technology changing the travel industry

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Impact of technology on travel and tourism - statistics & facts

What are the main technology trends in travel and tourism, travel apps: two countries dominate the market, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Revenue of Amadeus 2010-2022

Amadeus: number of bookings 2010-2022

Revenue of Sabre Corp. worldwide 2012-2023

Company Insights High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific

• Great Deals E-Commerce Corporation
• Spofeed Co., Ltd.

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Online Travel Market

Most downloaded travel apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

IT Services

Tour Operators & Travel Agencies

Travel agencies and tour operators using cloud computing services EU 2016-2021

Related topics

• Online travel market
• Digitalization of the travel industry
• Digitalization of the hospitality industry worldwide

Online travel trends

• Artificial intelligence (AI) use in travel and tourism
• Travel and tourism in the metaverse
• Mobile travel trends

Online travel companies

• Booking Holdings Inc.
• Expedia Group, Inc.
• Trip.com Group
• Tripadvisor

Recommended statistics

Global distribution systems (gdss).

• Basic Statistic Revenue of Amadeus 2010-2022
• Basic Statistic Revenue of Amadeus 2010-2022, by segment
• Basic Statistic Amadeus: number of bookings 2010-2022
• Basic Statistic Revenue of Sabre Corp. worldwide 2012-2023
• Basic Statistic Revenue of Sabre Corp. worldwide 2019-2023, by segment
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Travelport worldwide 2010-2022
• Basic Statistic Revenue of Travelport 2013-2018, by segment

Revenue of Amadeus worldwide from 2010 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Amadeus 2010-2022, by segment

Revenue of Amadeus worldwide in 2022, by business segment (in million euros)

Number of travel bookings made using the Amadeus distribution platform from 2010 to 2022 (in millions)

Revenue of Sabre Corp. worldwide from 2012 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Sabre Corp. worldwide 2019-2023, by segment

Revenue of Sabre Corp. worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by business segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Travelport worldwide 2010-2022

Revenue of Travelport Worldwide Limited worldwide from 2010 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Travelport 2013-2018, by segment

Revenue of Travelport worldwide from 2013 to 2018, by business segment (in million U.S. dollars)

Travel apps

• Premium Statistic Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027
• Premium Statistic Travel apps revenue in selected countries worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic Most downloaded travel apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads
• Premium Statistic Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Average number of reviews of travel and tourism apps worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic Average number of ratings of travel and tourism apps worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic Average retention rate of travel and tourism apps worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic Leading travel apps in the U.S. 2022, by market share
• Premium Statistic Leading travel apps in Europe 2022, by market share

Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027

Revenue of the travel apps market worldwide from 2017 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Travel apps revenue in selected countries worldwide 2022

Revenue of travel apps in selected countries worldwide in 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Most downloaded travel apps worldwide in 2022, by aggregated number of downloads (in millions)

Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023

Number of aggregated downloads of selected leading online travel agency apps worldwide in 2023 (in millions)

Average number of reviews of travel and tourism apps worldwide 2022

Average number of reviews of travel, tourism, and hospitality apps worldwide in 2022

Average number of ratings of travel and tourism apps worldwide 2022

Average number of ratings of travel, tourism, and hospitality apps worldwide in 2022

Average retention rate of travel and tourism apps worldwide 2022

Average retention rate of travel, tourism, and hospitality apps worldwide in 2022

Leading travel apps in the U.S. 2022, by market share

Market share of leading travel apps in the United States in 2022

Leading travel apps in Europe 2022, by market share

Market share of leading travel apps in Europe in 2022

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Premium Statistic Number of companies using ChatGPT within their business 2023, by industry
• Premium Statistic Share of travel firms that implemented AI strategies worldwide 2021, by AI maturity
• Premium Statistic AI-influenced revenue share of travel companies worldwide 2018-2024
• Premium Statistic Travelers expecting to use AI to plan trips in 2033 worldwide 2022, by aspect
• Premium Statistic Expected usage of ChatGPT to plan next trip in the U.S. 2023
• Premium Statistic U.S. adults that thought a Chat-GPT text on travel was AI/human-made 2023
• Basic Statistic Interest in AI-related products among U.S. adults 2023

Number of companies using ChatGPT within their business 2023, by industry

Amount of companies using ChatGPT in their business function in 2023, by industry

Share of travel firms that implemented AI strategies worldwide 2021, by AI maturity

Share of travel companies that implemented Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategies worldwide as of September 2021, by maturity of AI strategies

AI-influenced revenue share of travel companies worldwide 2018-2024

Share of travel companies' revenue that was influenced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) worldwide in 2018 and 2021, with a forecast for 2024

Travelers expecting to use AI to plan trips in 2033 worldwide 2022, by aspect

Share of travelers that would trust using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to plan travel in 2033 worldwide as of August 2022, by travel aspect

Expected usage of ChatGPT to plan next trip in the U.S. 2023

Likelihood of using ChatGPT in the process of planning the next trip among respondents in the United States as of April 2023

U.S. adults that thought a Chat-GPT text on travel was AI/human-made 2023

Share of adults that believed a ChatGPT-generated text about travel was made by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) or a human in the United States as of March 2023

Interest in AI-related products among U.S. adults 2023

Share of adults in the United States who are interested in artificial intelligence (AI) related products as of February 2023

Metaverse and extended reality (XR)

• Basic Statistic Leading business sectors already investing in the metaverse 2022
• Premium Statistic U.S teens and adults on enhanced experiences in the metaverse 2022
• Premium Statistic Interest in metaverse travel activities of Gen Z in the U.S. and the UK 2022
• Premium Statistic Interest in AR in the U.S. 2022, by use case
• Premium Statistic Interest in VR in the U.S. 2022, by use case

Leading business sectors already investing in the metaverse 2022

Leading business sectors worldwide that have already invested in the metaverse as of March 2022

U.S teens and adults on enhanced experiences in the metaverse 2022

Experiences expected to be better in a virtual or metaverse environment according to teens and adults in the United States as of May 2022

Interest in metaverse travel activities of Gen Z in the U.S. and the UK 2022

Interest in metaverse travel activities of Gen Z in the United States and the United Kingdom (UK) as of February 2022

Interest in AR in the U.S. 2022, by use case

Interest in augmented reality (AR) in the United States as of October 2022, by use case

Interest in VR in the U.S. 2022, by use case

Interest in virtual reality (VR) in the United States as of October 2022, by use case

Use of technology

• Premium Statistic Travelers' expected use of selected planning tools for trips in 2033 worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic Expected comfort level with selected payment methods for trips in 2033 worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic Global consumer and merchant acceptance of crypto payments 2021, by industry
• Basic Statistic Popular goods and services to buy with crypto 2022, by gender and income group
• Premium Statistic Travel agencies and tour operators using cloud computing services EU 2016-2021

Travelers' expected use of selected planning tools for trips in 2033 worldwide 2022

Share of travelers expecting to use selected planning tools for trips in 2033 worldwide as of August 2022

Expected comfort level with selected payment methods for trips in 2033 worldwide 2022

Share of travelers expecting to be comfortable in using selected payment methods for trips in 2033 worldwide as of August 2022

Global consumer and merchant acceptance of crypto payments 2021, by industry

Willingness to use/accept cryptocurrencies for payments by consumers/merchants across various industries worldwide as of 2021

Popular goods and services to buy with crypto 2022, by gender and income group

Most popular goods and services bought by consumers worldwide when using cryptocurrencies for online shopping in 2022, by gender and income group

Use of cloud computing services among travel agencies, tour operators, and related activities in the European Union (EU 27) from 2016 to 2021, by cloud service

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How technology has transformed the travel industry

There has been a digital revolution for holidaymakers, and technological advances may see increased personalisation take off

At the turn of this century, planning a holiday might have entailed a visit to the local travel agent. Or for the more adventurous traveller armed with a well-thumbed guidebook, relying on trusted word-of-mouth recommendations to set their travel agenda. Today, thanks to breakthroughs in technology and high-speed internet, travellers can book their own flight and hotels online, choose to stay in a stranger’s house, and rather than entering that unfamiliar restaurant with trepidation, search online reviews on their mobile while connected to the hotel Wi-Fi.

“Digitalisation has given us choice in a big way,” says Tamara Lohan, co-founder and chief technology officer at boutique hotels website Mr & Mrs Smith . “More people are travelling than ever before, and companies like Airbnb encourage younger people to explore sooner, and in a more cost-effective way. Technology has also given us more information on the place we are going than ever before. Want to know if there is an artisan chocolatier close to your hotel in Amsterdam? Well, now you can – in seconds.”

In the digital age, we’ve become a generation of DIY travellers who plan, manage and book travel online. So what has this meant for businesses in the travel industry?

For travel agents, the rise of digital has severely disrupted the industry. “Traditional travel distribution in which high street travel agencies played a dominant role was revolutionised with online travel agencies and direct distribution through airlines and hotels’ websites acquiring a key role,” explains Angelo Rossini, contributing analyst at Euromonitor International .

“Low-cost carriers and online travel agencies were the clear winner of the online travel revolution over the past 15 years, changing the way today consumers plan and book their trips. Tour operators suffered the rise of independent travel and are today embracing the online and mobile channels in order to stay competitive,” says Rossini.

