Travel tech continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and 2017 is poised to be an exciting year for tourists and industry insiders alike. Explore some of the most highly anticipated travel tech conferences scheduled for 2017 and discover what each has to offer. HDI 2017 Conference & ExpoThe HDI 2017 Conference & Expo, which is scheduled to take place in Washington, DC, from May 9-12, is designed for tech support professionals, from entry-level to CEO. Tech support is an increasingly critical component of the travel industry, especially since a great deal of travel transactions are completed online. The HDI Conference & Expo will help professionals understand how important their roles are, as well as address common barriers. According to information on the HDI Conference & Expo website, professionals at all levels will find value in its offerings. The program will include topics such as improving productivity, networking, the latest innovations in customer experience management, and desktop support, as well as a host of other interesting topics. A conference pass includes access to four keynote speakers, networking activities, break-out sessions, breakfast briefings, and in-depth sessions. Food and beverages are included. The HDI Conference & Expo will offer pricing ranging from the Super Saver level to standard pricing, with earlier booking subject to deeper discounts. Travel Tech EuropeThe Travel Tech Europe conference, one the largest travel conferences in the world, will be held February 22-23, 2017 in London. This two-day event will be packed with exhibitors who will highlight new travel industry opportunities and bring brand awareness to a variety of up-and-coming travel partners. For those in the travel accommodations sector, the Travel Technology Europe is not to be missed, as experts will offer valuable insights, and a variety of leading technologies will be on display. The experts will hold in-depth sessions that will show travel industry insiders how to increase revenue and expand their businesses. Travel Tech Europe is expected to draw over 6,000 attendees, and although it will only last for two days, it will include various showcases as well as more than 30 suppliers who specialize in hotel accommodations and in-room marketing technology. Additionally, IT professionals will have the opportunity to further their industry knowledge and to network with others via social events. Travel Tech ConOne of the most exciting travel conferences for this upcoming year will be Travel Tech Con, which will be held in San Francisco. Travel Tech Con is specifically geared toward travel industry startups, and the coordinators pride themselves on remaining community-focused and dedicated to technological innovation within the travel industry. Travel Tech Con is an independent conference dedicated to educating and inspiring the entire travel tech community and open doors for startups trying to break into the industry. Much like previous Travel Tech Con events, there will be a pitch competition in which finalists will be selected to win prizes as well as funding. Travel Tech Con will also feature live Twitter streaming of the conference events, regular Facebook updates, and a variety of authoritative speakers from the travel tech industry. Aside from Travel Tech Con, organizers also work year-round to promote travel startups through its Travel Tech Hub. The service provides a way to connect worldwide startup partners in the travel industry, giving startup founders access to mentorship, funding, tips on successful pitching, as well as networking opportunities. Why Attend Travel Tech Conferences?Aside from being fun and informative, there are several reasons to attend trade shows and conferences. For those in the travel business, understanding what’s on the horizon is key to pleasing current and potential customers. Travel tech shows allow participants to discover what innovations competitors are working on as well as to see how their company measures up against others in the industry.
In addition to having the opportunity to meet high-profile individuals, conferences offer attendees the opportunity to sit in on master classes, presentations, and Q&A sessions with travel tech experts. Many conferences even offer professional development opportunities and continuing education credits to enhance or maintain certifications. Networking at travel tech conferences is also a major benefit, and attending one of these conferences can put you in contact with thousands of prominent industry figures. The value of these contacts is immeasurable, and familiarizing yourself with key players fosters connections that cannot be made from the comfort of your office. Technology has infiltrated various aspects of life, but nothing can replace good old-fashioned networking. Recently, technology company Sabre presented its annual Emerging Tech in Travel report, highlighting so-called forthcoming industry megatrends for 2017 and beyond. In addition to looking at all the potentially big trends for the travel industry, the report covers current technology expected to gain traction in throughout the year. From travel automation to increased use of artificial intelligence (AI), there are some exciting things that travelers and industry insiders can expect to see. AutomationThe Internet has revolutionized travel, granting consumers the ability to book travel arrangements without the use of a travel agent. In fact, the number of travel agents has dwindled significantly—down to just over 64,000 agents compared to 132,000 agents in the mid-1990s, before the Internet was accessible to nearly everyone. Many travel agents were put out of work due to this technology, but industry leaders have since looked for ways to adapt and make automation work for them. Today’s travel automation advances are focusing more on artificial intelligence (AI) and how it can help both travelers and travel companies. One of the biggest contenders in terms of travel AI is WayBlazer, which is a recommendation tool used by the travel industry. Powered by proprietary technology, the software provides insight into a traveler’s search engine behavior, allowing companies to hone in on what customers want and present them with a more customized travel experience. Sabre’s prediction for 2017 is that businesses will incorporate more AI and automation to narrow down exactly what information they want to glean from travelers. The goal of automation is to consistently improve processes that already work fairly well, and businesses will need to expand on that in order to gain a competitive edge. Personalized PromotionAnother emerging trend in the travel industry is personalized promotion. Taking a note from AI, personalized promotion looks to increase revenue for hotels by delivering promotions to guests when they are off the premises. For example, hotels could use location beacons to communicate directly to off-site guests’ smartphones or Bluetooth-compatible wearables, alerting them to promotions or events back at the hotel. Beacons present a number of opportunities to make travelers’ lives easier. For instance, using a beacon in an airport could help travelers better locate terminals and baggage claim areas. For airlines, beacons can improve tracking passengers, assisting them in making connecting flights and thus reducing delays. Beacons can also be used to keep track of airline staff locations, as well as the location of resources such as baggage claim carts. This will help place airline staff where they are needed most within the airport. Magnetic positioning (MP) is essentially indoor location technology that uses the physical components of structures to create a magnetic field or fingerprint of that building. This fingerprint is then scanned, saved, and shared to a smartphone, making it easier for travelers to navigate within a space. MP is similar to the turn-by-turn GPS we have become accustomed to while driving, but it will come in handy for tourists when they’re trying to find their way around in unfamiliar buildings. Voice Influenced TravelAs popularity heats up for devices like Amazon’s Echo, voice influenced travel is expected to be big for 2017. Conversational interfaces seek to simulate real conversations between humans, and companies are looking into how they can integrate this technology into their business strategies. Using voice technology can save monetary and human resources while providing customers with faster service.
