How Smartphones can Create a More Authentic Travel Experience
Travel apps are changing the way people plan and are redefining travelers’ relationships with other tourists and the places they visit. The digitization of travel has truly arrived and is transforming the way people see the world and connect with the unfamiliar.
On-Location: Today’s Travelers’ Primary Pain Points
By 2025, digitization in aviation, travel, and tourism will create up to US$305 billion of value for the travel industry, as well as generate benefits valued at US$700 billion for customers and the wider society, according to the World Economic Forum’s Digital Transformation Initiative.
Online booking and review services have streamlined many aspects of trip planning. However, they don’t address many travelers’ primary pain points related to the challenges of on-location experiences, mainly the unpredictability of travel and having to navigate and find things to do in a place they are unfamiliar with.
But technology is once again coming to the rescue. This time via innovative mobile apps that can provide people who love to travel with smoother experiences and more security.
Travel Expectations: Immediate, Seamless, Personalized
Over 70% of travelers use their smartphones when traveling, frequently for in-destination planning. This means tourists are using their mobile phones to figure out what they are going to do with their time day-by-day. This provides tremendous opportunity for destinations, vendors and others to shape the on-location experience of tourists and promote themselves. But in order to be effective, it has to be done right and meet travelers’ expectations.
In our ever fast-paced world, people, not just travelers, hold the organizations that serve them to a very high standard. First, people today expect immediate assistance and access to information. Second, people expect a seamless communication experience, from messaging apps and emails to face-to-face contact. Third, travelers have grown accustomed to personalized content and services.
One study found that 43% of travel companies cite “targeting and personalization” as the leading priorities in their digital strategies, second only to mobile optimization, a good move in our opinion.
Authentic and Personalized Travel Experience? It Takes a Village
According to the McKinsey & Company worldwide management consulting firm, today’s travelers desire authenticity, active discovery and being connected; distrust many large institutions and brands; expect transparency and flexibility; and appreciate feedback loops.
Getting a sneak peek of a particular destination or experience is one way to meet those travelers’ needs. One study found that 62% of today’s travelers demand to see online videos of their tours, sightseeing and lodging before they make a decision.
Content from a vendor or destination is okay, but it is even more credible when it’s generated by friends or fellow travelers. Tapping into other people’s travel experiences is tremendously appealing and should be done by destinations and vendors whenever possible. Platforms like WishTrip have empowered travelers to learn everything there is to know about a given experience before they do it and to communicate with the people who can give them additional information. However, WishTrip also enables destinations to use the power of the crowd to give the transparency that travelers crave.
The Must-Have Travel Companion
Once tourists have arrived at their destination, there’s one tool they consider indispensable: their cell phones. Most travelers want to quickly understand their new surroundings. Apps make it easy to successfully navigate by foot, car or public transportation. All this, without having to worry about getting lost in the middle of nowhere. With their smartphones in tow and access to information by the stakeholders in the travel industry, travelers can now have truly authentic travel experiences.
I will be attending the ITB Berlin event in March. Contact me personally, or via our website, to set up a meeting