Data shows that 59% of Brits are looking to travel more this year than in 2022, and with 42% of holiday-goers using online bookings to bag their hotels, technology has become a key battlefield in the holiday market.
But how is technology assisting across the travel and tourism industry to benefit the business owners in charge of holiday destinations, from major all-inclusives to Airbnbs and guest houses?
Holiday shopping
Reaching out to your customers before their holiday is even booked is crucial for bringing traffic in, and technology is having an increasing handle on this.
Advisor ratings, for example, are one of the various ways technology can affect your travel business. From customer reviews, your business is being represented online – good outcomes can translate into more sales, so ensuring all queries, online complaints, and even positive feedback are managed correctly is crucial.
And with the consistent growth of augmented reality, your customers could want a taste of the experience before they buy. Providing room tours, with stunning views, of course, can help sell your destination as a must-go.
Waste management
Scott Hawthorne, Managing Director at Skips & Bins, says: “Waste management is crucial for every business, especially in the travel and tourism industry. In a market where appearance and speed are paramount, making sure your locations are waste free, even with the mass footfall you receive, is key.”
Whether your holiday home has had a redo and you need 4 yard-skips to clear your debris, or your holiday destination sees hundreds of people each week producing mass amounts of waste, technology can help.
Some upcoming waste technologies include waste indicator levels which can instruct you when your waste storage is getting too full, even if you are not near the location. AI recycling robots can also help separate your waste in the most efficient manner.
Sustainable waste management is another trend which could help boost your business as an environmentally friendly competitor. Some waste management businesses offer services which can offset the carbon emissions of waste collection, making this a zero-carbon – meaning your business can thrive from successful waste management without worrying about impacting the environment.
Customer experience
Ensuring your customer experience is high-quality is something we all strive to achieve, but did you know technology could help speed up this process? Customers don’t want to be standing in lines when they reach their destination; they want to explore their room and hit the pool.
So making sure your booking process is clear, quick, and hassle-free is a must when it comes to improving customer satisfaction. Having self-check-ins can be one way of giving your customers a choice when they arrive.
Facial recognition can also help improve the process as your customer’s bookings can be verified alongside their ID – ensuring all bookings run smoothly.
Technology kiosks could also be used to answer frequently asked questions, such as the location of popular restaurants, or to help your customers book spa treatments or even taxis.
Payments
Technology alters the way customers travel, and one advancement which has proven this is the changes in payment, including the invention of contactless payment.
Secure payment methods such as contactless can also help your customers with quick bookings – letting you fill those important last-minute rooms on the weekend. If your business doesn’t allow quick bookings, you could be losing out on some late wins.
And not only does it give your customers more options on how they pay, but it can also help improve the quality and speed of refund requests. Even unhappy customers can be satisfied if their complaints are handled with care, concern, and speed.
Technology is touching every industry, and the travel industry can benefit from it. Customers use technology in many ways while travelling, from translation to planning directions, so our travel businesses need to be using it too.
