technology travel trend

11 Travel Technology Trends Emerging in the Tourism Industry in 2024

With widely available vaccines and lower numbers of Covid-19 cases, travel is slowly returning to its pre-pandemic levels , although travel risks and disruptions are still present. Extreme weather conditions, political instabilities, and hardware malfunctions. With the emergence of artificial intelligence and mobile devices, customers expect a much greater level of personalization than ever before. These are the main reasons why the travel industry is consistently striving to find new and innovative ways of integrating breakthrough technologies into its operations.

Boost your travel business with the right technology

You will learn:, state of travel industry in 2024, key travel trends and technologies, customer experience with ai and ar, automation and efficiency in travel business, strategic technology investments, what is travel technology, impact of technology on the travel industry, why is technology important in the tourism and travel industry, key statistics and forecasts for travel technology in 2024, what are the latest technology trends used in the travel industry, 1. advanced travel search engines, 2. ai dynamic pricing engines, 3. dynamic scheduling systems.

• 4. Internet of Things
• 5. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

6. Contactless payments

• 7. AI chatbots

8. Big Data

9. 5g and fast wi-fi networks, 10. recognition technology, 11. cybersecurity practices, future of travel technology.

Travel technology is an umbrella term to describe the multitude of different uses of modern technology such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality and mobile technology within the fields of tourism, travel, and hospitality industry.

Technology solutions can be deployed at virtually every point of travel in one form or another, significantly influencing the overall customer experience.

Do you remember buying an airline ticket from a real human being?

Neither do we.

We all got used to the presence of modern technological advancements in the travel industry.

There are many more ways in which modern digital technology influences and improves the travel industry.

The ultimate motivation behind implementing these technologies is pretty straightforward. It as always boils down to increasing profits and expanding business, which in turn has a positive impact on customer experience.

First and foremost, it leads to improved efficiency and decreased operating costs.

In fact, it is a win-win situation for online travel agencies, airlines, as well as the travelers.

For companies, digital transformation in travel industry means better margins and healthier cash flows. For customers, in turn, it means many more attractive tourist destinations and lower prices.

[Read also: What’s the Future of Digital Transformation and Its Trends? An Expert’s Point of View ]

These days, almost everyone has a smartphone or other mobile device, granting access to an immense choice of online services.

It is thus crucial for travel companies to allow their customers to book their trips, check-in for their flights, and find information about their destinations online.

Even though we are taking all of these modern utilities for granted, they are still a key factor for improving user experience in the travel industry. As a result, they have to be improved and optimized consistently.

Latest travel technology trends refer to the innovations and digital solutions that are transforming the travel and tourism industry. Some of the trends include online travel booking, virtual tourism, mobile travel apps, chatbots and artificial intelligence. Here are some of the latest quantitative statistics and forecasts on travel technology trends:

• Generative AI tools like ChatGPT will become more popular for trip planning, as half of travelers surveyed are interested in using them to find the perfect stay.
• Destination “dupes” and “set-jetting” will continue to be in vogue as travelers seek affordable alternatives to crowded or expensive places, or follow the locations featured in their favorite shows or movies¹.
• Global travel app revenues will grow by 17 percent in 2024, reaching nearly $400 million.
• The share of digital ad spending in the travel and leisure industry will reach 14.5 percent in the United States and 13.9 percent in the United Kingdom in 2024.
• The world’s leading online travel agencies (OTAs) will spend $2.3 billion on Google advertising in 2024.
• The global travel and tourism market will shift from 66 percent offline sales channels to 54 percent online sales channels from 2017 to 2027.
• The global travel technology market will grow by approximately 45 percent from 2020 to 2026, reaching $12.5 billion.
• The Asia-Pacific region’s recovery will be evident as travelers flock to destinations such as Taiwan, Thailand, and Australia, which have successfully contained the pandemic and reopened their borders.
• Travelers will need to be more creative and flexible in their destination choices, as travel restrictions and regulations may change frequently due to the ongoing health crisis.
• Travelers will opt for carry-on only luggage with a twist: they will use smart luggage that can track their location, charge their devices, and weigh themselves.
• Travelers will rely more on their travel advisors, who can offer more than just flights and hotels, but also personalized experiences, insider tips, and access to exclusive benefits.

Sources: Statista , Travel + Leisure , Smart Flyer .

There are plenty of different technology trends that are shaping the future of the travel industry.

Below, we’ve listed 11 of the most important travel industry trends.

Let’s compare here travel search engines to the Google search engine.

On the surface it is a pretty simple concept. A user introduce certain keywords of their interest and the search engine matches the most relevant results.

But what if you are looking for a hotel room in a specific location with certain room facilities? A simple Google search won’t be able to compute so many details.

This is where metasearch engines enter.

Metasearch engines are the tools that send search queries to many sources and organize results in a comprehensive list.

The main objective of such sites is to aggregate results in a unified way, so that the client can access the maximum number of available options on the market. It allows users to have a reliable source of objective information and to compare offers with one another.

Results presented by metasearch engines are obtained with less amount of exertion on the end user side.

Instead of searching one single search engine to find a specific website or browsing through different services, the right amount of data can be obtained by a metasearch engine.

It definitely improves the user experience. Ans save their precious time.

In the tourism industry, metasearch engines are used to search through and compare travel agencies’ offers to provide clients with as many suitable options as possible.

Nowadays, these services have grown quite robust. Many provide smart price alerts or tempting last-minute deals.

When developing a metasearch engine for an online travel agency , lodging reservation service, hotel booking engine , or a hotel inventory management software key factors are performance and scalability .

A team of Stratoflow Java developers when tasked with improving the travel search engine for a major hotel bookings aggregator decided to extract the availability search into a separate cache layer based on an in-memory data grid (IMDG) platform. It allowed for a major decrease in SQL database usage, as well as improved efficiency.

Interestingly, our client saw almost an immediate commercial effect right after the initial implementation.

Higher overall throughput of the travel search engine allowed the existing customer base to query the platform more frequently, generating higher revenues in the process.

[Read also: Introduction to a hotel channel manager ]

Airlines such as Ryanair or Southwest are known for their extremely low price model.

You can hop anytime you want on a plane from Warsaw to London for less than 30 dollars.

You may have been wondering – how are airlenes able to break even, and run a successful business model with such low prices?

The answer is artificial intelligence.

These days, the pricing of airline tickets is completely automated and run by advanced systems that aim to fill a plane with passengers at the most optimal prices.

These systems take into consideration different types of clients. Those can be either business travelers who value convenience and comfort the most or leisure travelers who are more cost-conscious regardless of long layovers.

All of these factors are summed up by the pricing system. The goal is to fill as many seats on each plane as possible. But at the same time to avoid situations of complete tickets’ unavailability for potential clients in a very complex balancing act.

Airlines’ pricing systems have to process an immense amount of customer data as well as travel trends about local destinations.

It is worth mentioning that during the COVID-19 pandemic pricing systems of many popular airlines were pretty severely disrupted. This led to a rather peculiar situation when we could book flights from Europe to the US for less than 200 dollars.

How was that possible? The dynamic pricing engines weren’t prepared for such an exceptional situation.

Nevertheless, as pandemic restrictions loosen, and airlines worldwide resume their normal routes and operations, dynamic pricing systems continue to play a vital role in their business model .

[Read also: Benefits of Digital Transformation for Your Business ]

Airlines are characterized by their large involved capital and incredibly slim average profit margins hovering around 5% (ignoring COVID-19 disruptions).

What does it mean for travel technology trends?

It’s simple. For an airline to make money, it has to adapt fast and consistently search for profitable routing opportunities.

This task has to be handled by automatic scheduling systems .

Aside from the cost, the major factor for customers determining which flight they will choose is the overall travel time.

Airlines, therefore, put an enormous effort into assembling the most optimal schedule that they can offer in the shortest travel time possible.

Modern dynamic scheduling systems have to take into account these three factors pointed by Nawal Taneja :

• Scheduling optimization system – An automated solution created by a team of experienced developers that process operational data and identify the set of possible routing and scheduling changes. These have to be both profitable and operationally feasible.Such a system works based on all the possible arrangements of feasible schedule changes. Then it sorts them by their profitability.
• Access to reliable market data – A dynamic scheduling system uses only reliable and accurate data on the routes popularity and its profitability.Considering a fairly short time horizon of flight scheduling operation, the best source for booking and revenue data is an internal Revenue Management system .
• Knowledge about potential operational constraints – Many factors dictate whether a certain route is feasible operationally or not.These include maintenance costs at airports, gate availability, and miscellaneous aircraft-specific constraints.Only understanding all of them can ensure that a dynamic scheduling system can return positive results.

In terms of profitability, it is estimated that dynamic scheduling can result in a 1-3% increase in revenue , depending on its utilization rate.

It constitutes a substantial amount when it comes to the airline industry.

Stratoflow developers have a great deal of experience in this particular field.

They were tasked by a global flight information company to improve their existing system.

Stratoflow proposed a replacement of major calculation logic with an open-source, high-performance framework that dramatically lowered TCO when compared with the existing code.

4. Internet of Things (IoT)

Another emerging technology that is slowly being adopted by the tourism industry is the Internet of Things (IoT)

This concept refers to the network of physical devices —“things”—that are equipped with various sensors in order to connect and exchange data with other systems within the network over the internet.

Depending on the use case, these “things” can range from ordinary household devices to sophisticated industrial machinery.

When it comes to its role in the tourism industry, we’ve already seen some practical implementations beginning to appear.

Some airports, using IoT devices, tag passengers’ bags to alert them of their luggage’s current whereabouts and send them a notification when it arrives at the carousel.

Hotels are also starting to leverage some IoT-enabled sensors and voice control devices to adjust things like air conditioning. Using an in-room tablet, hotel guests can seamlessly control the temperature, music, lighting, and curtains, changing the atmosphere of the room and personalizing their experience to a whole new level.

5. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality (VR) has recently once again come into the spotlight when Facebook rebranded itself and announced Metaverse. It’s a conceptual virtual universe that will be a future replacement for well-established social networks.

These visions seem exciting and a little eerie at times. But can virtual and augmented reality also influence the tourism industry in the future? As it turns out, the answer is “yes”.

Virtual Reality allows people to explore new places without leaving the comfort of their homes.

Virtual tours will enable people to have a glimpse of a certain exotic place before their visit in person. What’s more, popular travel platforms like Booking.com can set up virtual hotel room previews in order to better manage customer expectations.

Contactless payment methods take pride of place among recent tourism technology trends.

As the pandemic forced people to shy away from physical coins and banknotes, contactless payment options like GooglePay and Apple Pay have gained a lot of popularity.

When using them, the user’s device with a payment app communicates with the reader using RFID technology.

To see how it works in practice let’s take a look at the contactless payment method designed by The Walt Disney Company.

Disney offers Disney World guests custom wristbands, known as MagicBands. Visitors can link their credit card to their MagicBand to make purchases with a simple and effortless swipe of a wrist.

From a business standpoint, this solution offers Disney an unmatched opportunity to track customer behavior in order to optimize its operations even further. It is a trend that is undoubtedly gaining traction in various sectors of the travel industry.

7. AI Integration and AI chatbots

AI is expected to be increasingly used in the hotel and travel industry, creating more seamless travel experiences and supporting new innovations to meet higher guest expectations.

Recently a story has surfaced that, allegedly, an advanced AI chatbot developed by Google has become self-aware.

AI chatbot technology has gone a long way in the last couple of years. It can also play a significant role in the development of the travel and tourism industry.

AI Chatbots stimulates human conversation, mostly using text interactions on various websites and services. Their main objective is to alleviate some congestion in call centers by proving at least basic help for customers 24/7.

When it comes to their usage in the travel and tourism industry, AirAsia is a good example of the use of a successful chatbot. Their advanced chatbot, AVA is able to do a multitude of things from helping travelers to choose seats and book flights to answering more difficult questions about current COVID-19 restrictions.

Data is a company’s most valuable asset.

This is also one of the main reasons why companies in the travel and hospitality industry are investing more and more funds into Big Data solutions.

Put simply, Big Data is a term that refers to large and unstructured data sets obtained from various data sources. These data sets are so voluminous that traditional data processing would have a hard time processing them into useful information.

Modern hotels and travel agents are using big data solutions to more effectively track customer behavior and preferences. This information is later used to improve the guest experience.

Big data measure precisely business performance.

Thanks to receiving data from previously untapped sources, the system allow for better yield management and demand prognosis.

[Read also: Fintech Trends That Shape Financial Future ]

As travel tech trends grow more robust with every passing year, connectivity develops at the same rapid pace.

A couple of years ago, 5G made its debut in some of the largest cities around the world, offering up to 20 times faster download speeds than before.

Even though that might not be such a big deal for an ordinary person, the connection between smart devices can now be more efficient than ever allowing more advanced IoT networks.

We have also seen an emergence of other breakthrough communication technologies, such as the Starlink internet.

Thanks to thousands of satellites in low earth orbit, people in virtually every corner of the world can enjoy internet speeds in excess of 100mbit/s and low latency unmatched by any other satellite internet provider.

A poor WiFi or Internet service in a hotel room can lead to bad online reviews for the hospitality and travel industry. With Starlink, even hotels in the most remote places can have a stable and fast internet connection.

[Read also: What is a GDS? ]

Facial recognition is the software that classifies a single face according to its gender, age, emotion, or other characteristics in an attempt to confirm a person’s identity.

It is currently one of the most powerful surveillance tools ever made.

While many people are happy to use it to effortlessly unlock their phones, companies and governments are beginning to use it to a much greater extent.

Facial recognition devices are beginning to appear in various airports across the world as an advanced security measure and potential deterrence.

According to a recent report from the Department of Homeland Security, “U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) plans to dramatically expand its Biometric Exit program to cover 97 percent of outbound air passengers within four years.”

To verify accounts on virtually every major travel and tourism offer aggregator, you would have to provide a photo of your ID card and other sensitive personal data.