While the internet killed off many high street travel agents, others have been forced to adapt to a very changing marketplace, with many embracing the internet by introducing online bookings.

“As part of our omnichannel strategy, Thomas Cook has seen the need to make sure our customers can be served in a seamless way through whatever channel they wish – online through mobile, tablet, desktop or offline in a store or over the phone,” says its group head of digital operations, Graham Cook. The company has stepped up its digital innovation of late, even introducing virtual reality experiences across select stores.

One of the biggest disruptors to the travel industry has of course been Airbnb , which spurred the launch of other similar online-only companies such as One Fine Stay . Thanks to the rise of such sharing-economy companies we’re more likely to book a room in a stranger’s house, with 9% of UK and US travellers having rented space in a private home or apartment.

“The digital revolution has impacted almost everything in the world as we know it,” says James McClure, country manager for UK and Ireland at Airbnb . “In Airbnb’s case, technology has also brought tradition into the mainstream. The concept of staying in people’s homes when travelling is not a new one and dates back many centuries, but what technology has been able do is accelerate this to a fast-moving and easily-accessible global phenomenon.”

Technology has also presented new opportunities for small businesses in the travel sector, allowing consumers worldwide to stumble across say a B&B in Brighton or luxury safari park in Kenya through online review sites, social media and the businesses’ own websites.

“We pivoted from a hotel guidebook to become an online travel agent just as the internet started to become a place people could finally trust with their credit cards,” says Mr & Mrs Smith’s Lohan. “In the whole of that first month online we did 10 bookings – now we do 300 a day.” While she says the business changed its model due to internet and allows online bookings, it still runs 24/7 customer service support via phones “for people who want that human element”.

For travel brands it’s meant they have had to get smarter and adapt as consumers expectations rise. Take airlines, some of which now allow passengers to check-in online, access their boarding pass on mobile and operate Wi-Fi on flights.

“Digital technology has changed the way we connect with guests, creating a 24/7 relationship in and out of stay,” says Stephan Croix, vice-president of marketing at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, owner of hotel chains W Hotels and Aloft .

“It is also transforming every phase of hospitality – from finding a hotel, to checking in, to unlocking your door and personalising your stay. As travel is inherently mobile, travellers expect to use their mobile devices to enrich their travel experiences,” Croix says.

As a result, Starwood has adapted and invested in mobile, leading to overall mobile gross bookings rising more than 50% in 2015 compared with the year before.

Like others in the sector, the company is continually embracing technology to woo its digitally-savvy customers. It recently launched “Let’s chat”, enabling guests to communicate with its front desk associates via WhatsApp, Blackberry messenger or iPhone before or during their stay.

So how will technology shape the future of travel? “The next few years will see travellers requiring an increasingly personalised service, with companies able to suggest them customised products on the basis of their profiles and past behaviour,” says Rossini. With many travellers already seeking a more customised and “local” experience, truly personalised trips are already beginning to take off.

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How tech has changed travel

The internet has changed the way we travel

The travel industry has changed significantly, from the rise of air travel overtaking luxury boats to travel agents becoming a central part of your travel experience: The industry has not stopped reinventing itself. 

Technology has been one of the biggest contributors to the travel landscape and those of us lucky enough to be able to afford to travel can't have missed how quickly this has happened. 

Here are just some of the ways our tech revolution has changed the way we travel. 

Booking everything online 

For ages it is seemed like the only way to book your trip was through a travel agent either in person or over the phone. The rise of the World Wide Web has meant that this whole process has shifted entirely online. 

However, since it has taken a while for the internet to reach the impressive speeds and workability we know and expect from it today, this move wasn't just automatic from the moment we could dial-up. 

In addition, it took a while before people became as comfortable as we are today with online payments, especially for purchases as expensive as plane tickets and accommodation. 

Only once we could keep a stable connection and online payments did airlines, hotels and comparison sites pop-up allowing you to book and pay for your whole trip online. 

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Personalised experiences 

Before the internet age, booking a trip and excursions meant either booking a tour, through a travel agent or when you arrived in the country. Your experience and helpful hints mostly came from travel guides which were printed and marketed to a wide range of tourists. 

Since the internet allows for endless and constantly updatable content, the focus on travel and tourism shifted to personalisation. Travellers now don't just want to see the standard site but to rather have experiences that are unique, or at least appear to be so.

This has led to a major boom in travel blogs, apps, itinerary trackers and local guide insight vlogs aimed at giving would-be visitors the insights they need to curate their perfect holiday. 

A great example of this is AirBnb experiences, AirBnb took the model for their accommodation and adapted it for personalised, local led experiences in each country. From pasta making in Italy to hiking in Cape Town, this digital platform lets travellers easily find the "unique" and immersive experience they are looking for. 

Safer money

This is a big one, while travelling has always been expensive, it's never been easier to take your money with you and safely. 

The days of travellers cheques and wire transfers are long gone. Now you can simply log into your banking app and alert them that you're leaving the country. If you like they can activate your bank card to work overseas at an extra charge. 

If this seems a bit expensive, there are many options like foreign currency cards which are pre-loaded with a set amount which can be withdrawn in another country. 

In the past if you ran out of money and needed someone back home to help you out and it was quite an ordeal. Now transferring between accounts or sending money can be done in a number of ways which can reflect within hours, not days. 

Always in contact 

Postcards may have a romantic feel but when they are your only way to contact those back home, it was easy to feel incredibly disconnected to your loved ones. 

Telephones helped a bit although international calling was always quite pricey. Now, with the rise of smartphones sometimes it's even cheaper to use your phone in another country than it is back home, depending on data prices. 

While international roaming is still a big no-no for South Africans, buying a foreign SIM and loading up on data is simple and can often be done before you even step out of the airport doors. 

The weird and wonderful future

The COVID-19 pandemic has already required the industry to adapt even further, pushing technology into new realms especially relating to hygiene. This will undoubtedly cause even more change for travellers going forward. 

Already hotels are aiming to invite guests with the latest technological gimmicks like AI concierge robots and personalised tourist experiences. As more of our lives move to apps, you won't need a full laptop to complete even one part of your trip. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg and we're excited to see what happens next. 

Leila Stein is an experienced multimedia journalist and content producer with a special interest in data journalism. she is skilled in news writing, editing, online writing and multimedia content production and have a Bachelor of Journalism  from Rhodes University and an Honours in Historical Studies from University of Cape Town.

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Perspective

Traveling between worlds in the metaverse

5-MINUTE READ

• The next wave of technology disruption driving the future is here, bringing new technologies and worlds of experiences.
• Over the next decade, ambitious travel players will shape new physical and digital realities and transform their businesses. 
• Travel companies need to prepare now to understand how these emerging technologies are critical for future growth and competitiveness. 
• How can travel companies successfully navigate uncertainty about the future, with blurred boundaries between humans and machines? 

Welcome to the “Metaverse Continuum”

The metaverse is evolving the next generation of the internet technologies and creating boundaryless opportunities. Think of it as a continuum, spanning the spectrum of digitally enhanced worlds, realities and business models.   

Expect to see it touch all facets of every business, from consumer to worker and across the enterprise; from reality to virtual and back; from 2D to 3D; and from cloud and AI to extended reality, blockchain, digital twins, edge technologies and beyond. In 2022, this way of life seems surreal, but the Metaverse Continuum is on its way and companies need to prepare now.  

Next-generation traveler experience

The Metaverse Continuum enables people to immerse themselves within a universal shared experience that connects our real world to a fully virtual one—and everything in between.   

The Metaverse Continuum is already transforming travel companies in five ways, changing...

• How travel companies interact with customers 
• How work is done 
• Which services travel companies offer 
• How they make and distribute them 
• How they operate their organizations 

Travel Technology Vision 2022 trends

In the Travel Technology Vision 2022 report, we explore how today’s technology innovations are becoming the building blocks of our collective future. These four trends investigate the entire continuum, from the virtual to the physical, across humans and machines alike, identifying where ambitious travel companies can find rich opportunities by uprooting themselves from today and planting themselves firmly in the future. 

WebMe: The internet is being reimagined as metaverse, and Web3 efforts transform the underpinning and operation of the virtual world.

The Programmable World: Control, customization and automation are being immersed into the world around us, making the physical as programmable as the digital.

The Unreal: As AI-generated data and synthetic content convincingly mimic what is “real,” authenticity is the new north star.

Computing the Impossible: A new generation of computers is solving some of the world’s most intractable problems leading to one of the biggest technological disruptions of our time.

RELATED: Why the metaverse (really) matters for travel. 

Now is the time to shape the future of travel technology

We are at a crossroads. Not only because there are new technologies to master, but rather that competition in the next decade will require much more than technical skills and innovative strength. Travel companies will need a truly competitive vision. A clear vision of what the future worlds will be like and a vision of where the travel business needs to go to thrive. Technology is pointing us in the right direction. Everything else is in your hands.  

The metaverse continuum is waiting for you. 

RELATED: Future borders 2030: From vision to reality

​​Related insights​

• Building a data-driven travel company
• The Guide: Travel industry magazine
• Tech Vision 2022: Meet me in the Metaverse

Sergiy Nevstruyev

Managing Director – Enterprise Architecture & Digital Transformation Lead

Anshul Gupta

Managing Director – Accenture Technology

Luis Aparicio Garcia

Associate Director – Accenture Strategy & Consulting, Travel

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Table of Contents

1. Apps for booking hotels — and picking your room

2. smart devices as digital room keys, 3. the rise of virtual queues, 4. delivery apps to replace room service, 5. robotic and app-powered food delivery in airports, 6. the growth of app-powered car rentals.

