airline hub where you can put on a VR headset and imagine you are in flight. The experience incorporates in-flight meals, announcements, and procedures similar to actual flights. You can even experience a 360-degree virtual city tour when you “arrive” in Paris, New York, Rome, or Hawaii.
Meanwhile, augmented reality (AR) is useful for passengers to ensure their carry-on luggage is the right size before leaving their homes. In the future, travel companies will be able to use the growing amount of data to influence the use of VR and AR. One avenue is tailoring advertising and content to customers.
Contactless Technology
Contactless services have acquired a whole new value during the COVID-19 outbreak. These services, leveraging various technologies (sensors, RFID and NFC tags, and facial recognition ), are helpful in airports and travel hubs to enhance passenger traffic security and control.
Contactless technology plays a unique role in the hospitality industry. Thanks to the pandemic, hotels are investing in voice-controlled elevators, digital keys, and smart rooms to provide better, more convenient service, increase efficiency, and meet sustainability goals. Today, touchless technology is also a source of trust and security for guests, employees, and management.
Virtual Tours
A virtual tour allows potential travelers to explore a place before they leave. A virtual tour is a 360-degree view of a destination designed to give potential bookers a glimpse of a hotel room, tourist attraction, and more. This feature will help to avoid travel disappointments.
Take Shangri-La as an example. Its website allows travelers to see room layouts and amenities before booking. They can also take virtual tours of destinations. These tours are available on smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Key Takeaways
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the tourism industry hard, with international travel pretty much non-existent in 2020. Domestic tourism helped soften the blow, at least partially, and various governments enacted impressive emergency measures to recover and revitalize the sector while protecting jobs and businesses.
Many countries are now developing plans to build a more resilient tourism economy post-COVID-19. These efforts include supporting the sustainable recovery of tourism and facilitating the transition to digital and greener recreational activities. The summer of 2022 saw an unprecedented travel boom, and the growth will hopefully remain on its trajectory.
The growing interest of venture capital investors in the most resilient emerging travel startups is promising. If all goes according to expectations, we will continue seeing a big surge after the lull in this sector. Are you ready to experience the world in a different way? Perhaps it’s time to invest in a VR headset, which will allow you to travel without leaving your home.
Image Source: BigStockPhoto.com (Licensed)
Site Disclaimer
The Content in this post and on this site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained on our Site constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by HII or any third party service provider to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments.
Nothing in this post or on this site constitutes professional and/or financial advice. You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content in this post or on this site.
You recognize that when making investments, an investor may get back less than the amount invested. Information on past performance, where given, is not necessarily a guide to future performance.
Related Categories: Travel, Reviews