It’s natural to feel a bit uneasy to share so much personal information, regardless of the service’s squeaky clean reputation and impressive market share.

Tourism companies and travel businesses understand that. That’s why they dedicate a substantial amount of resources to developing reliable and safe cybersecurity practices.

As virtual reality and augmented reality technologies are becoming more and more advanced, some people speculate that they will negatively influence the tourism industry, but we beg to differ.

We predict that future tech advancements will push the travel industry towards better travel experiences and even more personalized experience.

Travel technology trends – summary

The travel and tourism industry is the one where proper interactions with the consumer are essential. As new technological breakthroughs enter the market, they are letting corporations understand their customers a bit better, and provide them with improved services and experiences.

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Perspective

Traveling between worlds in the metaverse

5-MINUTE READ

• The next wave of technology disruption driving the future is here, bringing new technologies and worlds of experiences.
• Over the next decade, ambitious travel players will shape new physical and digital realities and transform their businesses. 
• Travel companies need to prepare now to understand how these emerging technologies are critical for future growth and competitiveness. 
• How can travel companies successfully navigate uncertainty about the future, with blurred boundaries between humans and machines? 

Welcome to the “Metaverse Continuum”

The metaverse is evolving the next generation of the internet technologies and creating boundaryless opportunities. Think of it as a continuum, spanning the spectrum of digitally enhanced worlds, realities and business models.   

Expect to see it touch all facets of every business, from consumer to worker and across the enterprise; from reality to virtual and back; from 2D to 3D; and from cloud and AI to extended reality, blockchain, digital twins, edge technologies and beyond. In 2022, this way of life seems surreal, but the Metaverse Continuum is on its way and companies need to prepare now.  

Next-generation traveler experience

The Metaverse Continuum enables people to immerse themselves within a universal shared experience that connects our real world to a fully virtual one—and everything in between.   

The Metaverse Continuum is already transforming travel companies in five ways, changing...

• How travel companies interact with customers 
• How work is done 
• Which services travel companies offer 
• How they make and distribute them 
• How they operate their organizations 

Travel Technology Vision 2022 trends

In the Travel Technology Vision 2022 report, we explore how today’s technology innovations are becoming the building blocks of our collective future. These four trends investigate the entire continuum, from the virtual to the physical, across humans and machines alike, identifying where ambitious travel companies can find rich opportunities by uprooting themselves from today and planting themselves firmly in the future. 

WebMe: The internet is being reimagined as metaverse, and Web3 efforts transform the underpinning and operation of the virtual world.

The Programmable World: Control, customization and automation are being immersed into the world around us, making the physical as programmable as the digital.

The Unreal: As AI-generated data and synthetic content convincingly mimic what is “real,” authenticity is the new north star.

Computing the Impossible: A new generation of computers is solving some of the world’s most intractable problems leading to one of the biggest technological disruptions of our time.

Now is the time to shape the future of travel technology

We are at a crossroads. Not only because there are new technologies to master, but rather that competition in the next decade will require much more than technical skills and innovative strength. Travel companies will need a truly competitive vision. A clear vision of what the future worlds will be like and a vision of where the travel business needs to go to thrive. Technology is pointing us in the right direction. Everything else is in your hands.  

The metaverse continuum is waiting for you. 

RELATED: Future borders 2030: From vision to reality

​​Related insights​

• Building a data-driven travel company
• The Guide: Travel industry magazine
• Tech Vision 2022: Meet me in the Metaverse

Sergiy Nevstruyev

Managing Director – Enterprise Architecture & Digital Transformation Lead

Anshul Gupta

Managing Director – Accenture Technology

Luis Aparicio Garcia

Associate Director – Accenture Strategy & Consulting, Travel

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Opinion The top travel-tech trends set to revolutionize tourism in 2023

Technology-driven innovations are reshaping the travel industry, with smart hotels, ar/vr experiences, contactless solutions, and ai-powered personalization leading the way towards a more seamless and efficient travel journey.

• FairFly rebrands as Oversee, adds Rapyd CEO Shtilman to board
• HyperGuest raises $23 million Series A to connect hotels, suppliers, and travel distributors
• Travel insurtech startup Faye lands $10 million in Series A

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Top 9 Travel Trends & Innovations in 2025

How are the latest trends in the travel industry reshaping trip planning and enhancing tourist experiences in 2025? Explore our in-depth industry research on the top 9 travel trends based on our analysis of 3500+ companies worldwide. These trends include AI, immersive tourism, IoT, contactless travel & more!

Technological advancements in the travel industry meet the growing demand for personalized experiences, safety, and sustainability. Post the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging travel trends mark a shift towards contactless travel through digital payments, self-check-ins, and more. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain are automating various hospitality and travel-related operations.

For instance, smart hotels make use of internet-connected devices to remotely control rooms. Further, businesses offer virtual tours by adopting extended reality (XR) technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Travel companies also leverage data analytics to personalize marketing. At the same time, traveler assisting solutions like chatbots and voice technology aid them in booking accommodation and optimizing journeys. These travel trends improve the overall profitability of the tourism industry and enable it to make operations more sustainable and safe.

This article was last updated in July 2024.

Innovation Map outlines the Top 9 Travel Trends & 18 Promising Startups

For this in-depth research on the Top 9 Trends & Startups, we analyzed a sample of 18 global startups and scaleups. The result of this research is data-driven innovation intelligence that improves strategic decision-making by giving you an overview of emerging technologies & startups in the travel industry. These insights are derived by working with our Big Data & Artificial Intelligence-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform , covering 4.7M+ startups & scaleups globally. As the world’s largest resource for data on emerging companies, the SaaS platform enables you to identify relevant startups, emerging technologies & future industry trends quickly & exhaustively.

In the Innovation Map below, you get an overview of the Top 9 Travel Trends & Innovations that impact travel & tourism companies worldwide. Moreover, the Travel Innovation Map reveals 3 500+ hand-picked startups, all working on emerging technologies that advance their field.

Top 9 Travel Trends

• Artificial Intelligence
• Immersive Tourism
• Internet of Things
• Contactless Travel
• Big Data & Analytics
• Post-Pandemic Tourism
• Tour Premiumization

Tree Map reveals the Impact of the Top 9 Travel Trends

Based on the Travel Innovation Map, the Tree Map below illustrates the impact of the Top 9 Travel Industry Trends in 2025. Startups and scaleups are enabling contactless travel using technologies like biometrics, radio-frequency identification (RFID), and near-field communication (NFC). This is due to increasing health and hygiene concerns post the pandemic. The use of AI in tourism ensures hassle-free trip planning while AR and VR allow tourists to virtually visit various locations and excursions. IoT increases visibility into tourism industry operations and allows passengers to track their luggage more efficiently. Further, the demand for personalized and luxurious travel is rising. Several startups enable recreational space travel as well as offer sustainable travel options to passengers.

Global Startup Heat Map covers 3 635 Travel Startups & Scaleups

The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the global distribution of the 3 635 exemplary startups & scaleups that we analyzed for this research. Created through the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, the Heat Map reveals that the US, Europe, and India see the most activity.

Below, you get to meet 18 out of these 3 635 promising startups & scaleups as well as the solutions they develop. These 18 startups are hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.

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Top 9 Travel Trends in 2025

1. artificial intelligence.

Hotels employ intelligent chatbots, powered by AI, to provide quick and personalized responses to traveler inquiries. These chatbots simplify the booking process and gather customer reviews, aiding potential travelers in making informed decisions. Moreover, AI-based robots enhance the customer experience by automating hotel disinfection and delivering room service.

At airports, these robots guide travelers and assist with luggage handling. Facial recognition technology, driven by AI, expedites identity verification at airports, enhancing security and offering a swift alternative to traditional methods. Startups are developing AI-powered trip planning solutions, optimizing journeys, and personalizing travel experiences.

Travel Professor develops a Travel Chatbot

UK-based startup Travel Professor offers an AI-enabled chatbot for travelers. The startup’s chat widget software monitors multiple flight deals and notifies users when their preferences match. It also provides travel destination recommendations and flight price alerts. This allows travelers to book economical flights and have a budget-friendly tourism experience.

SkyLink develops AI-based Corporate Travel Agent

US startup SkyLink offers a platform that streamlines travel booking and management directly through messaging applications. Its two main products include Email Automation and SkyLink Chat . Email Automation acts as a co-pilot for booking and non-booking workflows, while SkyLink Chat serves as a digital agent within native enterprise chat channels. The platform personalizes the travel experience based on loyalty and preferences, optimizing choices for cost-effectiveness.

2. Immersive Tourism

Immersive tourism caters to the growing demand for meaningful experiences among travelers, leveraging AR, VR, and mixed reality (MR). VR simulates original locations through a computer-generated environment, allowing tourists to virtually explore destinations. It provides travelers with a comprehensive 360-degree tour of points of interest.

AR enhances the travel experience with interactive elements such as navigation maps and ads. Travel companies employ AR and VR-based gamification to heighten tourist attractions. Moreover, these technologies enable hotels and resorts to present amenities and rooms in an engaging, interactive manner.

VR Travel Expo offers VR-based Travel Plans

US startup VR Travel Expo develops a VR travel application to transform the way people research and book travel. The application enables users to plan their vacations more efficiently. It provides an engaging platform for users to explore and expand their knowledge of the world. Moreover, it employs 3D geospatial technology that creates real-time digital twins of the world. This further enhances the travel planning experience.

AR Tour makes AR Glasses

Italian startup AR Tour offers AR-powered tours. The startup’s AR glasses superimpose reconstructed images of archaeological ruins to show how the site originally was. Its tour informs the tourists about the site’s history and significance via an audio-visual package. Moreover, the startup designs lightweight AR glasses to prevent motion sickness among tourists, improving convenience.

3. Internet of Things

IoT generates ample data that tourism companies leverage to personalize services in their subsequent visits. Hotels use IoT sensors to enable smart rooms that automate room lighting, temperature, and ambiance control, enhancing guest comfort. These sensors adjust appliances in vacant rooms, conserving energy and reducing the building’s carbon footprint.

Startups harness IoT to deliver location-specific information to customers, including real-time luggage tracking via IoT tags, minimizing lost items. Airlines also incorporate IoT-based solutions into seats, monitoring passenger temperature and heart rate for proactive health management.

Altitude enables Smart Hotels

New Zealand-based startup Altitude creates an IoT-based hotel software and hardware to develop smart hotels. The startup makes self-service kiosks to automate reservations, room up-gradation, payments, as well as check-in and check-out. Its hotel management platform further enables contactless engagement with guests. Additionally, Altitude’s mobile keys allow guests to open doors using mobile phones, providing convenience and saving time for travelers.

Smart Tour provides Smart Itineraries

Brazilian startup Smart Tour offers smart itineraries using IoT and quick response (QR) codes. The startup recommends travel routes and destinations based on the user’s preference in real-time. This facilitates a seamless experience for travelers. Besides, the user-generated data enables tourism managers to better understand consumer behavior and indulge in proximity marketing. The startup also offers a contact tracing solution to monitor COVID-19 infected travelers and ensure public safety.

4. Contactless Travel

Travelers benefit from contactless recognition technologies like retina scanning, which replace traditional travel documents, speeding up passenger identification and reducing airport queues. QR codes offered by travel companies allow tourists to access relevant information on their mobile devices, enhancing engagement.

Hotels have introduced contactless self-check-ins, enabling visitors to arrange services before arrival. Additionally, contactless payment modes are available in hotels and restaurants for swift and secure transactions. Moreover, wearable devices are transforming the travel experience by providing real-time notifications and touch-free access to services and information.

Loxe designs Smart Hotel Keys

US-based startup Loxe makes smart mobile keys for hotels. The startup’s smartphone app replaces key cards with contactless mobile keys that allow users to unlock doors using smartphones. It also reduces operational costs incurred in the manufacturing of conventional keys or plastic cards. Moreover, the startup designs a Bluetooth retrofit module that converts normal door locks into mobile-ready door locks. This allows hotel owners to easily convert their existing locks into smart ones without additional expenses while improving guest safety and convenience.

Avendi provides Contactless Payment

Singaporean startup Avendi offers contactless and cashless payments for travelers. The startup allows tourists to accumulate expenses throughout their trip and pay at the end of the journey. Avendi’s app utilizes QR codes to add all the billed expenses and shown through its dashboard. The user settles the tab amount in the preferred currency, preventing the inconvenience of cash withdrawal or credit card payments.

5. Big Data & Analytics

Big data empowers travel companies with customer trends for strategic marketing. Analyzing traveler behavior, they offer tailored recommendations for hotel bookings, cab hires, flight reservations, and ticket purchases.

Predicting future demand is another advantage of big data and analytics, helping hotels and airlines identify peak periods to optimize revenue. Advanced analysis of transactional data aids in detecting cyber fraud, and safeguarding sensitive customer information such as credit card details and biometric data.

CheckandPack creates a Travel Platform

Dutch startup CheckandPack offers a big data travel platform. It runs marketing campaigns to gather traveler data and understand tourism trends. Based on these insights, the platform enables businesses to approach travelers with a customized appeal. It also provides travelers with holiday planning.

3Victors provides Travel Data Analytics

US-based startup 3Victors offers travel data analytics. The startup’s product, PriceEye Suite , proactively monitors the prices of numerous airlines to provide insights into competitor prices. It creates a dashboard to display travelers’ location of interest, allowing travel airlines to better manage their revenue and pricing strategy.

Learn How 10 Emerging Technologies Shape Your Industry!

6. Post-Pandemic Tourism

Post-pandemic tourism focuses on safe, sustainable, and flexible travel options, responding to evolving traveler preferences and health guidelines. Enhanced health and safety protocols, including regular sanitization and contactless services, become standard in airlines and hotels, ensuring traveler confidence.