These days, travel and technology go hand-in-hand. Many of these technological advancements were spurred by early pandemic pressure for contactless payments, food service and more. For example, between February and March 2020 alone, Mastercard saw the number of contactless payments at grocery stores grow twice as fast as non-contactless transactions. Meanwhile, the number of active restaurants on the Uber Eats food delivery app grew by over 75% between Dec. 31, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2020.

Technology is seeping into travel in a way that most travelers are finding enormously beneficial. Whether shortening queues, helping travelers save money or eliminating the need to get within six feet of others, here are some of the top travel technology evolutions to know about in 2024.

Most large hotel chains have long had free apps with features like booking and live chat, but many recently got big-time improvements.

Hilton launched a feature in June 2021 that lets you book and instantly confirm connecting rooms on its app and website, which has proven especially helpful for groups.

Its app also can display a map of the hotel and allow you to select your exact room of choice, whether it’s the peaceful room farthest from the elevator or the one nearby for easy access.

The Hilton app can be used to unlock rooms at many U.S. properties so you never need to go to the front desk to retrieve a physical key card. (Photo courtesy of Hilton)

Some apps serve as a digital front desk, which then allows you to use your smartphone and smartwatch as digital keys. For example, digital keys in Hyatt’s mobile app use Bluetooth technology to let you unlock your hotel room with your phone at more than 600 hotels worldwide.

Hyatt made things even easier for Apple users in December 2021 by becoming the first hotel brand to offer room keys in Apple Wallet. At certain Hyatt hotels, you no longer need to open the Hyatt app; instead you can tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock rooms.

Over at Hilton, which has offered digital keys to some degree since 2015, last year saw a huge update in Digital Key Share, which allows more than one guest to have digital access. The feature is currently available at about 80% of Hilton’s hotels worldwide.

(Photo courtesy of Disney)

In January, Clear 2021, a private biometric screening company that lets paying members bypass certain security lines at busy areas including stadiums and airports, announced that it had acquired another company designed to reduce wait times — Whyline. The acquisition could allow Clear to improve virtual queues for processes like checking vaccine status or accessing airport lounges.

» Learn more: Is Clear worth the cost?

Meanwhile, Disney rolled out a feature in its U.S. theme park apps in October 2021 called Genie, which is intended to help vacationers better plan their day. By analyzing current lines and crowds, it can suggest more efficient itineraries.

Food delivery apps have been disrupting room service lately by delivering food from around town — and eliminating the need to pay $10 for a bowl of room service cereal.

Hotels are leaning into the idea of letting other companies handle it . For example, Hyatt launched a pilot program with snack delivery service Gopuff in 2021 to deliver prepackaged and hot meals to rooms at select Hyatt Place locations. Hyatt says the program has been successful, and has since grown to more properties nationwide.

(Photo courtesy of AtYourGate)

Speaking of food delivery, the days of waiting in long airport restaurant lines might be gone. Apps like AtYourGate allow you to order, pay and pick up food from participating airport restaurants.

More recently, AtYourGate is testing services where you don’t even need to physically grab your food. Instead, robots bring it to you. A pilot program that launched in September has robots roaming around Los Angeles International Airport, bringing food directly to your gate.

The rental car industry has sometimes been brutal to travelers, but peer-to-peer car-sharing alternatives are expanding, providing consumers with more choices.

Getaround cars can be booked on an hourly basis, and there’s no need to meet up with the owner to exchange keys. Cars are booked and unlocked through an app. Getaround expanded to Hawaii at the end of 2021, marking the 10th state that Getaround added to its portfolio in 2021 and the 22nd state in its history.

» Learn more: Rental car alternatives you might not know about

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Technology is changing the travel industry: here’s how

For an industry that has been resistant to incorporating evolving technology into the mix, travel and tourism is ripe for disruption that will touch on every phase of the customer experience.

Anyone who has recently visited an airport has witnessed the travel industry’s propensity to retain outdated and archaic technologies.  From dot-matrix printers to old terminals deployed by airlines for seat management and other activities on the administrative side, air travel especially remains an antiquated affair.  However, this reality is not just endemic to the experience at the flight counter, but extends to the entire travel industry, which has largely stagnated in lieu of limited efforts towards innovation.

While a few services have sprung out of the internet era to smooth over some of the friction associated with building travel plans thanks to online booking and review services, they have not entirely solved many users’ pain points.  In many cases, these monopolistic forces have created numerous asymmetries that do more harm than good when it comes to travel, mainly by adding to the costs associated with tourism instead of adding-value.  Thankfully, technology is once again coming to the rescue, this time in the form of blockchain and its revolutionary capabilities that can streamline services and help eliminate redundant intermediaries from the equation.

“No other industry needs decentralization like the tourism sector. 4-5 companies control a $3.2 trillion market. Companies like Expedia and Priceline have created elaborate ecosystems that give consumers a false sense of variety and reality, when in fact they are in an echo chamber of predicted options,” Itay Nagler from CoolCousin told me at a recent blockchain event in London.

More affordable booking on the horizon

Those familiar with the process of booking travel online know that the prices they see may not be the final amount. The current costs that result from the de facto monopolies in place in the industry mean that extra fees and surcharges are the status quo.  If looking to book a destination, chances are users will find their way to one of several major hubs to purchase airfare, rent cars, and book a hotel room.  Companies like Priceline and Expedia, each of which own several brands along the value chain, have positioned themselves as the de facto gatekeepers for most travelers seeking to jet set thanks to their exceptional marketing efforts which place them in between the companies providing services and the travelers themselves. 

One company working to unseat these monopolistic forces within the industry is TUI Group, a European travel and tourism multinational that has built its own blockchain and smart contract system to effectively reduce property booking costs.  By bringing together disparate property management systems into a single chain and automating the platform with smart contracts, TUI has arrived at the formula for cutting overheads and delivering a lower cost solution to travelers.  In fact, the company has switched to a more vertically integrated model fearing that the traditional business-to-business approach will be made obsolete thanks to blockchain.  However, the one area where TUI has been met with criticism is its deployment of a private blockchain instead of a public chain that ensures that no one group has gatekeeper status over a chain. 

Decentralizing the travel knowledge industry

Another major component of the travel experience ripe for disruption relates to when a traveler reaches their destination.  While guidebooks long played a role for individuals seeking to map out the local attractions that aspect eventually went digital thanks to hubs like Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor.  Travel to any foreign country and you’re likely to encounter the TripAdvisor sticker on the door of many local restaurants. The site is wildly popular thanks to its centralization of many travel-related functions like booking tables and tours. However, this centralized system also highlights TripAdvisor’s disadvantages, namely poor customer service when individuals encounter problems from bookings, preferential listing treatment from paying businesses, and fake reviews that have become a hallmark of the industry’s reputation practices.

Cool Cousin, aimed at the Millennial and Generation Y tourist demographic, has developed a peer-to-peer service that seeks to overcome the biases associated with online tourism hubs by enabling direct interactions between locals and travelers, helping empower each of the stakeholders.  Thanks to its blockchain-based design complete with a tokenized protocol, the platform provides a self-governed community that enables locals to monetize their unique knowledge of their surroundings while helping tourists navigate the scene at a lower cost and avoid the inherent favoritisms displayed at most online travel hubs. Furthermore, it eschews the unfavorable commercial conditions inherent in existing hubs by preventing the company from using its position for monetization through special placements and treatment.

Improving service from top to bottom

One of the most common complaints for travelers is poor customer service when they encounter problems with booking or other unforeseen circumstances, resulting in countless hours lost fighting with customer service agents and bouncing between representatives.  Everyone has seen the exasperated look on the face of a passenger being told they will have to speak to another individual or team to have their problem resolved.  While some credit card companies have stepped in with their own travel centers, insurance policies, and even personal concierge services, the actual travel companies themselves have a long way to go towards bolstering their customer service credibility.  Just ask the numerous individuals and businesses complaining about the problems they encounter when booking on TripAdvisor and the lack of service that accompanies their inquiries.

One company working to change this poor service paradigm is blockchain-based data exchange TravelChain.  Ultimately the vision of the company is to revolutionize the travel industry by personalizing the process, helping both individuals and businesses get more targeted results based on available information.  For individuals, the data that they generate via verified personal profiles can be monetized for tokens issued by the system.  On the other side, businesses can analyze this vast trove of customer data to refine their processes to improve customer engagement.  Furthermore, it will enable both service providers and travelers to bypass the major gateways that currently put a stranglehold on the tourism industry.  Although not a silver bullet for customer service, TravelChain highlights what is possible when both stakeholders in the tourism equation are properly motivated. 

Technology brings great promise for enhancing tourism

Every traveler has encountered less than perfect experiences at one point or another within the tourism value chain.  Oftentimes these situations lead to humorous stories in hindsight, but more often are a source of frustration and added expenses.  For an industry that has been resistant to incorporating evolving technology into the mix, travel and tourism is ripe for disruption that will touch on every phase of the customer experience, from arranging plans to discovering new destinations with a local perspective.  Service providers will also benefit, but it ultimately depends on all stakeholders embracing the valuable technology ecosystems being touted by the newer entrants to the industry and their plans to shake the foundations of the tourism industry.

