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. Comments are closed.
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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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