Destinations and operators emphasize outdoor and less crowded experiences, catering to a heightened demand for nature-based and wellness travel. Flexible booking policies and trip insurance gain prominence, offering peace of mind amid uncertainties. Sustainable travel gains traction, with tourists and businesses prioritizing environmental impact and community well-being.

GOPASS Global enables Pre-travel Risk Management

Singaporean startup GOPASS Global provides a travel risk analytics platform against COVID-19. It analyzes the biosecurity risk elements involved in a trip, such as border restrictions, quarantine requirements, airport type, and airline transit points or seating in real-time. This allows travelers to assess risk factors and plan their trips accordingly.

Moreover, the startup creates world maps displaying information regarding COVID-prone areas, testing areas, and vaccine coverage. This provides travelers with a preview of the current situation, allowing them to ensure safety during business and leisure travel.

Workcations enables Work from Anywhere

Indian startup Workcations provides properties at tourist destinations for remote-working individuals. It offers amenities like internet connectivity, food, and a quiet ambiance, allowing tourists to work in a peaceful environment without hindrance. This increases employee productivity, motivation, and retention.

7. Tour Premiumization

Hyper-personalization in travel experiences is on the rise, with tourists eager to immerse themselves in diverse cultures. Luxury travelers enjoy tailored experiences and intuitive services through tour premiumization. Health and wellness packages offered by travel startups help tourists unwind.

These retreats enhance health and offer detoxifying food options. Space tourism is another exciting development, offering leisure or research trips to space. Lastly, travel startups are fostering customer loyalty and building strong relationships through membership or subscription models.

STOKE provides Space Tour

US-based startup STOKE facilitates space travel using everyday-operable rockets. The startup’s rockets are reusable and deliver satellites to any desired orbit. This enables on-demand access to space, paving way for space tours for exploration, recreation, and research. The startup also emphasizes the economical and rapid development of its hardware for feasible spacecraft launches, advancing space tourism.

Origin offers Travel Personalization

Dutch startup Origin provides premium travel personalization to tourists. The startup utilizes machine learning and travel curators to plan creative vacations. It also arranges flights and accommodation for travelers. Further, the startup measures the carbon output of itineraries and offers sustainable tourism options.

8. Ecotourism

Traveling responsibly minimizes tourism’s environmental impact and supports local communities’ well-being. Ecotourists strive to reduce their carbon footprint during their journeys. Startups contribute by developing sustainable transport, ecolodges, and solar-powered resorts.

Airline passengers have the option to offset carbon emissions during flight bookings. Local tourism stimulates small businesses economically and creates job opportunities. It also emphasizes minimum littering, which lowers pollution and the time spent on cleanups.

Jet-Set Offset simplifies Flight Carbon Offset

US-based startup Jet-Set Offset creates a carbon-offsetting platform for air travel. The startup partners with non-profit organizations working against climate change and connects them with travelers. Each time travelers book flight tickets via the startup’s platform, Jet-Set Offset contributes a certain amount per mile for their journey to environmental organizations. This way, the passenger’s journey promotes mileage-based donations to offset carbon emissions.

The Green Stamp facilitates Ethical Wildlife Tour

Dutch startup The Green Stamp provides a platform to book ethical wildlife tours. It curates tours based on the tourists’ inclinations toward certain locations or wildlife. Exploration of these projects allows travelers to indirectly contribute to their cause as these wildlife projects donate to the welfare of local communities and the environment.

9. Blockchain

Blockchain provides the travel industry with operational transparency and security. Traceable payments, particularly for international travel, are a key application, that fosters trust among parties involved in transactions.

Automation and enforcement of agreements in travel insurance and supplier contracts are achieved through smart contracts. This strengthens reliability and cuts administrative costs. Travel firms establish customer loyalty programs where points are exchanged for cryptocurrency. Lastly, blockchain increases data storage security, reducing the risk of information leaks.

Upswing facilitates Guest Profiling

Indian startup Upswing creates AURA , a blockchain-powered platform for guest profiling. It provides a holistic view of guests, their preferences, and purchase patterns. The platform associates a score with each guest and suggests improvements in their service. This facilitates hotels to provide a personalized experience to their guests and, in turn, increase sales.

UIQ Travel develops a Solo Traveling App

US-based startup UIQ Travel develops a blockchain-based app to connect solo travelers. It discovers people with shared interests and suggests tours or attractions. Such hyper-personalized recommendations assist in experience discovery and also increase traveler engagement.

Discover all Travel Trends, Technologies & Startups

Tourism, although severely impacted by the pandemic, now continues to rapidly grow across the globe. Post-pandemic trends indicate an increasing emphasis on hygiene and safety during travel. The industry is witnessing the widespread adoption of disruptive technologies like AI, XR, IoT, and blockchain. The travel industry utilizes big data to understand traveler trends for targeted marketing. The transition to ecotourism is accelerating as businesses integrate zero-emission transit and carbon offset programs to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Travel Trends & Startups outlined in this report only scratch the surface of trends that we identified during our data-driven innovation and startup scouting process. Among others, personalization, decarbonization, and travel safety will transform the sector as we know it today. Identifying new opportunities and emerging technologies to implement into your business goes a long way in gaining a competitive advantage. Get in touch to easily and exhaustively scout startups, technologies & trends that matter to you!

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Top Five Travel Technologies That Will Revolutionize the Industry in 2024

• Sales & Bookings

Looking back at the trends that defined travel in 2023, one thing is clear: this year, our industry embraced tech and innovation as never before. From transformative innovations to more widespread adoption of already available tools, the growth of travel technology can’t be overlooked.

Not only did artificial intelligence (AI) disrupt the travel space for both businesses and travelers, but new technologies such as local payment methods emerged, opening up new revenue channels and facilitating an entirely new way of booking and paying for travel. 

As we enter a new era of travel, we’re taking a look back at the technologies and innovations that disrupted and enhanced the industry this year, to help travel businesses decide which are the essential technologies to implement for a successful 2024. 

Social e-commerce

While social media has long been used as a powerful tool to support marketing, brand building, and engaging with travelers, a quiet but significant shift has been observed across the travel industry this year - and it’s set to expand in 2024. The role of social media influencers and e-commerce tools - which facilitate travel bookings from within social media apps - are emerging as a powerful means to drive bookings. 

Phocuswright’s Under the Influence research report revealed that more than half of leisure travelers use social media to support their travel decisions. While the most popular type of account across all age groups to follow are those of family and friends, 30% of 18-34-year-olds use celebrity or social influencers’ social media accounts for travel inspiration - a figure that hasn’t gone unnoticed in the travel industry. 

This has led to a growth in travel technology that supports influencers in guiding travelers from the inspiration phase of booking a trip, to converting and making a booking. One means of achieving this is to integrate direct booking tools within social media apps themselves. 

While experts such as Stuart Greif of Forbes Travel Guide acknowledge that the industry hasn’t yet reached the point where travelers can book and then manage their entire trip through a social platform, it’s a vision that will likely come more into focus in 2024. By facilitating in-app purchases, e-commerce is a technology for travel companies that contributes to the idea of an all-in-one booking and payment experience - or the ‘connected trip’ that travel’s biggest brands are striving for. 

Local payment methods 

Consumers from multiple industries have grown accustomed to the flexibility and efficiency granted by the ability to pay online using their preferred local method, and those same consumers think no differently when booking travel. 

The ‘abandoned cart’ problem may be traditionally thought of as an issue for online retailers selling consumer goods, but it’s been shown that many travelers will simply not complete their booking if their preferred local payment method isn’t available. As such, the travel industry is sitting up and taking note, ushering in a new era of travel payments: local payment methods. 

Local payment methods simply refer to payment options that are specific to a particular country or region, reflecting the unique preferences and financial systems of each region or market. These methods are commonly used by the local population to make purchases and may include popular payment options like bank transfers, mobile wallets, and local credit or debit cards. In the United States, for example, common local payment methods include ACH and mobile payment apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay. While in Europe, Sofort is widely used in Germany and iDeal is the most popular choice in the Netherlands.

For businesses, presenting travelers with their familiar and trusted payment method reduces the risk of cart abandonment which leads to an improved conversion rate, overall boosting a business’s bottom line. Additionally, integrating local payment methods provides a competitive advantage, reduces the risk of fraud, and ensures that businesses adhere to local regulations. For travelers, paying via their preferred local option reduces friction in the payment journey, enhancing their experience with travel businesses, and saves money by eliminating foreign exchange (FX) fees. 

For businesses looking for a booking and payment software that not only provides travelers with a personalized experience but improves their bottom line, local payment methods are a travel technology to seek out in 2024. 

While automation is certainly not a new technology, the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) has helped democratize how easily automation can be implemented as a travel technology. Thanks to the power of AI, the availability and cost of automating processes are no longer prohibitive. 

Where travel businesses may have previously been put off automating their processes due to a lack of coding knowledge or funds, this year, the technology is being embraced. Third-party apps such as Zapier have paved the way for businesses to set up simple automations to improve workflow and efficiency, and more automation features are being integrated into booking and payment software platforms. 

According to Flora Zhang, Trip.com’s Global Head of User Experience, “AI-powered automation is streamlining processes, improving response times, and providing frictionless interactions across touchpoints.” But where previously, knowledge of coding was required to set up such complex automation processes, businesses now simply have to choose the right booking and payment software, and more often than not, the most transformative automations are already built in. 

WeTravel’s 2024 Travel Trends Report revealed that 30% of travel businesses already automate their customer-facing experience, while another 34% automate some back-end processes. While the remainder of businesses stated that they don’t want to integrate automation into their operations, in 2024, the expansion of automation technologies will likely mean that every travel business will automate some of their processes whether they make the conscious choice to, or not. 

Just like AI, automation is a key travel technology that allows businesses to maximize efficiency by streamlining time-consuming, repetitive tasks, freeing up time for customer interactions, and establishing supplier relationships - the elements of running a travel business that truly do require a human touch. 

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Much of the noise created in 2023 by artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT has been focused on the traveler's experience. From destination inspiration to crafting itineraries and providing real-time travel information (such as flight prices), AI-powered travel ‘assistants’ have shown travelers a new way to search for and book travel. 

But how is AI changing the industry for businesses? While headlines may have been dominated this year by the trip-planning tools created by industry giants such as Booking.com, the advantage that generative AI has given many tour operators has been to boost their digital marketing and customer support. From creating content such as videos, blog articles, and social media posts to crafting entire brand campaigns, as a travel technology, generative AI has already revolutionized how businesses build their brand, engage with travelers, and optimize resources. 

However, the true strength of AI and its ability to revolutionize the travel industry lies in its ability to super-power personalization at a mass scale. With personalization remaining steadfast as one of 2024’s most important travel consumer trends, all travel businesses should be looking for ways to enhance their travelers’ journey through a greater level of personalization. 

Through its ability to analyze huge amounts of traveler data, generative AI-powered tools can reveal what will resonate with a business’s target market, and subsequently create a tailored digital marketing strategy - from content creation through to distribution - in reflection of this data. 

While thought leaders stress the importance of businesses understanding their specific market to choose the right AI tools to support their operations, some experts predict that AI will soon be integrated into every tool of a business’s operations regardless of whether they’ve chosen it or not. Microsoft’s Global Director of Travel and Hospitality Shane O’Flaherty predicts that in 2024, rather than chat interfaces such as ChatGPT dominating the market, travel booking and payment platforms will integrate AI-supported features into their own operations, providing a seamless AI-powered service to all of the businesses who use them. 

Mobile-first Optimization 

The number one tech of this year in our eyes wasn’t a disruptive innovation, but rather the shift of travel towards being a mobile-first industry. Not only are certain regions such as Latin America and Africa now characterized as mobile-first or mobile-only markets, but travelers across the globe have grown to expect a mobile-optimized booking, payment, and trip management experience. 

This has in part been facilitated by the growth in smartphone accessibility as well as expanding data networks in previously remote or offline regions. But as with other transformational travel technologies that we’ve already seen such as local payment options, the shift towards mobile-first in the travel industry has also been driven by consumer behavior in other industries. 

Travelers are seeking the same seamless experience when purchasing travel as they do for any consumer goods - and they’ve grown accustomed to making online transactions from their mobiles. And as local and online payment options such as PayPal and Apple Pay are largely mobile-first tools, this trend isn’t set to slow down in 2024.  

More travelers than ever before are using their mobiles to book, pay, and manage their entire trip experience, but for travel businesses too, the potential growth offered by mobile-first optimization is huge. 

As a technology for travel companies, mobile-first encompasses everything from how businesses pay their on-the-ground suppliers and tour guides to their ability to manage bookings in real time. For businesses operating in remote regions, in particular, the capability to take payments, transfer funds, and communicate with travelers from mobile devices offers enormous growth potential. In 2024, travel businesses should prioritize booking and payment software that supports mobile-first optimization at every level of operations, and on both customer-facing and back-end channels. 

When looking back at the shifts that have taken place across the industry in 2023, many have been facilitated by an embracing of technology previously unseen in travel. Next year, this trend is unlikely to slow down, with travel businesses now more aware than ever before of the benefits of adopting technology to support their operations, improve their bottom line, and enhance their travelers’ experiences. 

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5 Travel Tech Trends Worth Watching in 2023

Justin Dawes , Skift

January 5th, 2023 at 2:30 AM EST

Travel technology has been turned on its head over the past couple of years. Just about every major trend listed was caused, directly or indirectly, by issues related to the pandemic.

Justin Dawes

Travel Tech Briefing

Editor’s Note:  Exclusive reporting on technology’s impact on the travel industry, delivered every Thursday. The briefing will guide executives as they decide if their companies should “build, buy, or partner” to stay ahead.

Much of the travel industry is continuing to recover after the pandemic and despite growing anxieties about the economy, with some metrics better than ever last year. 