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How technology is changing the travel and tourism industry

The advent of CX technologies has transformed the travel and hospitality industry as we know it. How can brands utilize technology as part of their competitive advantage as the industry rebounds from COVID-19?

Published · April 11, 2022

Reading time · 5 min

As flights were canceled in record numbers and borders began to close, the travel industry, among so many others, transformed overnight due to COVID-19. The onset of the pandemic coincided with a continued digital transformation of travel and hospitality — and today, as the industry rebounds, that transformation becomes more critical than ever before.

From the advent of the mobile boarding pass to the rise of the online travel agency (OTA), technology has changed the way consumers plan, pay for and go on trips. Even after a traveler has returned home, technology extends the journey by providing ways to leave reviews, share memories, and start saving and planning for the next trip.

Now, in a time when mobile options are increasingly preferred and consumers look to technology to assist in their daily lives, travel and hospitality brands have the opportunity to distinguish themselves from competitors by adopting the latest advancements in digital transformation.

Here, we’ll explore the latest transformation trends for the travel and hospitality industry and how customer experience innovation has evolved on both sides of this developing market.

Travel vs. hospitality customer experience innovation

While technological innovation is affecting both the travel and hospitality sectors, there are several distinctions between the two sides of the industry. Planes, trains and automobiles are often seen as a means to an end, providing just connection between destinations. Meanwhile, hotels and other brands in the hospitality sector may be perceived as providing a fuller experience, as travelers can spend several days or even several weeks at the same property while on business or vacation.

These differences mean that travel and hospitality brands may have slightly different goals for transforming the travel experience for their customers. Where travel brands might focus more on improving booking and check-in experiences, hospitality brands might look for ways to use technology to reduce COVID exposure or use self-service content to assist with customer questions before or during their stay.

A 2020 report from Skift found that 43% of surveyed travel brands said that it was “much more” important for their organization to move ahead with the digital transformation they had started before the pandemic. With travelers returning by the thousands in 2021, digital transformation continues to be a priority in the travel and hospitality industry — perhaps in part because of the many benefits that technology provided during the rapid travel fluctuations and adaptations caused by COVID-19. According to our research, positive consumer perception of innovation in the travel and hospitality industry has decreased since the pandemic — from 14 to 8% — indicating there is still a great deal of progress to be made.

Across both sides of the industry, consumers expect a similar, effortless experience tailored to their traveling needs. They look for efficiency, a safe journey and friendly staff who will guide and assist them along their way. With the latest technologies in place, both travel and hospitality brands can deliver on these goals, improve customer experience outcomes and drive loyalty that will inspire future visits and referrals.

Four of the latest transformational trends in travel

For several years, the mobile experience has dominated travel brands’ approach to digital transformation. The pandemic caused many airlines and other brands to quickly pivot operations to rely more heavily on technology in hopes of decreasing the spread of disease and making journeys easier for both travelers and staff.

On the travel side of the travel and hospitality industry, which includes airlines, trains and rental automobiles, technology has contributed to many advancements that aid in the traveler’s experience. Here, we’ll explore some specific ways that technology has transformed the travel industry.

• Booking and changing reservations When it comes to booking or changing reservations, mobile apps and sites have completely transformed the modern traveler’s experience. Customers now have control of their reservation in the palm of their hand and can make updates quickly without interacting with a customer service agent. With the aid of artificial intelligence (AI), customers can even engage with chatbots that can answer common questions regarding their travel experience, such as rebooking or adding a stop to an existing reservation.
• Seat selection Certain airlines use their app technology to allow travelers to choose their seats while booking their plane reservations. Airline apps often also provide a list of stand-by passengers, which travelers can monitor as they wait to board a flight.
• Social media For passengers who have tight connections between flights or who have missed a flight due to delay, the advent of social media technologies for airlines and other brands can provide a considerable benefit. Social media customer care options allow customers to quickly access help, whether facilitated by AI or an agent, further improving customer experience — and the travel experience as a whole.
• Mobile boarding passes While mobile boarding passes existed long before the pandemic, their usefulness and innovation were further proven in 2020 and 2021. Mobile boarding passes equipped with QR codes that can be scanned while going through security or boarding a flight reduce the need for customers to engage with an agent at check-in to print their tickets.

Five of the latest transformational trends in hospitality

For hospitality brands, digital transformation has helped to improve guests’ stays at hotel properties, which inspires brand loyalty over time. In addition to aiding in the booking and reservation process and offering options for customer care on social media, technologies have created several other ways to optimize the hospitality experience.

• Check-in and check-out processes Thanks to digital transformation, the check-in and check-out process no longer needs to occur at a hotel’s front desk. Checking in online streamlines the customer service journey and allows for a more effortless experience.
• Digital keys Digital keys are another technological advancement that has improved the traveler’s experience. Customers no longer need to dig through luggage to produce a key when returning to their room and can instead simply scan their phone at the door.
• Self-service content Hotel brands can use self-service content to assist guests with any questions they may have before or during their stay, which both empowers the customer and assists customer service agents if a customer reaches out for additional help.
• Personalizing the travel experience Speaking of personalization, the customer data and analytics provided by these technologies can help hotel brands better understand their customers’ needs and improve upon their experience in the future. Data points such as customer bookings, ratings given post-stay, or even dining preferences can give brands the insight needed to create a more distinctive and memorable stay for guests, encouraging them to return for their next trip.

Utilizing digital transformation as a competitive advantage

The digital transformation has only accelerated due to the pandemic — and as we enter a new phase of travel and hospitality, the benefits of technological innovation will serve as a competitive advantage for brands making their return to consumers’ lives. The travel experience will depend on technology to propel it forward, as customers will rely on AI and other customer experience technologies to support them in navigating the challenges associated with traveling today. 

To learn more about how travel and hospitality brands can adapt and thrive in this new environment, download the Best Practice Guide Delivering Best-in-Class Customer Experience in Travel and Hospitality from Foundever™. Including data from our latest travel consumer research, the guide also features a five-step checklist for customer experience success in travel and hospitality.

How Technology Is Changing the Travel and Tourism Industry

The tourism industry is changing rapidly, and new technologies are opening up new ways to experience the world. Here’s a look at how mobile technology might change the way we visit, explore, and enjoy the world.

The tourism industry has been heavily impacted by the advances in mobile technology. Two years ago, only 27% of tourists made reservations for their stay before arrival; this year it is closer to 40%.

How to use technology to make your vacation more personal and interactive, new apps that allow you to explore the world around you, and how mobile technology is changing the tourism industry for good.

Lets begin!

Table of contents

Introduction

What is mobile technology, types of mobile technology in the tourism industry, how mobile technology is changing the tourism industry, the impact of mobile technology on tourists, pros and cons of mobile technology in the tourism industry.

The tourism industry is one of the most important industries in the world. It is responsible for a large part of the world’s economy and employs millions of people. The industry is constantly changing and evolving, and mobile technology is one of the biggest drivers of change.

Mobile technology is changing the way people travel and how they experience destinations. It is also changing the way businesses operate within the tourism industry. Mobile technology has made it easier for people to research and book travel, and it has also made it possible for businesses to offer more personalized and convenient services.

There are a number of ways in which mobile technology is changing the tourism industry, including:

• More people are using mobile devices to research and book travel.
• Mobile devices are being used more for on-trip activities such as navigation and trip planning.
• Businesses are using mobile technology to offer more personalized services.
• Mobile payments are becoming more popular within the tourism industry.
• Augmented reality is being used by businesses to enhance the customer experience.

Mobile technology has revolutionized the tourism industry, making it easier and more convenient for travelers to book trips, find information about destinations, and stay connected while on the go.

With mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, travelers can now book their flights, hotels, and rental cars all in one place. They can also use apps to help them plan their trip, find things to do at their destination, and stay connected with family and friends back home.

Mobile technology has also made it possible for tour operators to offer interactive experiences that allow travelers to get up close and personal with the places they visit. Using augmented reality and other cutting-edge technologies, tour operators are now able to offer virtual reality tours, educational games, and more.

As mobile technology continues to evolve, the tourism industry will continue to change along with it. With more travelers using mobile devices to plan and book their trips, it’s important for tour operators to keep up with the latest trends in order to provide the best possible experience for their guests.

Also Read: How Mobile Technology Has Modernized the Construction Industry

There are many types of mobile technology in the tourism industry. The most common are GPS systems, which can be used to track the location of a person or vehicle. Smartphones and tablets are also widely used in the tourism industry, as they can be used to book hotels, restaurants, and flights.

Other types of mobile technology that are used in the tourism industry include contactless payments, such as Apple Pay, and mobile applications that can be used to plan trips and find attractions.

Mobile technology is having a profound impact on the tourism industry. Tourists are now able to use their mobile devices to book hotels, purchase tickets, and get directions. This has made planning a trip much easier and more convenient.

In addition, mobile technology has made it possible for tourists to access information about their destination while they are on the go. With apps like Google Maps and Yelp, tourists can easily find restaurants, attractions, and activities in their area. They can also read reviews and get recommendations from other travelers.

This increased accessibility to information has made traveling much more enjoyable and hassle-free. It has also allowed for new business opportunities in the tourism industry, as companies are now able to target potential customers through mobile advertising.

