Today's travelers visit up to 35 different websites before booking their trip

In 2019 tourism represented 10.3% of world GDP and generated one in ten jobs. In Colombia, 2022 was one of the best years since 2016. Cotelco figures indicate that hotel occupancy closed with 61.38% during 2022. Nearly 4.6 million tourists visited the country and locally, internal tourism spending registered an increase of 42% according to official figures.  

According to the report New technological trends applied to the travel life cycle directed by Joan Barceló, academic director of the Global MBA, from OBS Business School, it is clear that the desire to travel has not diminished, however, the traveler increasingly requires more personalization, flexibility and knowledge of what your experience will be like on the trip you are going to take.

“Travellers like to enjoy the different phases, from when you start thinking about where to go until after you return, when the memories are generated. That is why it is important that companies in the sector are capable of identifying those aspects that will make planning and enjoying their trip more comfortable, complete and satisfactory for tourists”, Barceló points out.

The appearance of technologies has made today's traveler more demanding in the face of the enormous existing offer, and the sector has become a jungle where companies compete to capture the attention of users, with an almost infinite offer.

Thus, 98% of travelers find information online before buying and platforms such as Instagram (44%), Facebook (33%) and TikTok (22%) have become sources of inspiration when traveling, mainly for the holiday tourist and, especially, when they belong to Generation Z. Other online sources are virtual travel communities, in which travelers share information and visual content, as well as thematic streaming transmissions.

"Emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality or the metaverse can be very relevant as a source of inspiration because they allow us to experience sensations before deciding where we want to travel" says the professor.

46% of travelers say they are willing to experience virtually before making their trip, and this percentage is expected to increase to 50% in the coming years. In this field, the airline KLM is a pioneer as it already uses augmented reality to check the size of luggage and virtual reality to train its employees. Some Spanish companies, such as World2Fly, already offer the possibility of making a virtual visit to the plane to choose the seats that best suit the traveler's preferences.

The challenges

The challenge for companies in the sector in the near future, therefore, is to be able to create inspiring quality virtual experiences. For this, technologies such as quantum computing and Generative Artificial Intelligence will be key. The OBS report foresees exponential advances in these fields, but also emphasizes that this expansion will not be without risks and ethical debate, and that legal regulation must also be created. “If Generative Artificial Intelligence is combined, with the data of the customer's products and their preferences, and real-time connectivity, with specific platforms of the tourism industry that provide quotes and availability of accommodation services, transfers, activities, etc. ., there is a powerful planning accelerator both for travelers and for the agents that provide support in this process” concludes Barceló. Another technology that may help the tourism sector in the future is quantum computing, although the first practical applications are not expected for a few years.

What does today's traveler want?

The search for flexible conditions such as early cancellation (required by 78% of travelers), different forms of payment and travel insurance (55%) are preferences when preparing the trip, as well as having timely information updated regarding sanitary restrictions or aspects related to safety and health at destination. On average, today's travelers visit 35 different websites before booking their trip, and up to 93% say they prefer retailers that make it easy for them to search, offering help filtering available options even if it means paying a little more. . 77% of travelers have ever interacted with a chatbot, but when faced with any type of problem, three out of four prefer to be assisted by a person by phone or chat.

Today's travelers also expect their loyalty to be rewarded and in this it is worth noting the potential of NFTs (non-fungible tokens); although to date they are not being consolidated since the agreement between all the participants of the value chain is necessary to be able to offer a complete solution. In the last year there have been specific initiatives such as Air Europa, which in April 2022 announced its first limited series of NFT plane tickets, called NFT Tickets, which included other services associated with art-related events. And Iberia, which also opted for a limited series of artistic NFTs for business clients. This shows that the use of NFT is technically feasible in loyalty programs, offering unique digital objects, and also as a new distribution channel,

Regarding the means of payment, they continue to evolve, but the OBS report estimates that a period of adaptation will be necessary for trust to be generated in those based on biometrics, cryptocurrencies or subscription models.

The sustainability of the tourism sector

Today's traveler shows increasing concern for sustainability. 84% of travelers aged 18-41 are willing to pay more for eco-friendly travel options, although this percentage drops to 55% for travelers aged 42+. Today it is already possible to obtain information on the estimation of CO2 emissions on numerous flight search platforms, such as Kayak.es or Google Flights, and accommodations have the possibility of providing information on their sustainability practices and certifications issued by organizations independent, such as the Bioscore platform, which provides a certification that allows evaluating the sustainability index of the hotel and displaying this information in sales channels such as Destinia.

Some companies offer the possibility of offsetting the carbon footprint with reforestation programs, such as the operator of Great Trips Icarion from World 2 Meet, which also provides all the travel documentation in a completely digital format in its APP. Some distribution networks, such as Viajes Azul Marino, have opted for the use of renewable energy and implemented energy efficiency plans.