Top E-Travel Technology Trends to Watch in 2019
In today’s digital era, business travel planners are increasingly turning to technology to gain an advantage, whether in price, commute speed, convenience, or securing unique accommodations. Forty-one-percent of business and 60% of leisure travel arrangements are made in the digital travel ecosystem. Top travel management companies know how to use this technology to their advantage, staying on top of up-and-coming e-travel services to deliver the results travelers are searching for and provide a delightful, unique travel experience.
What Evolving E-Travel Tech Ensures an Edge Over the Competition?
- Personalization
Forgoing the cookie-cutter experience, travelers are in search of the unique, whether traveling for leisure or business. A top priority in the travel and tourism industry, the personalization services of forward-thinking brands such as Delta are delivering account-specific messages to corporate clients, with special offers for highly-loyal clientele. Via a newly-introduced guest services tool, the company is also providing customized recognition, guidance, gate and connecting flight information, delivering a truly personalized travel experience. - Online Booking
Experiencing constant growth, this segment of the e-travel marketplace exceeds $92.5-million annually nationwide, and is anticipated to top $11.5-trillion in the next decade. Fifty-seven-percent of traveling reservations are made online. Ease of viewing and booking, as well as the opportunity to quickly and easily sort a variety of deals by preferences ranging from price to setting peculiarity, make online booking an ever-popular option. Small business travel management companies who allow clients to peruse, purchase, and pickup itineraries online are achieving not only customer favor but market dominance. - Mobile Apps
Easy to implement, mobile apps make up over half of online booking operations, making securing reservations a breeze. In 2019, however, the use of mobile apps will expand even further into travel arena, however, facilitating the use of amenities within accommodations via the internet of things (IoT) and allowing for the wireless control of features such as heating and air conditioning, lighting, music, jacuzzi temperatures, and more. - Voice
Voice-activated communications are the biggest disruptor in the travel sector, improving guest convenience from making reservations to adjusting hotel room settings to meet guest needs. - Robots
Artificially intelligent robots are helping drive customer self-service opportunities, including check-in/out procedures, security scans, luggage delivery, maintenance and concierge functions, and more. - Chatbots
Chatbots, another form of AI geared toward online customer support, are revolutionizing many industries. Stepping in for their human counterparts with pre-programmed answered to FAQs, they provide rapid responses to an array of travel related questions. - Augmented Virtual Reality
Among the most promising travel technology trends, augmented virtual reality simulations are inexpensive to implement. VR’s ‘little brother,’ these programs allow travelers to easily ‘visit’ and experience the surrounding of an intended destination in real-time without ever setting foot in an airplane or vehicle. Quickly facilitating an emotional attachment between a traveler and a potential accommodation or destination, AVR can be a key tool in ensuring and enhancing each customer’s travel experience.
Looking for corporate travel planners that can improve the travel experience with the latest in e-travel tech? Experience the future in business travel management with GTI Travel today.