Overall, mobile technology is changing the way we travel and experience the world. With its many benefits, it is clear that this trend is here to stay.

Also Read: How Will 5G Transform Industrial IoT?

The mobile technology revolution has had a profound impact on the tourism industry, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the way that tourists now plan and book their trips.

In the past, travelers would typically go to a travel agent to plan their trip and book their flights and accommodation. However, with the advent of sites like TripAdvisor and Expedia, travelers are now much more likely to research and book their own trips online.

What’s more, with the ubiquity of smartphones and apps like Google Maps , travelers are now able to easily find local attractions and activities while they’re on vacation. This has led to a boom in so-called “experiential tourism” where travelers seek out unique experiences that cannot be found at home.

Overall, mobile technology has had a hugely positive impact on the tourism industry, making it easier than ever for people to explore the world.

The tourism industry has been quick to embrace mobile technology, and there are many good reasons for this. Mobile devices offer a level of convenience and flexibility that can be extremely beneficial for both businesses and consumers in the tourism industry. However, there are also some potential downsides to using mobile technology in the tourism industry that should be considered.

Convenient: Mobile devices make it easy for tourists to research and book travel arrangements on the go. They can also be used to easily access information about attractions, restaurants, and other businesses while an route to their destination.

Flexible: Mobile technology gives tourists the ability to tailor their travel plans to suit their individual needs and preferences. For example, they can use mobile apps to find last-minute deals on hotels or flights, or book tours and activities that fit their schedule.

Increased Engagement: Mobile devices allow businesses in the tourism industry to better engage with their customers. Through push notifications and location-based services, businesses can send relevant information and offers directly to consumers’ phones, which can result in more sales and higher customer satisfaction levels.

Security Risks: Mobile devices can be lost or stolen, which can put sensitive customer data at risk. In addition, businesses that accept mobile payments may be vulnerable to fraud.

Dependency on Technology: Relying too heavily on mobile technology can lead to problems. If the devices malfunction or there is an interruption in service. For example, if a tourist’s phone runs out of battery power, they may not be able to access information about their hotel or find directions to their next destination.

Increased Costs: Implementing a mobile strategy can be expensive, and businesses may need to invest in new hardware and software, as well as train staff on how to use it. In addition, businesses may incur additional costs for data usage if customers use their mobile devices to access the Internet while traveling.

Also Read:   Benefits of 5g in Industrial Environments

The tourism industry is constantly changing and evolving, and mobile technology is playing a big role in that. With more and more people using their smartphones and tablets to book travel arrangements. It’s important for businesses in the tourism industry to keep up with the latest trends. By staying ahead of the curve, they can ensure that they’re providing the best possible experience for their customers.

Feel free to schedule a free 60-minute consultation with one of our experts. We’ll talk about the opportunities and address any concerns you may have. Our consultants will suggest solutions and outline how they can be implemented.  Let’s talk!

Aeologic Technologies  is a great place to start!

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What AI means for travel—now and in the future

“Revenge travel.” It’s what a lot of people are doing these days—hitting the runways in big numbers to make up for travel time lost during the pandemic. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast , McKinsey partners Alex Cosmas and Vik Krishnan join global editorial director Lucia Rahilly to discuss a new report on travel in the age of AI : what the technology’s promise and pitfalls are and what it may mean for the travel industry overall.

This transcript has been edited for clarity and length.

The McKinsey Podcast is cohosted by Roberta Fusaro and Lucia Rahilly.

The promise of AI

Lucia Rahilly: Much of the research for the report drew from interviews with executives at 17 companies across five types of travel businesses. One of those executives is Luca Zambello, CEO of Jurny—an AI-fueled hospitality platform. He says AI will be the new normal.

Luca Zambello: We’re at the very beginning of the hockey stick. Economically, we are at the start of what is potentially the biggest technology disruption that humanity has ever seen.

Lucia Rahilly: So everyone is talking about the disruptive juggernaut that is AI, and particularly gen AI [generative AI]. At a super-high level, and acknowledging that we’re still in early days, what do we expect this to mean for the travel industry in particular?

Vik Krishnan: The travel industry is unquestionably going to be significantly disrupted by AI. Whether it’s gen AI or other forms of AI that have been around for some time remains to be seen. It’s quite clear that if you work through the customer journey and the process of trying to understand where you want to go, where you want to stay, what are the things you want to see, how you want to plan your day-by-day itinerary, gen AI significantly eases the process of travel discovery.

If you then step into what this means for travel suppliers, which includes airlines and hotels and cruises and car rentals and rideshare providers, the promise of AI is very much to help them deliver on the promises, both explicit and implicit, that they make to their customers.

Gen AI significantly eases the process of travel discovery.

What I mean by that is, very often, the expectations of travel are that your flight is on time, your bags get delivered to you safely, you then get to your hotel, your hotel room is available to check into when you get there, and you have a room that provides exactly what you asked for. That baseline expectation is one that many travel companies have historically struggled to meet.

What AI can do is help airlines ensure that planes are on time. It can help hotels ensure that what they deliver in terms of staffing and the product promise is consistent with what they advertise in their marketing and branding strategies.

Alex Cosmas: Not only is travel and hospitality the world’s largest sector, but it’s actually the most intimate sector. That means the answer for each of us to what a good experience looks like—whether I’m traveling for leisure or for business—is, by definition, fundamentally different. And the promise of AI has been to take the pattern of history, take the pattern of millions, and boil that down to the individual response that is relevant to me as a segment of one.

Nowhere is that promise needed more than in travel, where the experience should be a segment of one. That’s what makes it magical. To be clear, AI is already being applied in the travel sector in spades—specifically, in the operation of schedule assets and the optimized allocation of rooms and crews. That’s been true for decades, and it’s only getting better.

But the customer-facing applications of AI are only now really becoming next-generation. And for the most part, in travel, the best AI applications will largely be opaque to customers, because they’ll still be delivered through the mediums that customers prefer: often through humans, through the front line, through desk agents, through guest agents.

AI is already being applied in the travel sector in spades—specifically, in the operation of schedule assets and the optimized allocation of rooms and crews.

That’s ideally the promise. But the starting point is to say we can’t suddenly expect that customers will prefer to interact through more digital channels than they have in the past. Travel is a very human-centric business. And so the best AI, the best models, will be delivered through traditional channels.

How AI can change travel—for the better

Lucia Rahilly: What kind of value might come from using gen AI in the travel industry?

Alex Cosmas: Our latest estimates suggest that gen AI alone, across sectors, is bound to unlock $2 trillion to $4 trillion of incremental value.

Lucia Rahilly: Wow.

Alex Cosmas: Therefore, not surprisingly, capital is chasing the disruptive sector of AI.

Lucia Rahilly: What are some good examples of products that customers might expect to be using or that might be in the background enhancing customers’ experiences in the future?

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Vik Krishnan: Imagine the last time any of you tried to book a trip. You probably started on a search engine such as Google, or you started at an online travel agent such as Expedia, or you started at an actual supplier website if you had some certainty on what airline you wanted to fly or which hotel you wanted to stay at. You probably started with a little box where you put in your destination, you put in your approximate dates, and then you had the search engine present to you a series of results that may or may not have met your needs.

What we’re imagining in a future with gen AI or AI in general is that you start with something much more free-form and say, for example, “I’m looking to plan a trip with my family to New Orleans for a week in October. Can you help me find a hotel that has a pool for my seven-year-old and is within walking distance of the French Quarter?”

Wouldn’t that experience be much easier in terms of trying to figure out where you want to stay and what you want to do, as opposed to getting a list of a thousand hotels in an order that may or may not meet your specific preferences and what you actually want out of that trip? It is one of the most obvious examples wherein customers can see a real difference in what gen AI can do to help them with the travel discovery process.

Alex Cosmas: The other application of AI that I’m excited about is this: every customer gives tells. They drop digital breadcrumbs of things they like and don’t like when they bounce off of the page of a dot-com when they’re shopping; when they abandon a cart; when they return less frequently to search; when they arrive on a page only to check a single itinerary on a single day, on a single fare, rather than browsing for 20 minutes.

All of these are small tells that we as consumers provide travel brands. And so the ability to record, “I actually know what Alex is keen on in general and frankly less keen on and less likely to convert on,” and turn that into relevant offers is really important.

AI is only part of the answer

Lucia Rahilly: Where are we in terms of companies really embracing the use of this next-gen AI and other related technologies?

Alex Cosmas: We’re pretty far down the path of companies both embracing traditional AI and experimenting with gen AI. Very few of the airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and suppliers that I’ve interacted with are not already embracing deployment and actively experimenting with advanced tech. It’s only going to grow.

But there is risk. More is not always better. Faster is not always better. There’s a bit of, let’s say, a cautionary tale that we’ve learned from other sectors, which is that first off, AI is only part of the answer.

I like to say it doesn’t matter if you got the answer right if you got the delivery wrong.

The digital-delivery mechanism is how I go about delivering the answer: a mobile app, a push notification, an e-commerce experience, a kiosk, digital signage, or data just given to the front line. Those mechanisms are as equally important as or, I’d argue, even more important than the predictive and gen AI models behind them.

Vik Krishnan: To build on Alex’s point about getting the delivery wrong, many of you listening have probably been on an airplane in the last year. How many times have you experienced the outcome of landing, pulling toward the gate, stopping short on the tarmac somewhere, and it turns out the gate’s not available yet. Therefore, you have to wait for the other aircraft to taxi out, so your plane can then pull into the gate.