As the industry continues to evolve technologically, there are several areas worth watching in the next year. Below are five highlights to keep an eye on:

Airport Biometrics 

In an effort to streamline the customer travel experience, airlines and airports are looking to implement biometrics capabilities into everyday use. Biometrics enables the personalization of technology using an individual’s biological readings, like using a fingerprint as an unlock passcode or facial recognition to confirm identity. 

Though there is criticism about privacy and data security issues, United Airlines and Delta Airlines — along with car rental company Avis — are among those experimenting now with facial, iris and fingerprint  biometrics. Registered passengers can move faster through security checkpoints by verifying their identification using a kiosk provided by Clear, a biometrics company that went public in June 2021.  

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is also piloting tech that matches live facial visuals with recording identification photos. The organization is reportedly testing the program at 16 airports nationwide, and that could expand this year.   

Travel Tech Boom in Southeast Asia

Iterative Capital just raised $55 million in its second fund focusing on general tech Southeast Asia. One of its portfolio companies is GoZayaan , an online travel agency focused in that region. 

Southeast Asia is two or three decades behind the Western world when it comes to general and travel tech investment, but it is catching up rapidly. 

“It’s just taking off. It’s kind of like Silicon Valley 20 years ago,” said Brian Ma , founder and managing partner of Singapore-based Iterative Capital. 

“The middle class is growing at a rate much faster than the U.S., and so more regular people have more money to spend. They’re starting to think about savings, health care, education, travel, all this kind of stuff.”

Because the region is so far behind, it has a unique set of travel issues for which it largely needs its own solutions, which is why there’s a budding group of travel tech startups. 

The Korea Tourism Startup Center last fall set up an accelerator in Singapore focused on travel tech startups, launching with 13 companies that pitched products in an effort to expand throughout Southeast Asia.  

Airline Technology Investment 

Following the system failure that Southwest Airlines experienced during the last week of December, the company has already said it finally plans to modernize operations. It took a disaster for Southwest, but that example may be the push that other airlines need to modernize and avoid a similar situation. 

Skift has already been getting press messages from tech companies looking to share opinions about what happened, no doubt looking to take advantage of what could be a sales opportunity. Whether it’s about scheduling optimization — the core of the expensive Southwest issue — or something else, industry executives in the New Year may be more open to what innovators have to offer. 

One statement came from Sourabh Gupta, CEO and co-founder of Skit.ai, a startup that raised $23 million for a product that’s meant to streamline call center operations with a voice bot that uses artificial intelligence to replicate human-like conversations.

“By combining voice AI technology and human agents for a significant competitive leg-up, failures like what we saw happen this past holiday weekend are less likely to happen. Digital innovation is meant to stay, and it pervades every aspect of the airline industry including customer service.”

Continued Hotel Tech Adoption 

Hotels have been slow to adopt new technology, but it has been increasing post-pandemic. One of the primary reasons is because of a serious labor shortage in the hospitality industry. 

Lower budget hotels are adding features like contactless check-in and housekeeping to eliminate a need for as many workers, while luxury hotels are looking at their own type of tech adoption. 

But, many hotels have a long way to go to reach the personalized, up-to-date experience that customers are looking for. Most hotels don’t offer features like mobile check-in, choosing their room location, or even television streaming services. 

Short-Term Rental Platform Growth

There were dozens of fundraises totaling billions of dollars last year for a variety of platforms dedicated to short-term rentals and software to help property managers organize their business. 

These platforms are not just focused on vacations, but also niche areas like business travelers and remote workers. 

Some of the consumer demand for vacation rentals is slowing , but the industry is generally expected to continue growing in the near future. 

Some venture-backed platforms, like Le Collectionist , are also focused on acquiring travel agencies and other smaller companies in an effort to consolidate the fragmented industry. 

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Tags: airports , biometrics , hotel technology , short-term rentals , southeast asia , Travel Tech Briefing , travel technology

Photo credit: Le Collectionist in December acquired The Greek Villas, a luxury rental agency with more than 500 properties.

Travel Technology Trends

By Rebecca Somes

We recently caught up with Traveltek’s Senior Vice President of Sales for the Americas, Francis Riley, to discuss his views on the importance of technology in the travel industry and the tech trends he believes travel professionals need to follow to stay ahead of the game. Three months into his role, here’s what Francis had to say…

How important do you think technology is for the travel industry?

In today’s world, those in the travel industry need to remain relevant, competitive and efficient if they are to prosper. Various pain points such as working with older systems or multiple systems, limited customer data, slow and inaccurate manual processes and duplication of efforts all put considerable pressure on top line sales and business costs. Technology minimises, and can even eliminate, these pain points to maximise sales and conversion rates.

How do you think Traveltek technology can benefit travel professionals?

In a fiercely competitive global marketplace, the powerful technology solutions we provide at Traveltek ensure clients can remain relevant to their customers and enable them to work smarter. The end-to-end solutions we provide offer a unique “one-stop shop” for multiple functions across a single selling platform that can include reservations and bookings, documentation and even supplier payments. In addition, our platforms allow users to manage their margins as well as provide booking solutions that are multi-lingual, multi-channel and multi-currency.  In consumer and business to business markets, it offers the flexibility and choice they need to manage their distribution to consumers and agents.

How does Traveltek work with those who aren’t very tech-savvy?

The team in the US, like me, are not all necessarily from a technology background. We come from sales, marketing and commercial disciplines and part of the consultative approach we adopt when working with customers or potential customers is to translate the technical requirements into practical solutions. While our platform is extremely robust and complex in the background, the front-end couldn’t be simpler to use. It’s been built and developed in consultation with some of the world’s leading travel companies, with their needs front of mind. It’s there to make the travel booker’s life easier and ensuring it’s intuitive and user-friendly is all part of that.

We also offer extensive training, training guides and 24-hour support so it’s really not the case that once the system is built, you’re on your own. Far from it, in fact. We really value our clients and we see the relationship as a partnership. Ensuring they get the very most out of the system and that it really transforms their business is what we’re all about. I don’t believe anyone should fear technology just because they are not tech savvy. On the contrary, what they do comprehend is their business and the need to change and maybe adopt a new process to grow. And technology can help in so many ways.

What current travel tech trends should the industry be aware of?

One area that I have seen considerable engagement with us from a technology standpoint has been the ability of the travel partner to curate and package cruise and tour offers. Consumer demand and the appetite for this travel offering seems to be on an upward trajectory and, as such, providing technology solutions to help and assist the sales of these products becomes increasingly important. The ability to integrate cruises or tours with a range of add-ons, priced and displayed in the currency and language of choice allows for improved sales and improved customer satisfaction.

At Traveltek, for example, we offer market-leading cruise booking tools that will allow the travel company to present multiple pre and post cruise, flight, hotel and transfer options that take the cruise itinerary to the next level. Not just set packages either. In consultation with agents around the world, we have crafted the technology whereby consumers or agents are empowered to handpick flights, hotels, transfers and attractions to create tailor-made packages around the cruise of their choice, all in one simple booking journey.

What is Traveltek’s ultimate goal for the travel industry?

Our mission is simply to help travel businesses grow and prosper. With over 400 clients across 35 markets around the world we have been true to this promise and perhaps its testament to our relationships with our clients that, for many, we are an integrated part of their own business strategies.

Our consultative approach, a worldwide team across multiple offices and a bench strength of product and technology expertise are all reasons why we believe we are world leading and our technology solutions set us apart from the rest. It’s also probably why Traveltek has been recognized globally by the World Travel Awards for the “World’s Leading Dynamic Packaging Solutions Provider” for the last four years and last year also recognized as “Europe’s Leading Travel Technology Provider.”

Further notes from our head of digital marketing Rebecca Somes:

Technology Trends in the Travel Industry

Many travel agencies have already reported record sales days in January, making it clear that 2024 is poised to be a big year for travel. 

And to keep up with the levels of demand, travel companies have to digitize to survive. According to a report by Statista , the global market for travel technologies was estimated to be worth  8.6 billion U.S. dollars  in 2020.  By 2026, the size of this industry could increase by approximately  45 percent . There is much growth to come in this market and investing in travel technology has never been more important.

What is Travel Tech?

Travel technology trends cover the most recent advancements in digital and technological solutions within the travel industry. They play a pivotal role in elevating the customer experience, optimizing operational processes, and opening up fresh avenues for customisation and effectiveness in travel planning and administration.

With this in mind, here are Traveltek’s predictions for the top technology trends in Travel for 2024.

Automation : In recent years, we have certainly seen an increase in RPA (robotic processing automation) and we think this is the year that will propel businesses embracing this trend and not fear robots are here to steal jobs. There are plenty of use cases now, where its clear RPA can efficiently drive process improvements, with less error and a significant ability to scale.

Adoption of AI (artificial intelligence) & ML (machine learning ): As with many other industries we expect travel companies and travel agents to look at ways they can embed AI into their day to day lives. Whether this is utilizing simple tools like zoom AI companion summary, ChatGPT to help write destination guides and literature (of course complimenting industry expertise) we’ve seen how these tools can compliment industry expertise. It’s becoming clear that AI is here to stay and this trend will continue to gain momentum. So  it’s key that we embrace this and don’t simply ignore it.

Payment Simplification: Travel is a complex beast and currently payment processes are arduous and expensive. Although change has started in this arena, we predict big changes to come in 2024.  New players are now challenging the status quo, allowing travel companies to aid payment options and credit options to personalize this for consumers. We expect to see new payment players making their entry in the travel world in 2024.

Online Cruise bookability : As a business synonymous with Cruise, perhaps we are a little biased here, but the data for Cruise is unarguable. 4 million new to Cruise customers need to be enticed by 2025 to fill the new ships entering our waters according to CLIA . This has sparked a demand for online cruise book ability. We predict innovation and new entrants to the cruise world to take advantage of this natural growth. 

Buy v Build: Of course it goes without saying that the travel sector was hit hard in recent years and the industry has been hard at work to rebuild since the pandemic.  Many companies who are still wrestling with legacy tech are now debating whether to buy or build, across their infrastructure. We predict a growing trend in businesses that choose to connect with each other and focus more on buying in the tech they need rather than building everything in house themselves. This is a trend which will also see a greater collaboration between tech companies in 2024.

To learn more about how Traveltek can help your travel company stay ahead of the curve and the competition, contact us today.

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The Biggest Travel Trends to Expect in 2024

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If 2022 travel trends were all about a return to travel, then 2023 was the year we went further than ever before . Travelers took to the skies, rails, roads, and seas to cross off goals on their bucket lists with Arctic adventures, luxury yacht cruises , and even the first tourist trip into space.

In 2024, travelers will be putting what’s important to them front and center of their plans, valuing deeper experiences that leave a positive impact, time spent with loved ones, and wellness moments that last well after checkout. We’ll be choosing destinations carefully, slowing it down to enjoy the silence and the stars, indulging in our love of food in new and interesting places, and immersing ourselves in wellness practices that help us live longer.

These are the 20 travel trends likely to guide how we see the world in 2024.

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller UK .

1. Astro tourism

What’s the trend? Astronomy, of course, is a field of study that has been around since the dawn of civilization, and the act of gazing up at the stars has long been a source of soul-soothing wonder. Today, the more society falls deeper into an ever-expanding virtual world, the more we feel a need to broaden our horizons in the real universe. Astro tourism is the act of traveling with the aim of catching sight of astronomical phenomena—disappearing to lands devoid of any pollution, crowds, and traffic, where we can focus solely on the skies above and while away hours gazing at the stars, planets, and constellations overhead.

Why will it matter in 2024? Increasingly, wellness-centric hotels and spas are creating the space for guests to gaze upwards, watching for comets, spying constellations, and identifying patterns in the glittering expanse. In the UK, Port Lympne has opened the Lookout Bubble, a glass dome allowing guests to sprawl out on king-sized beds and study the stars. Further east on the Arabian Gulf, Zulal Wellness Resort is surrounded by the expanse of the Qatari desert—the ultimate destination for pollution-free astromancy, with dedicated workshops and stargazing sessions for families and children looking to learn more about the cosmos.

Safari company Desert & Delta organizes trips for travelers looking to soak up the stars across Botswana and Namibia, where guests can sleep in tents at remote locations such as the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world’s largest salt flats, and spend nights with uninterrupted star vistas. Similarly, Tswalu is a South African safari camp with star beds set on a sleep-out deck in the Korannaberg mountains. And 2024 happens to be a big year for the skies, from mind-boggling eclipses to spectacular meteor showers.

Plus, scientists are predicting the best displays of the Northern Lights in 20 years, according to the Guardian , as we approach the next solar maximum (the sun’s peak of its 11-year activity cycle). — Olivia Morelli

2. Eco diving

What’s the trend? A rise in divers choosing their travel destinations based on the sustainability of the scuba centers , and having a more positive and regenerative impact on the ocean once there.

Why will it matter in 2024? In 2022, UK marine ecology charity The Reef-World Foundation found that 95% of divers wanted to book with sustainable operators, but struggled to do so. In response to this, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (a.k.a. Padi) launched its Eco Center accreditation on World Earth Day in 2023, with the United Nations Environment Program and Reef-World itself. The steps required to earn this green status are so rigorous, including sharing evidence of conservation activities and a real reduction in environmental footprint, that Padi advised operators to allow at least 12 months to hit the criteria—taking us to Earth Day 2024.

After an initial figure of just 11 worldwide, there are now 100 accredited operators, and Padi has set a goal to reach 660 by 2030—a tenth of its membership. “South East Asia currently has the highest density (more than 20), along with the Caribbean ,” says Julie Andersen of Padi. So what does this mean for divers and their trips? “The type of conservation work done and reported on depends on the Eco Center,” Andersen explains. “Those in the Caribbean offer coral replanting programs, key for regenerating coastlines. In Baja, Mexico , they’ve developed citizen science courses, collecting data for whale conservation.”

