Tomorrow's Travel: A Look at Emerging Trends and Insights

With Labor Day travel quickly approaching indicating the end to the summer travel season, it’s an ideal time to think about customs, traveler security, border control, and all the complexities that face a nation seeking to move people and goods safely and swiftly.?

This summer, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with government and commercial leaders across the global travel ecosystem at several forums, including the recent event hosted by the International Border Management and Technologies Association ( IBMATA ). Here, a number of themes that dominated conversations were ones we’ve explored in Accenture’s Future Borders 2030 report. It’s worth taking a closer look at these trends, particularly as the nation ramps up for an influx of travelers who will make their way to the states with the U.S. hosting both the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028.

Emerging trends

A few key trends in the travel space offer positive impacts for both travelers and the federal agencies responsible for their safe and smooth passage.

Creating seamless travel: There’s a lot of emphasis on seamless or frictionless travel, the idea that people should be able to move about with minimal interruption. At Accenture Federal Services , we emphasize a different way to think about it: As “variable friction.”

Of course, passengers and travelers want it to be as frictionless as possible. But government also needs to ensure our borders are safe and secure. That means choosing when to prioritize experience and when to allow friction for clear purpose when and as needed.

It’s a subtle distinction, but an important one. Government needs tools that ensure smooth travel for most, along with the capabilities that keep the nation safe.

Reducing administrative burdens: Technology promises to have substantial impact on the workforce tasked with keeping travel secure. Consider, for example, the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

In the past, simple translation services met the need at the border: Limited language requirements were addressed through bilingual employees and telephone services. That’s changing, as travel is more accessible than ever with travelers today coming from all parts of the globe. That can make simple tasks harder.? Rather than have a customs officer or border official wrangling with slow translations and ineffective transcriptions, AI will empower real-time translation that’s inclusive, natural, and effective.

Improving efficiencies: Technology, in turn, works in support of another key trend – the need for improved efficiency. Efficient processes support seamless travel, where appropriate, and empower federal agents to implement the appropriate checks when necessary.

By improving efficiency, everyone wins. Travelers get a smoother experience, and this in turn enables border agents to devote time and attention where it’s needed most. Efficient processes inherently recognize the multiple stakeholders in the mix here: Business and leisure travelers, as well as the officials tasked with keeping everything on track.

Insights from industry leaders

Two industry leaders are demonstrating the art of the possible of these trends in action.

Carnival Corporation selected 埃森哲 as its premiere innovation partner to help design the Ocean? guest experience platform. We worked with Carnival Cruise Lines to use high-touch technology in support of hyper-relevant experiences for thousands of guests at a time.

A digital identifier — a wearable device — stores each guest's unique digital identity, linking them to a suite of services and experiences offered by the platform. It assists the crew in quickly and accurately identifying guests for personalized recommendations and smooth cabin access while integrating with interactive portals and digital experiences throughout the ship. The OceanMedallion? enables frictionless payments and efficient embarkation, revolutionizing the way guests experience their time onboard. This cutting-edge technology implementation speaks to the ways in which innovation can make travel more seamless both for travelers, and those tasked with facilitating their movements.

By putting guests at the center and adapting everything around their dynamic needs, wants and desires, this approach is positioning Carnival Corp. to operate like a?Living Business? that is constantly learning, adapting and evolving along with customer desires.

With the help of Accenture, The Ocean? guest experience has become a fully operational, future-ready system designed for continuous change, high transaction volumes, resiliency, and most importantly, interconnectivity. It's a dynamic "living" system composed of applications, infrastructure, processes, and people.

At Singapore's Changi Airport, one of the busiest and most award-winning "best" airports in the world, we established their digital factory and continue to collaborate on innovation and enhanced traveler experience. Known as DIVA (digital, innovation, ventures and analytics), the factory is designed to help Changi Airport Group experiment develop and launch new digital products and services—from conceptualization to delivery. Managed like a factory, DIVA focuses on delivering business outcomes at scale, with lines of production, predictable delivery schedules, and quality control.

Through this partnership, we used the popular online gaming platform Roblox to create ChangiVerse , an immersive digital twin experience in the metaverse. Through interactive games and experiences that mirror the airport’s real-world offerings, users can earn tokens redeemable for virtual goods such as customized planes and luggage. They can interact with non-playable characters (NPCs) who serve as navigation aids, share fun facts, and even unlock access to the VIP room. All this enhances the travel experience and keeps people coming back for more.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the travel and aviation industry worldwide, DIVA’s capabilities came to the forefront enabling the speed and scale that was critical. The first priority was safety, so Changi and Accenture created a series of capabilities including the Safe Travel Concierge app that was created end-to-end in just four weeks. It’s a one-stop portal for passengers that provides a convenient checklist of all entry requirements into the country. The app enables smoother travel for passengers, including booking on-arrival COVID-19 tests and accessing digital immigration forms.

In terms of border control, this speaks to the notion of voluntary compliance. If the passengers are better informed and they're having a good experience, it reduces the administrative friction. That makes the work of border officials all that much easier.

Looking ahead

For agencies that want to explore emerging opportunities to improve travel, we encourage their leaders to consider three key principles:

Start with the mission: Any sort of large-scale application or systems development today must be informed both by a global perspective and a customer experience lens—for travelers and agents alike look beyond IT and prioritize the end user, whether that’s the traveler or the agent.

Build two-way trust: Driven by human-centered design, with a focus on empathy, aim to build a deeper understanding of the needs and challenges of the workforce and travelers, and leverage AI and other technologies in support of this. In this arena, be sure to also factor in inclusivity and accessibility, breaking down language barriers and improving accessibility for those with diverse needs wherever possible.

Prioritize responsible AI: Use responsible AI to augment -- not replace -- human capabilities or the decision-making process. Ensure transparency in how AI and other technologies are used and how data is handled, highlighting the benefits it provides in terms of enhanced safety and security.

By aligning technology solutions with the practical outcomes they’re seeking, U.S. agencies with travel-related missions can realize greater value -- delivering the highest possible level of service, while ensuring the nation’s security every step of the way. Grounded in these principles, government can ensure smooth travel for most while keeping the mission in mind, promoting a positive experience for both officers and travelers.