The reality is that putting together an operational execution plan involves data from so many different sources that aren’t necessarily pulled together in a large model. So it doesn’t necessarily enable or unlock this type of orchestration. And this is where AI can be enormously helpful.

There are companies out there that try to understand turning an aircraft, which is the process of essentially getting it from arrival to departure for the next flight. That involves actions both above the wing—for example, getting passengers off and onto the plane, getting the aircraft catered—and below the wing—for example, getting bags on and off the plane.

It involves refueling aircraft. It involves a number of other maintenance-related and ground-handling-related activities that many consumers don’t see. All of that is an extremely delicately orchestrated ballet that happens at an airport every single day, while involving multiple third parties and several different suppliers. It involves a fuel provider. It involves a ground handler. In some instances, it involves a different gate agent than the airline itself. That orchestration requires data and communication of very, very large volumes of information.

There are companies out there that are now saying, “We can actually identify when, during an aircraft turn, something didn’t happen according to schedule.” In other words, that catering truck didn’t pull in three minutes after arrival as it was expected to, which induced a delay. And that delay then allowed for a replanning of the entire turn process, so as to deliver an on-time departure. AI has an extremely large role to play in helping deliver on that promise in a way that suppliers have historically struggled to.

Don’t be AI stranger

Lucia Rahilly: In order to deliver on that process, understanding the data is critical. Here’s Ella Alkalay Schreiber, the GM of fintech at Hopper.

Ella Alkalay Schreiber: Machine learning is important, gen AI is important, predictive AI is important—but the actual challenge is to understand the data, ask the right questions, read prediction versus actual, and do this in a timely manner. The actual challenge is the human thinking, the common sense.

Lucia Rahilly: “Know your customer” is really a business axiom at this point. What does understanding your customers mean specifically for the travel industry?

Alex Cosmas: It means a few things. AI models learn the same way humans learn. It’s a test-and-learn process. I ask a question. I observe a behavior. That reinforces either my false or positive conception of who you are and what makes you tick. If you can’t measure cause and effect precisely, then avoid running an experiment entirely.

This is what our general advice is to our clients. I’d rather they experiment correctly on something small than swing for the fences and have no idea where the ball lands. That’s particularly true in microexperiments, where I have individual customers, where I provide individual treatments, but I have to be able to measure the response. If you can’t measure it, don’t bother. Focus your energy and resources on a different experiment.

This is what our general advice is to our clients. I’d rather they experiment correctly on something small than swing for the fences and have no idea where the ball lands.

If a brand, for example, doesn’t have the digital tech to be able to send a tailored offer to me as an individual, then you don’t really need to know my personal willingness to pay. In that case, stick to the microsegment or the macrosegment and take action that way. If you can’t send a personalized message without making it feel generic, then don’t.

Vik Krishnan: The experience of hyper-personalization has to feel authentic. So in other words, a flight attendant coming up to you and saying, “Hey, I know you normally like a Diet Coke with a slice of lime. Is that what you’d like this time?” is different from presuming what your preferred drink might be. That might be an example of how AI actually delivers on hyper-personalization, but with a bit of a human touch so it doesn’t appear creepy.

Lucia Rahilly: Both of you are deep in this industry. Any examples that come to mind of companies that are really doing AI right? And if so, how?

Vik Krishnan: Hotels that actually understand or acknowledge your past history of staying at that specific property—that’s quite a personal touch I really appreciate. But the reality is many hotels struggle to even understand basic facts such as the frequency, duration, and purpose of a recent stay. Many hotels don’t easily make that type of information available to their frontline staff. And so empowering those employees to use that information to deliver a hyper-personalized greeting or experience is a good example of companies using AI well.

Alex Cosmas: If done right, the frontline workforce should look and feel like superheroes powered by AI. There’s a luxury fashion retailer that arms its sales associates with iPads to link shoppers to the styles and the sizes they searched for online. That’s pretty cool. Now, augment that with the propensity models in the background that give the agent a steer to what a customer wants, and suddenly they appear clairvoyant. Think about that application in travel. There are far more interactions on average in a travel journey.

So as consumers, how do we preserve the magic of travel, which is more about heads-up time and being immersed in our surroundings, rather than about heads-down time and researching on a device? It means more agents who surprise and delight; say, “Welcome back”; say, “Happy birthday”; know you arrived earlier than planned; and swap the room preemptively so you could get in and get on your way. And that’s what we call knowing your customers like you know your friends.

I’ll share one example. When I check into a hotel, I really don’t like the kiosk and the app check-in. But I love it for checking out. For other customers, the complete inverse is true. My hotel can know that. It certainly knows how I check in and check out. It should act on that or understand the why, just as you understand your friends. This is the test-and-learn experiment that we talked about earlier and that most suppliers can begin right now.

AI and talent: What’s next?

Lucia Rahilly: Alex, that makes a very nice segue to Christiaan Hen, chief customer officer at Assaia, talking about frontline talent using AI as an assistant.

Christiaan Hen: Sometimes, people say automation might be a risk to people’s jobs, but that’s not the case here, because there are not going to be enough people to do these jobs in the first place. I like to see it as we’re equipping people with the right tools to do their jobs in a better way to accommodate for the additional workload that is coming.

Lucia Rahilly: This clip invokes the palpable fear that AI and automation will eliminate people’s jobs. We hear that time and again. How do you see these advanced technologies changing things for the front line in the travel industry?

Vik Krishnan: I see technology helping frontline employees do a better job more than I see it eliminating those jobs. We don’t necessarily see, for example, AI reducing flight attendant staffing any time soon, because those flight attendants are on the airplane to provide primarily for your safety, followed by the guest experience.

We see AI in many instances allowing those flight attendants to deliver a better customer experience, because they know that passenger in seat number 17C better as a result of the information provided to them. But it’s not replacing their jobs.

In certain pockets of the economy, technology and AI will end up replacing people. The reality in travel, though, is that the quality of the guest or passenger experience for so many people is tied to human interaction. Consequently, we don’t necessarily see a large-scale replacement of people here by technology and AI.

Alex Cosmas: Let’s look at the facts for a moment. Post-COVID-19, the travel sector employs 12 percent fewer staff than pre-COVID-19. And that’s not necessarily by choice. It is hard to find folks with the hospitality gene who genuinely want to deliver for guests, engage with them, and serve at the highest level day in and day out.

That’s part of the reason we see a smaller workforce in travel today than we have in the past. It takes twice as long, an average of five to six weeks, to fill roles as it did before the pandemic. Those with that hospitality gene would love nothing more than spending less time fixing broken itineraries, fixing issues that frankly could be automated. They’d rather spend their energy serving, which is what travel and hospitality is all about.

It should be a net-positive growth. The travel sector itself should grow as a result, creating jobs. We estimate the travel sector to grow at roughly 6 percent over the next decade, which is twice the rate of the overall economy.

Lucia Rahilly: Could AI and related technologies help with training folks who don’t come by that gene naturally but could be trained to fill those roles more efficiently?

Alex Cosmas: Absolutely. We’re already seeing applications of virtual reality, augmented reality, and AI coming together to offer more efficient ways to enhance and accelerate employee training, because you can throw live, immersive scenarios in front of employees at a higher clip than they would get organically on the job.

Oftentimes, the same is true not just of the front line but also of training corporate and call center employees. AI can learn from the patterns of thousands upon thousands of call-ins and transcripts—which no single human can ever be expected to go through—boil them down to the top ten core issues and suggest outcomes that seem to resolve 70 percent of situations. That’s the power of AI in training.

Lucia Rahilly: Alex, you mentioned virtual reality. Would travel drop if you could experience Bhutan from your sofa rather than actually having to take an arduous flight?

Alex Cosmas: Here’s my honest read on it. We’ve been able to visit Bhutan virtually for over a decade through YouTube and through National Geographic . And yet, travel is at an all-time high. And it’s because we all, as social animals, continue to enjoy experiencing new things, meeting new people, hearing new stories, and being inspired by a new site’s history and cuisine.

The numbers also suggest that we are in an unprecedented growth phase for travel. We are also in a phase where, over the past 15 years, customer satisfaction has steadily grown, despite how much we all like to beat up on our travel suppliers.

Consumers are admitting that the area they want to splurge on in the next year is travel and hospitality, such as experiences and restaurants. So they’re giving us that gift of their wallets and their trust. We have to deliver on that expectation as a sector. Gen AI, traditional AI, augmented reality, virtual reality, and digital technologies are going to help us deliver on the promise.

Alex Cosmas is a partner in McKinsey’s New York office. Vik Krishnan is a partner in the Bay Area office. Lucia Rahilly is the global editorial director and deputy publisher of McKinsey Global Publishing and is based in the New York office.

Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.

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How Technology is Changing Travel and Tourism Industry

No surprise, technological advances affect the travel industry and the way we travel or plan our vacations. The impact of technology on travel is enormous nowadays and only travel companies that digitize their processes can compete. Technology made travel easier, mainly because of travel apps, online travel platforms, and blogs. Millennials and Gen Z also played a crucial role in boosting the technological innovations in the travel industry – they love traveling and love technologies. The worldwide pandemic also boosted technological progress on the one hand and slowed down the travel industry.