There are also a number of new Padi courses being launched for any diver to take anywhere, including the Global Shark and Ray Census in August 2024, as well as the relaunch of the Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course before December. — Becky Lucas

3. Home swapping

What’s the trend? Increasingly, discerning travelers are looking to stay away for longer stretches, while the rise of remote jobs means that working and living abroad has never been more appealing. The catch? Forking out on hefty accommodation fees while you’re at it. Enter home swapping: the perfect solution to guarantee yourself a (free) home abroad while you offer up your own in exchange for weeks or even months at a time.

Why will it matter in 2024? As the cost of traveling continues to climb, home swapping is an affordable alternative to splashing out on expensive hotels or Airbnbs. And while the concepts of couch surfing and house exchanges have existed for decades, several slick new platforms are redefining what home swapping looks like today.

Twin City , which operates in cities like as Lisbon and Los Angeles , has curated a community of over 1,100 carefully vetted users in just eight months. For an annual subscription fee of about $189, members can find Twins to connect with through the platform, and are encouraged to exchange local recommendations for their city as well as their homes, enabling members to feel as if they’re swapping with a trusted friend rather than a stranger.

Meanwhile, Kindred , a home-swapping platform where members rack ​​up credits for each night that they exchange homes, raised $15 million in funding this year to expand operations across the US and Europe, and currently has more then 10,000 homes in over 50 cities. Members simply pay a cleaning and service fee for each stay, while the cost of the stay itself is free.

Travelers can skip out on membership fees entirely and head straight to TikTok, where Gen Z appears to be spearheading the home-swapping movement on social media. Inspired by the film The Holiday , trending tags #houseswap and #homeswap have garnered more than 23 and 20 million views respectively, with users utilizing the platform as a means to advertise their homes, discover like-minded peers to swap with, and document their adventures along the way. — Gina Jackson

4. Train stations are the new food destinations

What’s the trend? Train stations around the world are usually passed through as quickly as possible, having not been designed for commuters to stay and hang out. Nowadays, as travel delays increase and visitors want more local experiences, it pays for train stations to welcome travelers with shops, restaurants, and bars for them to explore. In an effort to create a more dynamic visitor experience, historic train stations are being revamped, with bespoke food and drink offerings as an integral part of the redesign.

Why will it matter in 2024? As train stations are renovated to accommodate more travelers and update old infrastructure, local restaurants and bars are being added to attract more customers. In 2023, the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York City became home to The Irish Exit, a bar from the team behind the acclaimed Dead Rabbit, and Yono Sushi by trendy BondST, plus outposts of beloved NYC restaurants Pastrami Queen and Jacob’s Pickles, with Mexican hotspot La Esquina coming soon. As part of its renovation, Toronto’s Union Station launched Union Market in May 2023 with favorite local food retailers Manotas Organics, Chocolatta Brigadeiro’s, Patties Express, and Kibo.

In the UK, Platform 1 , a new bar and restaurant, opened in November underneath Glasgow Central Station . The cave-like space, with its historic brick arches, serves street-food-style dishes and craft brews made in the on-site microbrewery, plus there’s an outdoor beer garden. Meanwhile, in Somerset, Castle Cary station is in the process of a revamp, with nearby hotel The Newt creating a creamery, cafe, and co-working space, which is set to open in 2024.

Also on tap for the next few years is the completed renovation of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, with plans for a 20% increase in concession space that will focus on local purveyors. — Devorah Lev-Tov

5. Sports tourism

What’s the trend? Sports tourism has evolved in the past few years with a new generation of sports fan emerging, thanks to glossy TV documentaries ( Formula 1: Drive to Survive , we’re looking at you). Now, we’re taking our fandom out of the house and following a host of different sports in destinations across the world, planning trips that hinge around seeing games, races, and other activities in exotic locales, and extending trips on either side to see the sights too.

Why will it matter in 2024? A little event known as the Olympic and Paralympic Games anchors the 2024 sports calendar. It kicks off in Paris in late July and runs until early September , during which time more than a million tourists are expected to check in across the French capital. The games have inspired city-wide projects such as the €1.4-billion clean-up of the Seine, which, should all go well, will allow public swimming in the river for the first time in a century.

Elsewhere, the Tour de France starts in Italy for the first time, with competitors speeding off in Florence before heading to Rimini on the Adriatic coast and then north to the Apennines through Emilia-Romagna. New bike routes in the area have been released by tour operators such as Ride International Tours and Ride Holidays for cycling enthusiasts keen to join in the fun. — Sarah James

6. Coolcationing

What’s the trend? For the vast majority of folks, summer holidays used to be about following the sun, seeking the heat—watching the mercury climb and hitting the sands. With the intense, record-breaking temperatures of recent years, however, many are considering traveling in the opposite direction: booking "coolcations" in temperate destinations, which also benefit from being less crowded.

Why will it matter in 2024? It's official: 2023 is the hottest year on record . Little wonder that many travelers are thinking twice before booking literal hotspots like the South of France and Sicily, prone to heatwaves , in July or August. A survey for luxe travel network Virtuoso found that 82% of its clients are considering destinations with more moderate weather in 2024: destinations such as Iceland , Finland , and Scotland , according to Intrepid Travel , along with Latvia, which is surging in popularity. “We’re seeing an increase in those holidaying further north,” says Andrea Godfrey of Regent Holidays . “Scandinavia and the Baltics are both getting noticed more: They offer a more pared-back style of holiday but have some lovely beaches, forests, and lakes for both relaxation and adventure activities.”

Cooler temperatures are particularly well suited to family travel too. “We’re getting far more inquiries from families for destinations that offer summer sun, but also respite from the high temperatures being experienced in beach resorts across the Med,” says Liddy Pleasants, founder of family specialist Stubborn Mule Travel . “Kayaking in Norway, with its midnight sun, for instance, and cycling or hiking in Slovenia, which is also very good value.” — Rick Jordan

7. Gig tripping

What’s the trend? For years, athletes and wellness gurus were the big headliners at retreats. But rock stars are, well, the new rock stars of travel. Call it the Taylor Swift Effect. Destination concert business is up more than 50%, led mostly by Taylor Swift, says Janel Carnero, a travel advisor at Embark Beyond . In the US, tickets for Swift’s Eras Tour cost thousands and were still impossible to score. Music fans are realizing they can pay less and have a more memorable experience by seeing their favorite pop icons perform in say, Amsterdam or Milan . (Remember when everyone went to see Beyoncé early in Stockholm ?) Tours from performers such as Pearl Jam, U2, Doja Cat, and Madonna will anchor trip itineraries, while music festivals—Glastonbury sold out in less than an hour—will be major catalysts for travel.

Why will it matter in 2024? New music festivals, including Untold in Romania's Cluj-Napoca, are introducing travelers to less-popular destinations, says Alexandrea Padilha of Fischer Travel . And it’s no longer just about the music, says Carnero. “It’s the social aspect of sharing experiences with friends,” she adds.

Hotels and travel companies have taken note and are creating the equivalent of backstage VIP experiences for guests. Global adventure collective Eleven has recently introduced Music with Eleven. The program’s dedicated team of music-industry insiders (including Chris Funk, guitarist from the Decemberists) design custom itineraries that might include sitting in on a recording session at Flóki Studios, just outside the Arctic Circle at Deplar Farm in Iceland. And Rhythm & Sails  hosts musicians on its catamarans. The company’s music director, Anders Beck of the jam band Greensky Bluegrass, curates the line-up of artists who perform sessions onboard and in ports as you island hop around the Caribbean . — Jen Murphy

8. Resorts will help you biohack your health span

What’s the trend? Longevity is the latest wellness buzzword thanks to best-selling books such as  Outlive  and the hit Netflix documentary  Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones . Between 2021 and 2022, venture-capital investment in longevity clinics more than doubled from $27 million to $57 million globally, according to analysis from longevity research and media company Longevity.Technology. Now, the science of extending life and optimizing health has become the focus at hotels. Blue Zones retreats are the new boot camps, and even sybaritic resorts are offering the latest biohacks. Poolside vitamin IV, anyone?

Why will it matter in 2024? Since the pandemic, feeling good trumps looking good. “People have become aware of the critical importance of developing a more proactive, preventive approach to health on all levels,” says Karina Stewart, co-founder of Kamalaya , a wellness retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand . This means a new willingness to go beyond diet and exercise and embrace sci-fi-sounding bio-regenerative treatments such as ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygen chambers, both on offer at Kamalaya's new Longevity House.

Luxury hotel brands are embracing the trend too. Six Senses Ibiza recently teamed up with biotech company RoseBar to offer guests full diagnostic testing. Maybourne Hotel Group is collaborating with wellness tech pioneer Virtusan to help guests boost performance. And Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea administers treatments such as stem cells and NAD+ (a.k.a. the fountain of youth) through its partnership with Next Health . At 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai, guests are welcomed with a B12 shot and the resort’s new wellness-specific rooms come with recovery-boosting mod cons including infrared light mats. If the trend continues, the secret to longevity may be as easy as taking more holidays. — Jen Murphy

9. Peak season gets the cold shoulder

What's the trend? There’s been a dramatic recent increase in shoulder season travel to Europe’s most popular destinations (particularly France , Spain , the UK , and Italy ), which is set to continue in 2024. Luxury travel specialists Original Travel has launched new shoulder season itineraries to locations traditionally in demand during the summer—including the crystalline seascapes of Sardinia and Corsica—after seeing 14% more bookings for September 2023 than for August 2023. Pegi Amarteifio of Small Luxury Hotels of the World shares similar insights: “Comparing phone reservations in 2023 against 2019, we’ve seen a 33% increase for March to May and a 58% increase for September to November, a pattern reflected across our other booking channels too.”

Why will it matter in 2024? A combination of social, economic, and environmental factors is driving this trend into 2024. The cost of living crisis means a heightened focus on value. For 62% of respondents to Booking.com’s 2024 travel trends survey, this is a limiting factor for 2024 travel planning, so much so that 47% of respondents are even willing to take children out of school for cheaper off-peak travel. Shoulder season travel is also becoming more attractive due to rising temperatures, and more feasible due to flexible working. Layered on top of these practical considerations is an emotional motivation too: Travelers are craving authenticity more than ever, seeking a tranquil and local feel when abroad, rather than beaches that resemble a Where's Waldo? scene. — Toyo Odetunde

10. Private group travel

What’s the trend? The post-pandemic desire to gather friends or family and embark on a shared holiday experience shows no sign of abating. In fact, it’s on the increase in luxury travel, as people appreciate the benefits and savor the moment, from three-generation family groups to 50-something empty-nesters keen to rekindle life-long friendships. Just don’t take Succession ’s family outing to Tuscany as a role model.

Why will it matter in 2024? “While some predicted group travel would peak post-pandemic, we’ve seen it have a lasting, positive impact with private group bookings continuing to be a dominant trend,” says Tom Marchant of Black Tomato , for whom group travel now accounts for 30% of bookings. The company has just launched its See You in the Moment series to cater for the demand. It uses a mood board of over 35 experiences themed around key flash points, from The Meal (a backcountry feast served on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon , for example) to The Challenge (rafting down the Apurímac in Peru , perhaps), all designed to create lasting memories. For Scott Williams , meanwhile, multi-generational travelers are thinking big: Why take one house when you can take a whole estate, such as Meli on Paxos in the Greek Islands, which sleeps 17?

Other groups are taking to the water, with Red Savannah reporting an increase in bookings for Turkish gulets, Egyptian dahabiyas, and Indonesian phinisis. Scott Dunn have seen an increase in bookings amongst groups of friends, with 30% of respondents in a recent survey saying they were planning trips for 2024 that included ski trips to France, adventure travel in South and Central America, and beach breaks on Antigua and Barbados.

Empty-nesters are also a growing force, with groups of couples in their 50s to 70s hiring villas in the shoulder season for cultural weeks away, and all-female groups—mainly aged between 50 and 65—who are proactive in wanting to renew long-term friendships. “We had one repeat group that included several cancer survivors,” says Sarah-Leigh Shenton at Red Savannah. “A hammam afternoon in Turkey was a deeply bonding experience and they’ve since traveled to Jordan and Sicily together.” — Rick Jordan

11. AI aims to be your sidekick

What's the trend? Early last year, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT broke the record as the fastest-ever growing consumer app, travelers started playing around with AI chatbots to get inspiration on where they could go. More recently, major travel booking platforms have started to integrate AI chatbots into the booking experience. But if 2023 was the year of AI chatbots wanting to plan your trips , 2024 will be all about how AI aspires to be your travel sidekick. A wave of new AI-powered features and products aims to support travelers on the ground, all while raising concerns around the potential negative impacts as AI becomes more widely integrated with our travels.

Why will it matter in 2024? AI will start to make more real-time interventions in our travels in 2024. One practical example is live translation , which Samsung plans to launch on its 2024 Galaxy devices. Imagine calling somewhere you want to visit to get information without worrying about whether staff speak the same language as you. Another example is greater AI personalization in popular apps you already use. Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has recently touted the company's increasing use of personalized AI algorithms , which will learn about your habits and make suggestions based on what you’re doing.

For the true early adopters, real-time travel interventions could also mean ditching your screen entirely and clipping a screenless personal translator and travel assistant to your chest. This is the unusual idea behind the new talking and projecting AI Pin from Humane , a start-up backed by investors including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, that promises to function a bit like the universal translator from Star Trek . Will anyone want to actually wear the pin or will it go the way of previously hyped devices such as Google Glass? It certainly raises a host of ethical questions about privacy and data protection. Yet the more that AI products successfully help in addressing on-the-go problems, the more travelers will come to rely on them too. — JD Shadel

12. Skip-gen travel

What’s the trend? Skip-gen travel describes when grandparents holiday with grandchildren, in other words, “skipping” a generation. “In the past few months, I've had around twice as many enquiries as usual for grandchild/grandchild bookings,” says Clio Wood, founder of family retreat company &Breathe . “There’s been a rising trend of grandparents taking their grandchildren away,” agrees Ollie Summers, head of sales at luxury travel operator Scott Dunn . “Often to places that have a sentimental meaning to them.”

