Digitisation Of The Travel Industry

Viren Batra, CEO & Co Founder, Nirvana Excursion

Just a few years back, planning a holiday was surprisingly low-tech and straightforward. One visit to the local travel agent would usually be enough, or for the more adventurous traveller armed with a well-thumbed guidebook, relying on trusted word-of-mouth recommendations would work just fine. 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.

Like any other industry, it’s equally important for the travel industry to adapt to the digital arena. Travellers today are able to plan entire itineraries at the click of a button, and as such, travel agencies like us are aiming to reinvent digital strategies and innovations.

With all this in mind, here are 3 ways in which digital technology is changing the travel industry.

Personalization

Digital technology has made it easy for travel companies to personalize offerings and packages based on consumer preference, thus creating a customized experience that will resonate with customers and help drive return business. Not only does this provide the traveler with peace of mind but it allows the company to gather additional data and preferences about the destinations and services our millennial traveler seeks which can be leveraged into additional opportunities in the future via promotions, special offers or discounts, and packages.

Becoming Social

Today’s travellers live in a virtual environment. Social media, along with travel review websites, have changed the way they research, interact, and recommend destinations to friends, family, and other social media users, while also changing the way travel companies create, manage, and provide products and services.

Going Mobile

Recent studies show today’s traveler is spending more and more time on their mobiles, both in their personal and professional lives. With so many travelers researching, purchasing, and reviewing travel destinations via their mobile devices, responsiveness and agility in a travel company’s website and overall online presence is key - travel companies without such responsive design capabilities not only run the risk of losing potential customers due to technology issues, but they can also severely damage their image. This ‘mobile disruption’ is also encouraging companies to keep innovating their digital strategy, with new inventions like integrating booking and payment functionality into mobile design schemes that can function across a wide variety of platforms. Mobile technology has enabled travelers to book hotels or flights, order room service, or review a guided wine tour and tasting via handheld devices in their pockets, and this enhanced visibility is an opportunity for growth and expansion for today’s travel companies.