Conversational interfaces will enable travelers to plan nearly every aspect of their trip by voice alone, from booking to hotel arrangements. In addition, conversational interfaces will allow travelers to do these things from apps they’re already familiar with, rather than having to get comfortable with an entirely new platform. Another likely possibility for 2017 is VoiceXML, which is speech recognition technology that goes beyond smartphones. VoiceXML, already available in a limited number of vehicles, allows users to book hotels right from their cars. Chevrolet has teamed up with Priceline to provide this service in some of its newer models; hotels can be booked either through a Priceline agent or via the installed OnStar system. Travel tech continues to revolutionize the industry, and 2017 is on pace to be one of the most technology-driven years for customers and businesses alike. It will be interesting to see what trends will be introduced and if these have the staying power to be used in the industry for years to come. In the past few decades, technology and travel have become intertwined in some pretty amazing ways. Offering the ability to book flights from your smartphone and to take advantage of gadgets that make traveling easier, technology has penetrated nearly every aspect of the travel experience. While travel has seen its share of technological advancements, hotel accommodations have largely gone untouched. A few hotels have begun to integrate technology into their guest rooms, providing the most comfortable and high-tech experience possible. M-Beta by MarriottRecently, the Marriott hotel chain introduced its M-Beta concept hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. The redesigned M-Beta hotel is designed to cater to consumers based on their feedback, and guests are encouraged to use special touchpads located throughout the hotel. The technology allows guests to enter their rooms without a key, to customize workouts in the fitness studio, and to engage in various activities throughout the hotel. Guests are not required to go through the traditional check-in process, which often involves standing in long lines and verifying credit card details. Instead, guests are met at a specific location in the lobby or even curbside—and checked in by a hotel representative. Robotic Butlers
New York’s Yotel features a Yobot designed to make luggage transport easier than ever. Guests can simply put their luggage into one of the bins, enter a unique PIN provided at check-in, and Yobot will then transport and store the luggage. When guests want to retrieve their luggage, they can scan their receipt and re-enter their PIN. In California, the Aloft hotel chain recently unveiled a robot butler at its Cupertino location. The robotic butler brings requested items to guest rooms, including toiletries, items ordered from room service, and even towels as guests lounge by the pool. Botlr is available to guests 24/7, and requests can be made directly from your smartphone. Smartphone and iPad Integration
A few hotel chains are taking this technology a step further and using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. This technology is being used in Paris hotels—Pullman Paris Bercy and Hotel Sofitel Le Faubourg—to allow guests to use their smartphones to wirelessly access their rooms. Instead of fumbling with a key card, guests can hold their RFID-enabled phone near the entrance to gain access. While US hotels are not currently using RFID, many are beginning to the incorporate technology into their menu of services. For example, The Plaza Hotel in New York provides complimentary iPads to guests, allowing them to control the room temperature, lighting, drapes, and a variety of other electronics in their room. The iPads also offer a way for guests to learn more about the surrounding area and even give them the ability to book reservations at local restaurants and other attractions. Infrared TechnologyIf you’ve ever stayed in a hotel, then you probably know how intrusive it can be when housekeeping arrives. Sometimes the hotel staff comes in unannounced, which is not only inconvenient, but can be downright embarrassing. A Seattle hotel is seeking to prevent this from happening through the use of infrared technology. Hotel 1000 activates infrared sensors when hotel staff rings the doorbell of a guest’s suite. The infrared sensors automatically detect body heat, so staff will know whether it’s safe to enter the room. In addition to its ability to help maintain guests’ privacy, infrared technology is used in the hotel’s virtual golf course in order to help guests connect with international virtual golf courses. What the Future Holds Since technology is becoming so prevalent in the homes of consumers, it’s only right that hotels step up and use the latest technology to satisfy guests and improve their operations. Hotels in all parts of the world are trying their hand at technological integration, from fingerprint room access to retinal scans to secure transactions and entry into exclusive parts of the hotel.
Technology continues to grow at a rapid pace, and things we only once saw in the movies are becoming a part of our reality. As time goes on, we are likely to see niche innovations spread into the mainstream, making travel and vacation simpler and more high-tech than ever before. |
AuthorBruce Eaton is the president and chief executive officer of i2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a hit discovery and lead optimization technology provider serving clients in the pharmaceutical industry. Categories
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