Why will it matter in 2024? Several travel agencies have created itineraries to cater specifically for this demand in 2024. “Skip-gen safaris are emerging as a micro-trend from the UK, reflecting a niche traveler group now well established in the US luxury market,” says Liane Goldring of Mahlatini Luxury Travel . “The grandparents are usually in their 70s and still active enough to fully embrace a fully guided safari adventure.” Original Travel, meanwhile, has relaunched its Bonding Holidays Collection , featuring trips focused on discovering something new together, such as its 14-day Family Ranching itinerary in the American West. Some of this growth can be attributed to big-ticket lockdown promises coming to fruition. Now, parents are also keen to make the most of the time and childcare support of their typically retired parents. Plus, the global ratio of living grandparents to grandchildren is higher than ever, thanks to a combined increase in life expectancy and drop in the number of children per person. We’re even said to be living in the “the age of the grandparent.” Don’t expect this trend—or your grandparents—to slow down anytime soon. — Becky Lucas

13. Train travel gets glam

What’s the trend? Rising climate consciousness has fueled a rail travel revival, and so the luxury train niche is reaching new heights of popularity, extravagance, and ambition. Travel booking platforms are reporting growing demand for luxury rail trips , where the journey is, yes, the destination. In fact, new design-forward train lines increasingly rival the finest hotels for the culinary experiences and bells and whistles on offer.

Why will it matter in 2024? A new wave of rail lines and itineraries launching in 2024 puts an emphasis on deeper immersion into the culture and landscapes of the destinations, which are more and more off the beaten track. Responding to growing demand for luxury train travel among its user base, specialist platform Railbookers plans to launch arguably the most geographically extensive and expensive luxury train itinerary around. With prices per person starting at $113,599, the 80-day Around the World by Luxury Train voyage will cross four continents and 13 countries. Beginning in August, the slow journey will string together existing luxury rail trips including Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Jasper, and India’s Maharajas Express from Delhi to Mumbai.

In Asia, the previously paused Eastern & Oriental Express is making a grand comeback starting in February, with carriages getting an upscale revamp and its legendary route being retraced through Malaysia's landscapes. Meanwhile, Japan is a hot destination for its scenic train journeys such as the exclusive Train Suite Shiki-shima, which quickly closed applications for its 2024 trips due to demand.

And in Europe, six new train lines will commence or terminate in Rome under Accor's La Dolce Vita umbrella, with suites designed by starchitects Dimorestudio, building on the cultural legacy of the famous Orient Express . — JD Shadel

14. Restaurateur-owned hotels

What’s the trend? Restaurants and hotels are the two keystones of the hospitality industry. And naturally, the two are often intertwined on one premises. Until recently, though, most hotels weren’t started or owned by restaurateurs. Yet as food-focused travel keeps increasing, with people hankering for the next hot reservation and planning entire trips around engaging with a culture through its food, it makes sense that restaurateurs are adding hotelier to their personal bios—and ensuring their new properties have impressive food offerings. We’d be remiss not to mention Nobu, which began as a restaurant in 1994 and in 2013 launched its global hotel brand , as a harbinger of the trend.

Why will it matter in 2024? Just as design brands (RH, West Elm) have opened hotels in recent years, now restaurateurs are getting in on the action. In the US, restaurateur and 12-time James Beard award nominee Sam Fox has just launched the Global Ambassador in Phoenix, Arizona, with five restaurants. Santa Barbara’s Good Lion Hospitality is relaunching Petit Soleil , a Californian wine country boutique hotel, with a new bar and restaurant slated for next spring. The Lafayette Hotel & Club was debuted last summer in San Diego by Arsalun Tafazoli, founder of a local hospitality group that operates 16 bars and restaurants. The hotel has five restaurants and bars, with two more opening by the end of the year. In Dallas, Harwood International, which owns a dozen or so restaurants in the area, opened Hôtel Swexan in June.

In the St. Gallen region of Switzerland, two hotels were recently added to beloved restaurants: the revamped Mammertsberg  and  Gasthaus Traube . In Slovenia, AS Hotel is a new place to stay launched by Sebastijan Raspopović, son of chef Svetozar Raspopović-Pope of renowned restaurant Gostilna AS in Lublijana. Aside from a restaurant by Raspopović-Pope, the hotel also has an eatery by Michelin-lauded chef Ana Roš. Finally,  R48 , and its lauded Chef’s Table, was opened in Tel Aviv last spring by R2M Hospitality Group, which also runs restaurants CoffeeBar and Herzl 16. — Devorah Lev-Tov

15. Silent travel

What’s the trend? In an age of overstimulation, silence might be just what we need from our travels in 2024. Offering a chance to restore and reset, silent travel represents a more mindful kind of trip, one that doesn’t leave you needing a holiday to recover from your holiday. Silent meditation retreats are an increasingly popular wellness trend, but silent travel also encompasses secluded nature resorts, sleep retreats , quiet hotels , silent walking tours and even silent disco and concert experiences.

Why will it matter in 2024? Saturated with stress and screen time, many of us are looking for ways to disconnect. The silent walking trend that recently took TikTok by storm reflects a growing impulse to escape the noise of our tech-fueled lives and embrace the quiet, with promising implications for wellbeing. One 2015 study suggests silence may help to stimulate brain development, while another found that two minutes of silence during or after relaxing music increased the music's calming effects. With the Global Wellness Institute forecasting a 21% increase in wellness tourism in the next two years, what better counter to the chaos of our always-on lives than silence? Silent travel is also part of a move towards more sustainable tourism. Quiet Parks International , for example, offers unique nature experiences in dedicated quiet spaces, reducing noise pollution for the surrounding wildlife.

Silent travel opportunities abound in 2024. Kick off the year with a silent retreat in Portugal (with Innate ) or Italy (with Mandali ). More adventurous silent-seekers can trek the peaceful Japanese Kumano Kodo trail, or explore Finland’s Arctic landscape with a Silence & Nature Tour . For a tailor-made silent experience, Black Tomato’s Blink camp offers luxury accommodation in the world’s most remote settings, while its Get Lost program promises to help you find yourself by getting lost in a far-flung location. — Tasha Kleeman

16. Urban gardens

What’s the trend? Never mind the biophilic office and those pot plants you forget to water: Whole cities are going green as architects and planners create leafy microclimates amid the grey concrete to help keep us cooler, connect communities and even feed us.

Why will it matter in 2024? Having trees and gardens in our cities is a pretty good idea. King Nebuchadnezzar certainly thought so, which is why his Hanging Gardens of Babylon made it into travel’s first-ever bucket list—the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—back in the 2nd century BC. Nowadays, planting trees creates much-needed shade, stores carbon, and increases biodiversity, but it also makes our cityscapes so much nicer.

While Valencia, an early adopter of urban greening with its 12km-long Turia Garden in 1986, is the 2024 European Green Capital, France is busy planting trees like there’s no tomorrow. Go to Paris for the 2024 Olympics and you’ll spot budding new forests growing in Place du Colonel-Fabien, Place de Catalogne, and in the Charonne district, while Bordeaux ’s Grandeur Nature project includes urban cooling islands, micro-forests, and rain gardens.

Meanwhile, on Cyprus—an island that experienced temperatures of 111°F in 2023—the new Salina Park opens in time for summer shade in the seaside city of Larnaca. In Brazil , Rio’s Hortas Cariocas is a groundbreaking achievement that will be completed by the end of 2024: the largest urban vegetable garden in the world, connecting 56 community gardens across favelas and schools.

And in London , the £1-billion Google building in King’s Cross will show just what can be done with one structure. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the “landscraper”—only 11 stories high but stretching out longer than the Shard is tall—is hoped to provide a blueprint for future urban projects: running along the rooftop is a multi-level garden, with wildflowers, lawns and decked seating areas, set with more than 55,000 plants and 250 trees. Can you dig it? — Rick Jordan

17. Back-of-house tours

What’s the trend? Greener hotels giving us a look behind the scenes to show us—not just tell us— they're sustainable. Not just a look-see at solar panels or composting, but experiential tours that help us appreciate why it matters to support socio-economic uplift through tourism. In South America, Blue Apple Beach invites visitors to get up close and personal with the community work it does in Colombia through its impact fund. Founder Portia Hart wanted more than token-gesture carbon offsetting, where locals themselves could decide how money was spent. In Africa, guests of the Bushcamp Company contribute to initiatives through the Luangwa Conservation and Community Fund. A popular excursion in Zambia is visiting the boreholes that are installed with outreach funds. Each pump provides fresh drinking water to hundreds of people a day, and visitors who spend time with those gathered get a very tangible insight into how such provisions funded by hospitality can literally change lives in regions most affected by a warming planet.

Why will it matter in 2024? Transparency is on the up as the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive comes into force and greenwashing is coming close to being officially outlawed. A year of droughts, floods, and heatwaves also reminds us we need to make better-informed choices in our travel planning—and all the better if we can also get a crash course on the science and sociology of positive impact. Experiences that go beyond explaining responsible practices, but demonstrate a deep respect for communities on the climate-change frontlines and help make their challenges relatable to visitors are especially helpful. — Juliet Kinsman

18. Wild feasting

What’s the trend? Have you ever noticed how food always tastes better outdoors? But in today’s modern world, many of us are more used to eating a sandwich while staring at a screen. Wild feasting describes the trend for beautifully curated culinary experiences in natural environments with the incorporation of hyper-local and foraged ingredients. In Sweden , for example, you can tap into a network of do-it-yourself outdoor restaurants where you book a table in a scenic location, search for nettles, birch leaves, lingonberries, and trumpet chanterelles, and then cook them on an open fire according to a recipe card provided by a Michelin-grade chef.

Why will it matter in 2024? A greater range of wild feasting opportunities will give urbanites a chance to properly connect over food. Leading the way is Noah Ellis, founder of the UK's Nomadic Dinners . “Since launching in 2018, we experienced compounded year-on-year growth for our feasting and foraging experiences,” he says. In 2024, he will be hosting a new series of fire feasts, including one set among the bluebells. Also tapping into the zeitgeist is TikTok star Alexis Nikole Nelson (a.k.a. the Black Forager) who will publish a book about wild food in 2024. And don’t forget, 2024 is the last year you will be able to eat at Copenhagen ’s legendary, foraging-focused restaurant Noma before it turns into a test kitchen and closes to the public.

Another innovator is Holmen Lofoten’s Kitchen On The Edge Of The World series in the Norwegian Arctic Circle, where guests can participate in four nights of wild feasts cooked by top chefs. In 2024, these will include Lennox Hastie, José Pizarro, and Heidi Bjerkan. Ingunn Rasmussen, owner of Holmen Lofoten, says, “Now, as when we were little kids, gathering around a bonfire in the wilderness, sharing stories, and feasting under the stars in these magical, remote surroundings is one of the absolute highlights, both for our guests and for us.” — Jenny Southan

19. Plan-free travel

What's the trend? Saying no to endless scrolling to plan every inch of a trip, and saying yes to spontaneity instead. The power of the algorithm-spawned era of FOMO travel is waning, with those once secret spots made Insta-famous becoming tired and cookie-cutter, and the drive to plan a trip around them losing momentum. The rising counter movement is travel with no plans at all.

Why will it matter in 2024? The plan-free appeal is going one step further in 2024. Booking.com recently reported that 50% of UK travelers want to book a surprise trip in 2024, where everything, even the destination, is unknown until arrival. And it’s possible to do it via travel companies such as Black Tomato, whose Get Lost service offers customers the ability to simply select a preferred environment—polar, jungle, desert, mountain, or coastal—and leave its team to decide everything else. “While we launched Get Lost several years ago, post-pandemic we’ve seen a notable and rising uptick in bookings and enquiries,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant.

Journee offers a similar surprise element, with travelers only finding out where they’re going at the airport. The service, which includes a full itinerary and access to a team via Whatsapp, is particularly popular with solo female travelers, while overall demand has grown so much that the London-based brand recently launched trips in the US. — Lauren Burvill

20. Frontier tourism

What’s the trend? To go above and beyond. Or below and under. As crossings of the tumultuous Drake Passage to Antarctica rack up millions of TikTok views and traffic jams form on Everest, canny travelers are seeking more individual, less obvious experiences that combine thrill-seeking with more meaningful self-empowerment.

Why will it matter in 2024? One person’s frontier is another’s backyard, of course, so frontiers are entirely subjective here. For some, this could mean being the first to camp under the stars in a remote landscape, or hike an ancient pilgrimage trail that’s been off the map for centuries. It’s still possible to bag a rare place on a Kamba African Rainforest Experience in the Republic of the Congo, being one of just 12 people to explore a game park the size of Belgium.

Black Tomato, meanwhile, is designing an intrepid new expedition to the remote Mitre Peninsula in Argentina, along with a trip in Peru navigating the Sacred Valley of the Incas by raft. “This sort of adventure goes beyond bragging rights and is more akin to self-empowerment and the gratification of pushing our own horizons,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant. The Ultimate Travel Company is also heading to Peru, a country repositioning itself for luxury travelers, with stays at Puqio, its first tented exploration camp, in the remote Colca Valley in the Southern Peruvian Andes.

Wilderness camping is also pegging out fresh terrain in Kyrgyzstan, with yurt stays on the steppes trending for 2024, according to Wild Frontiers, as is Mongolia; while Albania, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Empty Quarter of Oman are all on the radar for an increasing number of travelers. And while the space-age pods of White Desert have already sold out for New Year’s Eve 2024 and 2025, latter-day frontiersfolk can take the path less traveled and explore the frozen continent’s southern coast (99 per cent of visitors go from South America to the northwest) with The Ultimate Travel Company’s new Ross Sea cruises, seeing the Ross Ice Shelf and Transantarctic Mountains. Don’t forget to pack your penknife. — Rick Jordan

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2024's most important travel tech trends

As the tourism industry continues its post-pandemic recovery in an increasingly uncertain travel market, a question that has dawned upon us is — what's next? Naturally, many of us are looking towards technology for more opportunities. In 2023, we saw the generative AI boom and further growth of emerging technologies like extended reality (XR) and 5G.

