Hyperconnected tourism: technology at the service of the traveler

19 july, 2019. – The technological evolution in the tourism sector is a constant. Each time, tools such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Big Data and Machine Learning are more present in the digital strategies of the main tourism companies. In fact, according to Vector ITC, Spanish technological and digital group, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies will continue to revolutionize the business ecosystem, generating a profound impact in different sectors, but especially in tourism.

The effect of these technologies has been radical, impacting every process, from the search of the destination, whether for vacations or work, customer service, flight booking, accommodation, the experience during the trip and its completion. One of the clearest examples is that of tourist comparators, where AI plays a fundamental role in its effectiveness and efficiency. These comparators are key tools for the promotion of the sector, mainly in digital environments.

What will be the technological trends for this summer?

• Chatbots for a unique experience: the development and implementation of Artificial Intelligence and natural language processing will be fundamental to interact with customers and ensure satisfaction in the reservations of destinations made. According to a study by Juniper Research, Chatbots will save more than 8 billion dollars per year until 2022. Therefore, in the future, they will be smarter and solve many problems on their own without the need for human intervention. In addition to cost savings, they also save time, an average of 4 minutes per consultation compared to traditional forms of customer service.
• Social networks as assessment platforms: will be the main way through which travelers interact with tourism companies and their ecosystem. According to the “Digital 2019” report, prepared by Hootsuite and We Are Social, 60% of Spaniards use social networks every month, almost 4% more than the previous year. In this sense, tourism companies should develop marketing strategies for each target audience, taking into account preferences and behaviors to achieve greater impact with promotions and increase the number of sales to the ideal destination of that audience. Personalization will increase the involvement of users in promoting different brands and products.
• The smartphone as a key tool: the mobile device has become the main means to access the holiday experience. In terms of sales, it has a conversion rate of 30%, according to OFCOM data, superior to any other platform. Its versatility allows the use of different resources, such as the personalized use of Chatbot, personal assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, etc.), access to IoT, means of payment, etc.
• Augmented reality: With the aim of offering increasingly immersive experiences with the traveler as a protagonist, the development of gamification will be very important, which will be incorporated into the entire value chain of the sector, with the application of the game as a central element in the tourist experience. In addition, this type of technology will facilitate the user experience when making travel decisions.
• Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data: The installation of sensors in different types of objects and places such as suitcases, hotels or vehicles, will offer more and better information about the preferences of users, which, together with Big Data, will be crucial so that tourism companies can create totally personalized and specific offers, detecting patterns of behavior and consumption, thus anticipating the market through predictive analysis tools.

Vector ITC has integrated technological solutions for companies in the tourism sector that guarantee a focus on all stages of the tourist 3.0 cycle. In addition, he has a great experience in the application of Big Data technologies, fundamental to facilitate the choice of places to visit within the chosen tourist destination. Through the implementation of tools such as Destify, Air Saver and Air Currency, companies in the tourism sector obtain cutting-edge technology adapted to the needs of their businesses.