Top Travel Technology Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2022
Like any other sector, technology has permeated every aspect of the travel and tourism industry. Apart from enhancing tourists’ and travelers’ experience, technology also helps organizations operating in the travel and tourism sector with their marketing as well as day-to-day operations. A software developed and designed by quality travel software development company can keep you ahead of the technology curve to beat stiff competition and generate good return on your investment. Top firms have the experiences and the tools to develop sophisticated software that could help you leverage technology to fast-track your marketing strategy.
Here we look in some detail about top technology trends can pivot your marketing strategy and aid you in capturing a large market share in a post-Covid world.
Voice Search & Voice Control
Smartphones, AI and AI-powered speakers and assistants have significantly enhanced the relevance of voice searches in the travel and tourism industry. A large number of travelers are making use of voice technology to immediately find what they are looking for. It should not come as a surprise since typing your requirement in search boxes of search engines is far more complex than just giving voice to your query. This is the reason a growing number of travel customers are making use of voice search to book tickets, find accommodation, and look for sundry other queries related to their trip.
It is, therefore, of vital importance to design your website with voice search capabilities so that you are not left behind in the competition.
Additionally, voice control is also making its importance felt in actual travel experiences as well. For example, hotel rooms are equipped with voice-controlled devices, which in turn can help guests switch on or off the lighting, fans and ACs with their voice. Voice-based assistant can also help them obtain the desired information without having to speak to a member of the staff.
Internet of Things (IoT)
A well-established software development company can help you leverage the power and potential of this incredibly powerful technology. Internet of Things (IoT), which facilitates internet-based interconnectivity between everyday devices have become hugely popular in tourism and travel industry.
For instance, IoT technology-enabled device can be provided in hotel rooms that connect to everything present in the room ranging from lights, air-conditioning to heaters and doors, allowing customers to control everything by pressing a couple of buttons. IoT devices can be used in airports as well, where luggage can be installed with sensors to quickly alert the owners when they pass by.
Cybersecurity Measures
Cybersecurity is of particular importance for those involved in the travel and tourism industry. This is because firms operating in the security are particularly vulnerable to threats from cyber-criminals. The reason behind it is not hard to decipher because travel and tourism industry is one of the largest employers, and also access to huge amount of customer data, thus making them susceptible to data breaches and data thefts.
Major threats faced by tourism and travel industry include ransomware and phishing attacks. Also, firms need to be vigilant against inadvertent errors caused by their own employees. All this warrants investment in sophisticated software and hardware solutions along with providing necessary training to your staff to keep your business safe. A well-established software development company can also help you develop travelling websites and portals that comply with the latest laws and data protection regulations.
Virtual Reality (VR)
A top-of-the-line travel software developer can help you provide your target audience a virtual experience. VR has become a highly popular form of traveling marketing these days. After all, it provides travelers with the ability to experience far away locations, hotels, parks, safaris, beaches, etc while sitting in their home. This is specifically the reason, hotels and travel agents are increasingly making use of sophisticated technology to offer VR videos of popular tourist attractions.
The interactivity and immersion can help you get ahead of the race over less tech-savvy competitors yet to take advantage of these types of tech trends. Most VR tours or 360 tours are now supported by most of the mainstream web browsers, thus allowing potential travelers more distinct view of the sites and tourists spots they are eager to visit.
AI Chatbots
When it comes to investment in technology to power your travel and tourism business, AI-powered chatbots should be there at the top of your technology-investment decision. Chatbots these days have become incredibly important as they possess the ability to offer swift answers to customers’ queries and questions anytime of the day or night. In an immensely competitive business environment, the one thing that can set you apart from the competitors is excellent customer service, and these chatbots are just designed to do that.
Traditionally, these chatbots are designed to answer to common queries and questions that travelers may have, but advancement in AI technology mean increased sophistication in answering questions based on previous interactions. These chatbots can also be incredibly useful when it comes to answering questions and easing concerns related to the pandemic.
Increasing use of cryptocurrency
The travel and tourism industry are on the cusp of a historical revolution when it comes to making payments. The surging popularity of cryptocurrencies around the word mean enabling payments in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum could allow you to target both new and old users and audiences. There are a lot of big names like Expedia and Bookin.com that have already jumped onto the cryptocurrency bandwagon. Airlines like Air Baltic are already accepting this payment method. Establishments that disregard this new technology trend, which, possess the ability to turn the entire payment process on its head, run high risk of missing out on the post-Covid comeback in a fiercely competitive travel and tourism landscape.
Apart from the above-mentioned important technology trends, other top travel technology trends of 2022, include recognition technology, contactless payment and check-in,facial recognition, and big data to name a few.
Author Bio:-Rahul is a Sr. Marketing Executive at Q3 Technologies. He has been constantly writing for technical niches, mostly for the latest IT Services. He loves to spread his knowledge, research, and IT industry insights. His write-ups have been published on multiple acclaimed online platforms.