While these advances are already shaping the travel sector, there is much more to come as more use cases emerge while the technology further matures.

Looking forward into 2024, we can expect teams to do more with less, streamline their businesses, and offer visitor experiences they hitherto never could have imagined.

Here are the top four tech trends that could shape travel in 2024.

New network technologies will deliver enhanced guest experiences

As tourism businesses look to various technology solutions to rejuvenate experiences and attract repeat visitors since the COVID-19 years, 5G and XR are essential in defining Singapore as a smart tourism destination. However, as the technologies mature, new challenges are arising.

In the space of network technologies, STB has received industry feedback on the challenges in onboarding to 5G solutions due to the need to bring multiple tech vendors together with telco companies. This is resulting in high costs to deliver a single 5G XR experience. This month, Singtel has announced the launch of a 5G package for tourism businesses that are keen to roll out new digital experiences seamlessly within months.

Through the partnership with STB in this service bundle, tourism businesses can now have a one-stop 5G XR solution leveraging Singtel's 5G network and content creator partner SFX. STB believes this would be particularly beneficial for tourism businesses such as attractions that are looking to launch new and unparalleled digital experiences within a short period of time. Interested stakeholders may wish to contact the Singtel 5G product team for more information (Jayden Kwong - [email protected]; Peng Teng Liang - [email protected] )

One example is the pilot rollout with Sentosa Development Corporation at Fort Siloso where the team launched the world's first 5G-powered film-grade extended reality in an outdoor setting, through a wearable. A preview of the experience can be seen below:

Additionally, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced it will allocate new airwaves in the 6GHz band to support the deployment of the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard by the third quarter of 2023.

What this means is that there will be another band available to Wi-Fi networks, rather than just the 2.4GHz and 5GHz ones in current existence. This new band will reduce congestion in areas with lots of Wi-Fi signals, which can improve network performance and reliability. It goes further than that though. The move will provide a golden opportunity for Singapore-based hospitality and tourism businesses to enhance the guest experience.

Wi-Fi 6 itself is already being used in various hospitality environments, and 6E will only improve this. For example, the Hard Rock Hotel in Amsterdam leverages WiFi 6 to offer guests modern, digitally-driven amenities. This enables a range of services, such as guest registration, in-room dining requests, remote check-outs, and coordinated housekeeping.

XR and AI combine to create unique and thrilling experiences

The reveal of Apple’s Vision Pro and the proliferation of ChatGPT have laid the groundwork for the expansion of XR and AI, with both consumers and businesses becoming increasingly familiar with the technology over the past 12 months in many sectors.

The convergence of these two trends creates an opportunity for tourism sector to provide incredible, personalised experiences with significant cost savings. Developing XR experiences is often costly and manpower-intensive. This barrier can be mitigated as the rise of generative AI enables tourism businesses to efficiently develop content and narratives on the back-end to feed into the front-end visitor-facing XR models without intensive amounts of manual work.

For example, tourism businesses could create XR-based digital concierges or tourist guides. Think AR models that engage with visitors via wearables like smart glasses and can respond to questions through generative AI-powered answers, rather than relying on time-intensive pre-populated libraries of responses by humans.

Projects blending XR and AI are already coming into existence in other sectors. For example, Niantic released Wol , a mixed reality experience featuring a 3D owl driven by AI. When users put on a headset, their surroundings are transformed into a redwood forest. From there, they’re introduced to Wol, an AI-enabled owl who engages with users on questions about the woodland and its ecosystem. Wol was created by an AI platform whose engine is composed of several machine learning and character AI models designed to mimic human aspects like gestures and speech.

While these use cases are still nascent in the tourism sector, the concept and approach are transferrable and we can expect a wider adoption by tourism players to reimagine the visitor experience very soon.

Convergence of data-driven crowd management and hidden gem discoverability

Managing large crowds and boosting discoverability of hidden gems are two areas that has been on the forefront to ensure a positive visitor experience. As tourism businesses become more confident and keen to wield real-time data, these two trends are increasingly becoming linked and growing at scale together.

Studies have shown that travellers are increasingly seeking experiences away from the overly beaten tourist routes. Booking.com’ s 2023 Sustainable Travel Report found 75% of survey participants want, “authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture.” Meanwhile, the American Express 2023 Global Travel Trends Report discovered travellers want experiences, “that give them a taste of local culture and let them explore hidden gems that friends back home don’t know about.”

Tourism hotspots are taking advantage of this desire by adopting new AI-based apps to encourage smart, sustainable travel to lesser-known areas. For example, schemes like the ‘Feel Florence’ app use sensors to work out how busy an area is and redirect travellers to alternative landmarks, activities and attractions. This includes the sharing of itineraries to be discovered by foot, bike, e-bike, etc. that pass through the city and the smaller municipalities nearby.

Similarly, Barcelona introduced the CheckBarcelona app that gives visitors real-time information about how busy popular tourist sites are and the availability of tickets, while also offering alternatives.

We can expect more tourism businesses like attractions and hotels in Singapore to leverage such technology to manage crowds and boost the discoverability of hidden gems to enhance the visitor experience.

MICE professionals using digital twins to increase events revenue

Digital twins are digital models of products or spaces that exist in the physical world — and they could open up an entirely new revenue stream for MICE professionals in 2024.

Firstly, digital twins allow event planners to experiment with different layouts, seating arrangements, and exhibitor configurations. Combined with new IoT and data integration, this can lead to more efficient space usage and understanding of the environment. This can then enable new exhibitor pricing models or even an increase in attendees, both of which can have a positive impact on revenue.

Another benefit of digital twins is how they can help deliver a more impressive virtual event. EXPO360’s platform, for example, provides additional revenue streams for event planners through virtual venue tours and by allowing exhibitors to promote their stands virtually by adding rich media and interactive “hotspots.”

This can also be extended to improving the quality of the experience for virtual attendees. With the increase in good quality XR headsets, attracting attendees to an event online opens up a new, larger market — and with that a new revenue stream.

On top of that, digital twins can also extend the timeframe of an event. Rather than having something that goes on for a day or two, the event can last as long as the organizer wants. This elongates the options for virtual attendees, meaning they can come at a time that suits them.

An exciting year ahead

Ultimately, 2024 is going to be an exciting year for the travel sector. The constant advances in technology will enable businesses to do more with less. It will allow them to change with the times and deliver consumer experiences that would’ve felt like magic a mere decade ago.

Looking to adopt new and emerging technologies in 2024 but don’t know where to start? STB's hybrid innovation platform, Tcube can help you identify the right partners, develop a technology roadmap, and launch successful pilots! Reach out to us via the Tcube interest form now: https://go.gov.sg/tcubecommunity

About the Organisation

What industry does your organization fall within, what best describes the key intent of the project that your organisation is seeking funding for, is your organisation a singapore-registered legal entity, is your organisation an association, is the project able to achieve one or more of the following outcome.

• Increase no. of sailings to/from Singapore
• Increase no. of foreign cruise passengers to Singapore through sailings to/from Singapore
• Increase no. of pre/post nights for cruise passengers sailing to/from Singapore
• Increase capability of industry players via cruise-specific industry training programmes
• Strengthen the potential/ attractiveness of cruising in Singapore and/or Southeast Asia

Is the project able to achieve one or more of the following?

• Improve visitor satisfaction (especially foreign visitors)
• Increase footfall
• Increase revenue
• Significant branding and PR value

Is the project able to attract foreign visitors and contribute to foreign visitors' spend?

Who will be the main target audience of your project, is your project innovative and/or a new event in singapore with tourism potential, what best describes your project, does the event have proven track records in singapore or overseas, and/or growth in tourism value such as growing foreign visitorship, and/or enhancement of precinct vibrancy etc, does the project have a clear tourism focus (e.g. tourism-related trainings, tourism companies taking on capability development initiatives or technology companies creating technology products and services for the tourism businesses), what best describes your market feasibility study project.

Based on your selection, the following STB grant/s may be applicable for your project:

Please note that projects that have commenced prior to Singapore Tourism Board's offer may not be eligible for grant support. Examples where projects are deemed as having commenced include:

• Applicant has started work on the project e.g. tender has been called.
• Applicant has made payment(s) to any supplier, vendor or third party.
• Applicant has signed a contractual agreement with any supplier, vendor or third party.

A look at the technology trends that matter most

Innovation and interest in the tech sector remain strong, despite market challenges and dips in investment. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast , McKinsey technology experts Lareina Yee  and Roger Roberts  share findings from the McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2024 report. They talk with editorial director Roberta Fusaro about where innovation is exploding, interest is deepening, and investment is flowing.

In our second segment, from our CEO Insights series , McKinsey partner Blair Epstein  explores how successful CEOs organize their yearly communication plans, including how to manage communications through a crisis.

This transcript has been edited for clarity and length.

The McKinsey Podcast is cohosted by Lucia Rahilly and Roberta Fusaro.

The state of technology

Roberta Fusaro: This is the fourth year in a row that McKinsey has released its outlook on technology trends . The research covers 15 trends, including advanced connectivity, cloud and edge computing, quantum computing, generative AI [gen AI], and applied AI. What parameters did you use for this research?

Roger Roberts: We look at several different dimensions. One, we look at innovation. So we try to assess how much innovation is happening in each trend. Then we look at interest, which tries to assess the volume and depth of dialogue that’s happening about each of these trends in the world. And then we look at investment—how much money is flowing into the companies and technologies that are enabling and driving the trends.

Roberta Fusaro: According to the latest research, innovation and overall interest in technology remains strong, although investment in new technology did fall. Lareina, what accounts for these findings?

Lareina Yee: In many ways, that’s not surprising. We are in a golden age of innovation and possibility in terms of technology. The drop in investment was between 30 percent and 40 percent, which is about $570 billion. What’s interesting is that, despite that drop in investment, we do see that there are pockets amongst the trends that are continuing to see a rise in investment. To no surprise, an example of this is gen AI. But what might be less expected is in areas such as robotics, as well as in climate and sustainability technology.

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Roberta Fusaro: The research also showed a dip in job postings for tech talent. How much of that was due to macroeconomics , and how much due to other factors?

Roger Roberts: When we see the job-posting numbers, we also find those to be quite correlated with investment. Headwinds around investment turn into headwinds around talent addition. When we look at a multiyear picture, we see that talent demand remains strong against all of these trends. It’s especially impressive that in a few areas, such as AI and renewable energy , the talent demand continued to hold up, even this year in the face of significant economic headwinds.

Gen AI as an influencer

Roberta Fusaro: Lareina, in regard to gen AI, what stood out in some of the research that we did this year?

Lareina Yee: What is interesting is how gen AI is a catalyst. We think of it as sunshine that lights up many of the trends.

Some of it is good, old-fashioned analytical AI, machine learning. We see increases in interest and investment in those arenas, and we certainly see very interesting deployments. I’ve heard more about digital twins  anecdotally recently than I have in the past couple of years. But also, there are impacts into other trends. The capabilities in gen AI are very relevant for robotics, which is one of the trends that we highlight this year.

Roger Roberts: I would also highlight that gen AI builds on the progress in cloud computing. It also builds on technologies that enable energy-efficient data centers fed by lower-carbon sources of energy supply. It also builds upon advanced connectivity to assure that users around the world have true access to the amazing capabilities rapidly evolving in the AI domain.

Robotics and digital trust

Roberta Fusaro: Lareina, you had mentioned two newer trends that were covered in this year’s report. One was robotics. The other one was digital trust and cybersecurity. Can you tell us more about why these two technology domains made the cut this year?

Lareina Yee: I think you have a combination of necessity as well as inspiration. If you want to start implementing gen AI, digital trust is a day one essential. So all of the things we do to create data security, to create a trust framework, to be able to use these models in safe and responsible ways while moving fast, are very connected to digital trust and security.

Roger Roberts: Robotics is obviously a form of automation that’s been around for a while—decades and decades. On the other hand, what’s changed more recently is the notion that robots can be designed and can adapt to more than just a few tasks.

The training of robots using modeling techniques that are either borrowed from or very similar to those for large language models and even the use of large language models themselves as components of robotic systems have opened up new vistas for robots to take a particular task, learn it, improve it, and then move on to additional tasks. And the notion that robots have become more and more general purpose has really drawn a lot more interest, innovation, and investment into the robotics sector, and we’re going to see an ongoing blooming of innovation in this domain.

The notion that robots have become more and more general purpose has really drawn a lot more interest, innovation, and investment into the robotics sector. Roger Roberts

Roberta Fusaro: Can you give us an example of a cool use case for robotics?

Roger Roberts: Robots are getting better and better at food preparation. This is a skill that requires not just tactical picking and placing of items you might put on an assembly line. It also requires vision, assessment of context, understanding of changing conditions in the kitchen, and the flexibility to make many kinds of dishes on a menu that might also be constantly changing. And so the ability for robots to move into this domain has been an exciting development and certainly one that we’re starting to see more and more food preparation businesses experiment with and begin to scale up.

Lareina Yee: There are also broader pilots happening in the retail and consumer segment. For example, think about how you do stocking in inventory management. In the past, we’ve had robots and machines helping with these activities.

But with the infusion of gen AI, the robot might expand into some of these analytical capabilities. Before it was a very literal set of instructions. To oversimplify, before, you could say, “You move left five feet, then you go straight two feet, then you move right one foot.” But with our current types of modeling and analytics, there could be more variation and judgment involved. And it’s not actually human judgment, but it may appear more like that.

Electrification, renewables, and quantum

Roberta Fusaro: There are two other standout trends mentioned in the report, both of which saw growth and investment: electrification and renewables. How can businesses use electrification to stay competitive ?