Technology has transformed the travel industry, and travel businesses that are not responding to this appeal will be out of business sooner or later. Technological advances increase business efficiency and optimize different processes, reducing manual work, and improving customer experience.

We want to share the leading tech solutions that have changed the travel industry and what we expect in the nearest years.

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Why digital transformation in the travel domain?

The recent 2020-2022 years and pandemic almost put the travel industry on its knees, and digital transformation is something that travel companies need for survival. Travel businesses need to improve their services to conduct social distances between customers and decrease social interaction. Check-ins in airports are online, any possible bookings are also online.

According to a study conducted in July 2020, about 55 percent of respondents worldwide were thrilled with potential technologies to further personalize their travel. Travel companies implement different technology solutions to enhance customers’ experience. People usually search for information online, use apps as personal guide, and book flights or accommodation through websites or apps. As travelers conduct pre-travel planning online, travel companies should interact with them online and do it properly. For example, many companies also implement chatbot solutions and other online interactions to engage customers. And, this is not the full list of travel tech solutions.

Another study conducted in September 2022, was devoted to the preferred potential applications of technologies for travel by respondents from several countries. About 38 percent of those surveyed travelers worldwide said they would like to see technology help reduce queues and congestion in public places. Meanwhile, 29% of respondents believe that technology should help advance notice of travel delays.

Let’s have a look at the top travel tech solutions for the tourism industry for 2023.

Travel apps.

Travelers use their smartphones for bookings, shopping, or other actions. Apps are our travel assistants where we search for the best hotels or restaurants and read other reviews. Consumers also prefer communicating through messengers. While traveling, we use smartphones as our ticket ‘storage’. Some travel apps can be your travel guide in the pocket, and some may advise where to find a lounge in the airport.

According to a study conducted in February 2021, 28 percent of surveyed travelers worldwide have used the travel agencies application before the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19), while about 21 percent of respondents said they used such an application from the beginning of the crisis in health care. At the same time, 33 percent of respondents expect that they will use the travel agency application in future trips.

*Source: Statista 2021

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AI chatbots

As people use apps in their travel planning, it’s convenient to use messengers with chatbots. AI chatbots can give an immediate answer with no need to search for the answer in FAQs or spend time chatting with customer agents (and introverts usually hate this). For travel companies, chatbot technology reduces manual work and expenses on hiring more employees as customer agents.

Contactless Check-In

This is one of the most crucial changes in the post-COVID era, as people want social distancing. Today, airports and hotels offer their customers contactless mobile check-in, helping them minimize shared touchpoints or other interactions.

Contactless payments

The ‘COVID’ era has influenced the shift to contactless operations and cashless payments. People are nervous about the spread of the virus and don’t want to handle cash. Travel companies need to adapt to these changes and implement top-notch payment solutions for their customers. Another reason why travelers need contactless payments is that it’s fast and convenient. Travel industry companies develop apps that support wireless applications, enabling users to place their phones in the vicinity of the standard for reading credit card devices. This is a secure and convenient payment method and suitable for hygienic norms in the pandemic time.

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These tools are already beloved by different industries. In the fashion or beauty industries, users can use AR as a fitting room, or you can visualize your home interior thanks to AR. VR is a super-trendy technology that embraces different areas of our life. AR and VR technologies have taken the travel industry by storm. Museums have opened their doors to online exhibitions, and you even visit them physically with VR.

This technology is not a big part of our daily life yet, but our future for sure. To automate processes and decrease ‘human error’, the travel industry uses robots to enhance customer service and reduce costs on labor. Hotels use robots for concierge roles, and restaurants use robots in food preparation and other food service. Airports can use robots to detect insecure activities, like weapons. And, can you imagine, you will have luggage that follows you like your pet? And, this is the nearest future.

Internet of Things (IoT) and wearables

The IoT is a useful technology in different domains. The tourism industry also embraces this top-notch technology that connects various devices. IoT solutions can be used in airports or hotels when customers can get excellent services through connected devices.

Different travel companies use wearables to improve customers’ engagement. For example, the airlines like Air Berlin and Iberia offer their customers smartwatch boarding passes.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data

AI helps tourism companies personalize customers’ experiences and process a significant amount of data. This technology is popular among search aggregators like Skyscanner, where users can get a customized list of recommendations.

Thanks to AI, companies save time and money and reduce the possibility of human error. AI technology also processes a big amount of data serving more customers than possible with employees. Big data analysis gives an in-depth insight into customer behavior or any other data necessary for service improvement. Thanks to these findings, travel companies make adjustments in their services.

Recognition Technology

This technology is the latest trend in the tourism industry, as it makes purchasing or security actions faster and more convenient. The recognition technology usually includes the following: facial/fingerprint recognition, biometrics, etc.

Again, what is essential for pandemic time – recognition technology minimizes interactions between people. Hotels and airports use this solution in contactless payments, check-outs, and so on.

Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa are already beloved by many of us. We use virtual assistants in our daily life, so why not in the travel industry? The travel industry also embraces this technology. Thanks to VA, travelers can get information quicker, or even get a personal virtual guide while traveling. VA can play the role of concierge and help in bookings, or navigations, etc.

Wrapping Up

Technology is changing the travel and tourism industry , and travel businesses should adapt to these changes. The role of information technology in these processes is huge, as technology connects travel companies with their users globally. If your company is on the way to taking the world by storm by implementing the recent travel tech innovations, GP Solutions is here to help. Our company has become one of the most trusted travel technology providers that help travel companies implement top-notch solutions and digitize processes.

Say goodbye to manual processes and hello to increased efficiency and profitability.

Click here to discover how our technology can revolutionize your travel business.

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10 Key Technology Trends Emerging in the Travel & Tourism Industry in 2022

We all know that the travel and tourism industry is constantly growing, changing, and improving.

Whether you are a travel agent, tour operator, or traveller, the emergence of technology is an important and interesting development to consider.

The number of different uses and types of technology for our sector is vast, but luckily we have you covered!

What types of technology are being used in the travel and tourism industry? Read our newest blog to discover 10 key technology trends.

The state of the industry 

After reaching an all-time low during the height of the pandemic, the state of the travel and tourism industry has now largely recovered. After the rollout of vaccines last year and many Covid-19 restrictions lifted or lessened, there was a sizable spike in travel demand. In fact, over the next six months, data has shown that over 80% of Americans are expected to plan vacations to various tourism hubs, which will continue to contribute to the recovery of the travel industry.

While issues such as taxation, travel marketing, infrastructure issues, and security and cross-border regulations remain a challenge for the tourism and travel industry, the recovery of the global economy and the implementation of new technology will only help to improve the industry further.

The impact of technology on the travel and tourism industry

Technology has largely impacted the travel and tourism industry. Digitisation has allowed for increased simplicity of planning, booking, and organising travel and tourism for both customers and companies. 

Technology has made it easier to plan the details of trips, such as arranging airfare, hotels, and activities. By investing a few hours into doing your own online research or using the expert advice from digitised travel and tourism platforms, the Internet of Things has made it so that all you need for planning the vacation of a lifetime is access to a computer or smartphone. 

What are the reasons why we need the new technologies in the tourism industry?

Technology plays a critical role within the tourism industry by assisting businesses with everyday tasks and helping to improve customer satisfaction. The importance of the travel and tourism industry maintaining the most recent technological trends and advancements can be seen through:

• Improving communication between guests and staff to create an easy, open, and friendly environment that will keep businesses and customers satisfied;
• Convenience. Both staff and customers benefit from the seamless and contactless services that can be provided through technology. Whether it’s scanning a QR code to order room service at a hotel or checking in online for a flight; the technology streamlines customer’s needs and the services that businesses can then provide to them;
• Enabling staff to provide superior services through digitising guest preferences such as favourite restaurants during their last stay or the number of pillows they prefer so when guests stay at the same hotel, staff can accommodate them appropriately;
• Technology is expected. Whether you are a hotel, airline, or travel agency, customers expect reliable technology such as wifi, online booking and customer service, and up-to-date digital knowledge on changing Covid-19 protocols. Having a business that stays up to date with the latest technology is a must in today’s society

How are technology trends changing the travel and tourism industry?

The first key technology trend is seen through “travel technology.” Technology has completely changed the way travel functions, shaping our tourism and travel plans to have easier, more fun, and less stressful planning and experiential methods. This large shift in the travel industry is what we now refer to as travel technology.

According to Hotelmize , “travel technology means using tech to plan trips. It helps travel agencies book trips for their customers, together with airline tickets, hotel accommodation, car rentals, and many other travel-related activities.” 

Technology has made the automation of travel a possibility, meaning that planning travel is now much faster and more exciting for travellers and travel agencies. It is now possible to plan a trip in minutes, along with booking accommodations, tickets, flights, and much more.

Travel technology automates “bookings, payments, and back-office tasks for travel agencies and enables consumers to make their online bookings without a travel agent.”

Advantages and disadvantages of technology trends in the tourism industry

The second, third, and fourth technology trends that are emerging can be seen through the potential of technology that has been seen in many major areas of the economy (including the tourism and hospitality industry). The three emerging advantage technology trends in this sector can be identified as:

1: Larger reach to customers

Technology has allowed for more thorough and researched marketing and advertising. Travel and tourism companies are able to use different online methods to provide detailed travel information to their customers. In addition, customers can easily search online for the travel plans and companies that fit their needs best

2: Affordability

Digitisation streamlines the processes needed for organising and enacting travel plans. Companies that offer deals on online airfare, hotel booking, and excursions through their platforms are able to attract and retain customers. On the other side, travellers can research and consider different price points and offers to best fit their tourism needs.

