How much we all love to travel we could realise last year. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, we had to face many restrictions such as a travel ban and lockdown. Fortunately, in 2021 everything is beginning to go back to “new” old reality, it’s a good time to look around and realise how significantly the travel industry transformed during the last decades. Let’s look at a few main trends that revolutionized tourism.
*Personalized tourist experience*
All travellers are different – one would prefer a cheap hostel with an amazing view, another would choose an expensive hotel in the city centre. That’s why the personalization trends needed to influence also travel industry. Big Data and AI help to provide customized bundles of travel products and the surveys show that customers are able to pay more for such packages based on their preferences. Big data analysis can show which destinations, types of accommodation, airlines or snacks travellers prefer. Moreover, thanks to the use of mobile data, personalized emails and notifications can be sent to maintain high engagement.
*Mobile connectivity is a must*
Have you ever experienced sleeping in a hotel room without Wi-Fi or mobile Internet coverage? What a nightmare! Not only accessibility to high-speed wi-fi has become a standard for tourist places, but some of them offer special mobile packs including power banks and selfie sticks. Mobile apps are also gaining popularity and almost all travellers can’t imagine using at least one of the –Google Travel, TripAdvisor, Booking or Airbnb are only a few examples.
*Rating and reviews*
Would you go to the restaurant in a foreign city without checking it Google rating? Have you ever checked top attractions in the city you were currently visiting? Or maybe you had a chance to post a review of the hotel you really liked? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, it means you were a part of the reviews and rating social network. Its capabilities not only help customers find the best choices but are also really insightful for businesses that can understand travellers needs and expectations. As the result, they know which elements need improvement and how to maximize customer experience.
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How will the travel industry transform in the future? Will AI and virtual reality revolutionize the way we think about tourism? Let’s realize, that change has begun and in the nearest future, we can expect even more to happen.