3: Globalization

Through technology, people from any part of the world, have the capability to connect with each other. Travellers and businesses have the ability to communicate, plan, accommodate, and connect travellers across the globe 

Meanwhile, there are also some disadvantages that come with technology trends in the tourism industry. For example:

1: Unemployment

The amount of necessary jobs has decreased within the tourism industry as technology improves and expands. Marketing and advertising research can be done largely online and by fewer employees due to the ease of the internet. In addition, the automation of booking, hospitality, and travel services has caused managers, waiters, and other staff to lose their jobs to the costs that are cut by using advanced technology instead

2: Privacy Concerns

One of the downsides of technology is the ability for hackers to find and steal personal or company information that is online or within technological systems. Although this can pose a real danger, there are luckily virus prevention software, password protection options, and encryption methods to better protect and prevent such malware attacks.

Top most emerging technology trends in the Travel and Tourism Industry

The last six key emerging technology trends are seen in the newest, most coveted, and most useful technologies in the travel and tourism industry, which include voice search and voice control, contactless payment, virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things, and facial recognition technology. 

• Voice Search and Voice Control

Voice search takes away the need for typing and also helps tourists obtain information about their travel plans or their travel accommodations without actually speaking to staff. Voice control is increasingly being used for contactless services. For example, hotels may install voice control features to control customised lighting and heating settings within rooms.

• Contactless Payments

This digital form of payment transaction allows customers to pay without any cash or in-person interactions. Contactless payment includes online banking, Debit or Credit cards, Smartcards, and more.

• Virtual and Augmented Reality

BBN Times defines v irtual reality as “a simulation technology that gives us a real-life view and experience with the help of visuals, sound, and special effects” and augmented reality as “a stimulus technology that creates an enhanced version of the real-world scenery and elements such as visuals, sounds, and sensory stimuli.” Both virtual and augmented reality are beginning to be used in the travel sector by allowing customers to experience destinations, hotels, and restaurants without actually travelling. Using VR headsets or smartphones for augmented reality, tourists can use these technologies to decide where they want to book their trips based on what they experience.

• Internet of Things

This is the network between connected technologies such as chips, software, and sensors that are powered by the internet. The Internet of Things can be used in the travel industry to control appliances such as those in hotel rooms or aeroplanes from one panel, sort and keep track of traveller’s luggage, and even gather customer data to create personalised advertising content.

• Facial Recognition Technology

With this technology, your face becomes the key to your travel experiences. The software can scan, store, and recognise your face to be used for identification purposes that allow you to enter a hotel room by simply presenting your face to the door instead of scanning a key, completing a payment without a card just by showing your face to the phone or kiosk, and much much more.

• Robots 

In recent years, robots have been used within the travel and tourism industry. Robots such as chatbots on websites that allow customers to interact with programming software that completes tasks and answers questions are used by many travel companies. In addition, physical robots that can carry luggage or transport guests are also becoming more common

How Nezasa is shaping the Future  

Nezasa is shaping the future of the travel and tourism industry by offering a travel booking solution that empowers travel brands globally to combine all planning and booking-related actions into one seamless end-to-end experience. Using cutting-edge technology, Nezasa is a faster, easier, state-of-the-art solution to help travel companies have the resources to organise the perfect vacation for their customers.

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How Technology Is Changing the Travel Industry

Introduction.

Technology has already changed the way we do business, Technology has not just helped our business, but has helped our society and as well as helped us grow faster as people. Advances in technology, the proliferation of social media and the increasing ease with which services can be purchased online, have all made the businesses even more dynamic.

Similarly, technology has changed the travel and tourism industry a lot, and this is not something that will happen, that’s something that has already happened. When you take a look at the statistics, tourism has been one of the fastest-growing economic sectors for a couple of years, there has been a great digital revolution for holidaymakers, and technological advances have increased personalization options for the clients. Travelling has been increased tremendously with the help of technology. In a recent study, according to the world tourism organization, it is believed that by 2030, two billion international trips will take place by approximately 8.5 billion people.

In this article, we will talk on, how tech is revolutionizing travel and technological advances that are changing the way we travel.

Why you should take your technology and tourism business online?

1) technology helps to have more personalized travel experiences.

2) Technology helps with a Travel application

In this modern age, people are exploring a lot of content through their phones. So, the travel and tourism industry has focused mainly on travel application development to improve the traveler’s experience. With the help of new technologies, they have created well-crafted travel applications that are highly useful for their users. A recent study proves that 85% of users make use of travel applications and plan their holiday trips. As technology has changed the landscape of the tourism and travel industry, companies are investing more and more in their travel application development to help travelers. Collaborating with experienced mobile app consultants can further optimize the development process, ensuring that the travel applications not only meet user expectations but also incorporate industry best practices and innovations.

3) Social media is driving marketing results for the travel industry

Social media has had a dramatic impact on the travel industry and it changed the way we experience the world around us. People generally love sharing new and unique experiences of travel on their social media pages. Which is playing a proper impact on travel marketing. They also love to tell the travelling networks about their upcoming travel plans and other trip plans way before. This information is, in fact, the gold mine for travel marketers. Technology and social media have been driving travel marketing a lot and at the same time, it is helping travelers to get some good trip offers and a unique experience on their trip.

4) Technology is creating an Impact on the internet for the travel and tourism industry

The technology significantly helped the travel industry to create a major impact on the internet. It has a great influence on tourism both for the consumers and for providers. Most of the studies proved that the travel industry is having a huge impact on the internet. The development and contribution of air travel as a means of transporting the tourists to different locations is an important contribution of technology which has made the people talk more. The significant development of low-cost carriers is the other means of successful application in tourism which has impacted the audiences. As the people used to search or talk about the travel industry it has created a major impact on the internet.

5) 24/7 Relationship with the help of digital technology

Digital technology has completely changed the way people used to connect with airlines and other travel, it has created a 24/7 relationship with the people who want to resolve their issues. Usually, people used to dial customer cares numbers and due to the heavy number of caller’s people always get busy or kept on hold tones. Now, with the help of digital technology the travel world has changed a lot. People are finding new ways to connect and so as the travel agencies. These are the few factors about how technology is changing the travel and tourism industry.

Technology has transformed every phase of the travel and hospitality industry from finding a hotel to check-in process and also to unlock the door for personalized activities. So, let’s watch out for the new technology innovations in travelling-

1) Online tour booking system

2) Mobile Technology

The cell phone is undoubtedly the main character in the new ways of travel, it has become our tour guide, travel agency, best restaurant locator, map, and more. According to a report by TripAdvisor, 45% of users utilize their smartphone for everything having to do with their vacations. This is why there’s a need to adapt corporate services and communications to these devices.

3) Augmented Reality / Virtual Assistants

Augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) have also made their mark in the travel world, and the truth behind this is that it’s a trend due to the all the possibilities they can offer. Many companies use it to show their users a cabin on a cruise ship or for transporting them, for a few seconds, to one of the seven wonders. We’re all familiar with Siri and Alexa, the virtual assistants that meet all our needs: what’s the weather like today in my city, turn the radio on, open my email, and more.

4) Big Data

There has been a lot of talk about Big Data, but they have yet to show all the opportunities it offers for the travel industry. Nonetheless, many industry players are already using it. Maintaining a database would help to look at the amount spent, the reason for the trip, the country of origin and cross-checks this information with public data from government sources to develop the most suitable customer profile and achieve a higher success rate.

5) Chatbots

Chatbots  are solving various problems in the travel sector and your business can only benefit from having one. Chatbots can easily resolve the routine queries of the clients. This enables human employees to focus on resolving complex customer problems, and performing other managerial tasks, that actually require human intervention. Chatbots are not only available when required, but also bring an added level of personalization   when it comes to helping customers. 

6) Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things (IoT) commits to bring significant updates to the tourism industry. They include integrating sensors connected to the Internet inside items like cars, suitcases, buildings, and more, The digitization of destinations has hugely influenced the travel and tourism industry, tourism companies can develop and use mobile apps in order to contact users at given points, thus, allow them the opportunity to interact with a certain hotel, leisure place, or a museum.

The travel industry is one crucial industry where interaction with the consumer is becoming more important, and the technological advances are letting corporations get closer and know their customers a bit better. After reading this article, If you are looking to bring an upgrade in your travel business or have any idea in your mind related to it, get in touch with us.

At APPWRK IT Solutions , we provide one-stop destination with all kinds of technological solutions, and help you to transform your idea into business, if you still have some queries or want to discuss about the development process, get in touch with us at our mail address or call us directly!  

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About author

Gourav Khanna is co-founder and CEO of APPWRK IT SOLUTIONS PVT LIMITED, a web & mobile app development company. He is a technophile who is always eager to learn and share his views on new technologies and future advancements. Gourav’s knowledge and experience have made him one of the industry's most respected and referenced leaders in the IT industry. His passion for writing and a high spirit of learning new things is reflected in his write ups. He has inspired many organizations to leverage digital platforms with his top-notch writing strategy skills that cut through the noise, backed by sharp thinking. Gourav believes that - “Words are the way to know ecstasy, without them life is barren ''.

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