Roger Roberts: Electrification has been a priority, given the need to move toward more and more carbon-free energy sources. As we transform toward carbon-free generation, then that drives demand into the electric grid, which then can create opportunities. It also can create some new constraints. This means a lot of development and a lot of innovation will need to come into our electric infrastructure.

To manage the grid better, we’ll need technologies and tools to manage the sources and uses that will provide the shock absorbers or storage technologies that help us balance the supply and demand in the grid. All of these are important areas of innovation and investment and are attracting a lot of interest these days.

Lareina Yee: One of the things that’s been interesting this year, in addition to the engineering and scientific advancements, is we’re seeing an increase in investments and incentives. Part of those incentives come from the government. For example, we’re seeing policy initiatives in Europe that provide incentives and subsidies in some cases.

But you also see private sector actors providing incentives. An example of this is that Cargill, in its agricultural program in many countries, will pay farmers who use sustainable techniques. And in electrification, you saw a huge surge in terms of Amazon and its investments in renewable energy . It’s a combination of the need that Roger talks about in terms of what we need in sustainable energy consumption but also increased incentives and investments and focus from both the public sector and the private sector.

Roberta Fusaro: What do leaders need to understand about what’s happening in the area of renewables ?

Roger Roberts: This is another domain in which we’ve seen growth in the volume and velocity of technologies coming into the market. There is more and more deployment of current, strong, renewable tech in solar and wind. And there are more innovations that allow you to bring those new energy sources into the grid effectively. This will continue to be an important driver of productivity on the electric-power-generation side and also an important element of our global response to the climate challenge that faces all of us.

Lareina Yee: One of the trends that I’ve heard increased interest in that is not actually powered by AI but inspired by how that trend has evolved is quantum technology . Quantum experts debate whether that technology will be ready in the next couple of years, five to ten years, or even more—ten years out.

But what we’re seeing amongst many business leaders is at least an increased awareness. And why would that be? Quantum technologies are very different from gen AI, but they do have a similarity, which is that once they’re actually here and deployed, they will change the way we work very quickly. For example, banks are keeping an eye on the pace of quantum technology because that has the ability to massively change cryptography, which is important for banks.

The ebb and flow of tech development

Roberta Fusaro: Awareness is one aspect, but it leads to a broader question. What are some of the challenges that companies face with scaling some of these trends that we’ve been talking about?

Roger Roberts: When we think about all of these trends collectively, we see them moving down a path from science to engineering to scale. Sometimes the scientific breakthrough then runs into challenges when it comes to engineering scale-up. You’re moving from something that’s been proven in a lab to something that must be brought to a level of volume production, has to be brought down in cost, and must be brought up in consistency of quality.

That can take time and investment. It can take years of engineering effort. What we’ve observed recently is that if we think about the trends, like cloud computing and connectivity, collectively, these are allowing innovations to flow around the world more quickly.

If we think about the trends, like cloud computing and connectivity, collectively, these are allowing innovations to flow around the world more quickly. Roger Roberts

As a result, we see this time cycle from science to engineering to scale compressing. This is exciting because it allows for more rapid propagations of innovations and their impacts positively in the world, but it also can cause concern. It can mean that challenges from technology can hit us before we’re ready. It means that a lot of work has to be done to thoughtfully consider the downstream implications of the introduction of new technologies at scale.

Lareina Yee: What’s also interesting is we’re just seeing the cusp of some of these breakthroughs. We will continue to see more and more capabilities on some of these. For example, if we look at gen AI, we’ve seen an explosion in terms of the multimodal models . They were there, but we’re starting to see more practical use cases of these.

We’re seeing changes in the context window size, which is the short-term brain of a gen AI model. We’re starting to see agentic AI models, which Roger and I just published an article on. It describes the ability of these models  not just to summarize but to take an action. So even within these trends, you will see increasing technology innovations and capabilities that allow us to do more things.

Roberta Fusaro: Given the speed at which technology advances, the speed at which gen AI is advancing, do you have a few words for executives about how best to keep up?

Lareina Yee: My very short answer would be to play and be curious. One of the most outstanding things about these technologies is that you can play with them—you can experiment with them; you can learn about them. And so for the curious mind, it’s a playground.

Roger Roberts: Part of the answer here is also just making sure you’ve got some investment set aside, no matter the economic climate, in looking at the horizon, over the horizon, as you are navigating the challenges that face your business today.

And that small investment can sometimes pay off in big ways when you spot a trend that you can take advantage of and ride before your competitors. So keep your eyes on the horizon. Don’t fall victim to “short-termism,” no matter what the weather is around you.

Plotting out the CEO communication plan

Lucia Rahilly: Next up, McKinsey partner Blair Epstein talks about communication road maps, especially when prepping for a crisis, with managing editor of podcasts Laurel Moglen.

Laurel Moglen: There are many competing priorities for CEOs. Based on your experience with clients, what percentage of time do great CEOs spend on interactions with their stakeholders?

Blair Epstein: There isn’t a universal answer. It really will vary across CEOs. Now that said, we do know from our research that, on average, CEOs spend about 30 percent of their time with their external stakeholders.

But let me bring that variation to life. Brad Smith, when he was the CEO of Intuit, talked about how he spent 20 percent of his time with those external stakeholders. What that meant was if someone wanted to be a part of that 20 percent, they had to prove why they were a better use of his time than something else.

And now, I’ll contrast this with Peter Voser, the former CEO of Shell International. He spent about 50 percent of his time with external stakeholders because he felt it was critical for him to be the primary ambassador for the organization to the outside world.

The amount of time CEOs should spend on stakeholder engagement depends on their priorities, where they are in their tenure, and what’s going on. However, 30 percent is a good average number to keep in mind.

Laurel Moglen: Whether CEOs are investing 20 percent or 50 percent of their time in stakeholders, what approaches to that time have you seen work?

Blair Epstein: First, they’re disciplined about planning for the year ahead. They’ll have a 12-month view of what they’ll do and when—investor calls, customer visits, and conferences. Of course, it’s dynamic. It will change. But that helps set the priority for the year and define some of the anchor points of their stakeholder engagement.

The second thing they’ll do is that they’ll align stakeholder interactions with their strategic agenda, and they’ll make the most of every opportunity. CEOs, especially today, are on the move quite a bit. When they visit a given place, they’re going to fit in community events, interactions with government regulators and stakeholders, and employee town halls. They’re making the most of every moment so that engaging the right stakeholders isn’t a trade-off. It becomes an “and” with other things on their agenda.

As I mentioned earlier, they’re going to set a limit. Typically, we find that they set those boundaries based on a few questions: Does the stakeholder help reinforce or augment our strategy? Are there opportunities to cocreate strategy and infuse new thinking by engaging the stakeholder? Are there long-term or short-term risks in engaging or failing to engage the stakeholder and in doing it now?

Laurel Moglen: CEOs must always be prepared to manage crisis. How does that fit into a CEO’s communication approach?

Blair Epstein: It’s a great question because the reality is, from 2010 to 2017, headlines that carried the word “crisis”  alongside the names of the 100 largest companies on the Forbes Global 2000 appeared 80 percent more often than they did during the previous decade. We can attribute that to a few things.

One is that there’s heightened demand for business leaders in this era of stakeholder capitalism. And we’re in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. There’s a saying: good news travels fast; bad news travels faster. I think we could say that false news travels fastest.

These factors can come together to create a perfect storm, with the CEO at the center.

Laurel Moglen: Would you say it’s not a good idea to avoid the storms?

Blair Epstein: I don’t think it’s even an option. This is something that comes up often in our conversations with new CEOs, who may not have found themselves engaging with stakeholders in this way prior to stepping into the role. You don’t have a choice. The storm will find you. The crisis will find you. The only question is, how prepared are you for it?

Laurel Moglen: What do the best CEOs do to prepare for such storms in this risk-heavy environment?

Blair Epstein: There are four things that we see CEOs consistently doing. The first is that they’re going to regularly stress test the company. They’re looking five, ten years out to assess what challenges they may face, what scenarios they may encounter. And then they work backward from that to adjust plans and build in more resilience for the organization today.

Second, they’re going to have a built-in command center. We’re in an always-on world, and that means that there must be capabilities embedded across the organization to quickly monitor, manage, and disseminate relevant information not only across the organization but to those key external stakeholders when the storm starts brewing. This is typically a cross-functional team, including comms, legal, risk, and executive employees, all of whom have a clear sense of direction on how to manage short- or long-term risks before and during the storm.

The third piece is that CEOs have to keep a long-term perspective. They have to have an ability to be in the moment, to manage what’s happening now, while also thinking about what’s around the corner, the potential opportunities that could arise out of a crisis.

And lastly, and not to be underestimated, the CEOs are personally resilient. They’re able to lead by example, to be a steady, a guiding force, the calm captain at the helm, so that they can mobilize teams and stakeholders to navigate the roughest waters.

Laurel Moglen: Is there one of these four that CEOs more commonly overlook or ignore?

Blair Epstein: One of the pain points I see is when people think about crisis management as a communications exercise, it’s easy to miss that opportunity to have done the scenario testing. To have gotten yourself ready in advance so that your strategy may evolve puts you in a better position to navigate any eventual storms.

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Related articles.

McKinsey technology trends outlook 2024

False friends or good ends? The CIO’s four-point guide to navigating technology trends

Why agents are the next frontier of generative AI

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ITB PRESENTS THE KEY TRAVEL TRENDS FOR 2023. WHAT ARE THEY?

Leading industry figures will share their visions of tomorrow’s tourism industry and reveal travel trends during the itb berlin convention programme under the heading ’mastering transformation.’.

The latest travel trends for 2023 and beyond will be discussed by the outstanding speakers from the industry’s leading think tank.

From March 7 to 9 at the ITB Berlin Convention , industry experts will provide answers to the key questions surrounding today’s and tomorrow’s tourism industry and how to master the transformation towards a sustainable and successful future. Speakers include:

• TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel
• Singapore Tourism Chef Keith Tan
• UNWTO Director Dr Dirk Glaeßer
• Lufthansa Systems CEO Oliver Krüger
• DB Fernverkehr Marketing Director Stefanie Berk
• Chief People Officer of TUI Group Sybille Reiß

Meanwhile, President of the ifo Institute Clemens Fuest will hold the keynote speech on the opening day of the event in Hall 7.1a. The convention is now available online under the heading ’Mastering Transformation’ and features keynote speeches, CEO interviews, panels, pitches and discussion rounds.

Experts will share their knowledge on the latest travel trends at wide-ranging  theme tracks  on a total of four convention stages in Halls 7.1a and 7.1b, as well as Halls 6.1 and 3.1. The World Tourism Cities Foundation (WTCF) is the co-host of the ITB Berlin Convention 2023. Admission to the convention is included in the price of an exhibitor, trade visitor or press pass to ITB Berlin . Selected sessions will be streamed on the supporting platform  ITBxplore . A “fully digital ticket“ is available for those wishing to attend virtual ITB events only, with access on all three days.

Leading speakers at the Future Work track

At the Future Work track on March 8, experts will discuss new approaches to encouraging working in tourism and provide orientation on how to handle the skills shortage. At the panel entitled ’New narratives for work in travel’ at 10.30am, Ms Reiß will talk about new business models and travel trends that can help make working in intensive service sectors such as tourism attractive again.

Later, a 4 pm presentation takes three best practices as examples with Ms Berk and Brand Partnerships Lead Travel, TikTok, Michael Schumacher. The pair will show how taking a personal and rational approach can confront the skills shortage. The clear aim is to continue to encourage both newcomers and professionals to work for tourism enterprises – whether for a leading transport company or medium-sized hotel business.

Shaping the future of the events, airline and cruise industries

The Tour Operator & Travel Sales track on March 7 in Hall 7.1b will look at the expectations and travel trends for tomorrow’s industry from the point of view of the customer. Taking part in the panel at 10.45am will be Dr Glaeßer and Sabine Rogg, director of trends & strategy at Trendbüro.

Meanwhile in Hall 7.1b, the Carrier & Cruise track will examine the big challenges facing airlines and the cruise industry. Lufthansa Systems CEO Oliver Krüger will be among the industry experts discussing the impact of the current crisis on a panel entitled ’Carriers at the Crossroads between Decarbonisation and Changes in Booking and Travel Behaviour’.

Travel trends for decision-makers in commerce, marketing and distribution

Debate and inspiration awaits those taking part in the Marketing & Distribution track on March 8. Representatives of the travel and hospitality sector will look at how to successfully master the upcoming transformation process. Katrin Anselm from Airbnb will answer questions in an Executive Interview at 2pm.

Also on the same day, the Youth, Adventure und Outdoor track will discuss generation Z and the transformation of the travel industry. In general, the sessions will deal with the travel trends taking place in the adventure and outdoor tourism markets and the obstacles involved which impact their profitability.

Online destination marketing

At the Destination track on March 9 at 11.45 am, Singapore Tourism Chef Keith Tan, will discuss ’Digital, Personalised and Open – How DMOs are gaining ground in Traveltech’ along with Jan Hutton, CEO, Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, and Alexa Brandau, director, Media Management DZT.

This look at the future will include a discussion on what the next big thing in digital destination marketing could be like.

Earlier that morning at 10.30 am, the focus of Heike Döll-König, director, Tourismus NRW e.V., and Anthony Everett, president & CEO, Tourism Vancouver Island, will be on the rethink that Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) require. The question will be whether destination thinking is still state of the art. What are the changes facing the hospitality industry in the future?

The future at the Hospitality and Responsible Tourism tracks

On the same day, the Responsible Tourism track will deliver a half-term report on Agenda 2030 with its 17 sustainability goals. Is tourism already on the way to becoming a low-resource, high-benefit and resilient sector? And what role should platforms play in achieving sustainable consumption and production?

Daily eTravel track

This year, eTravel tracks will be taking place in Hall 6.1 on all three days of the convention, including the Hotel Technology Forum on March 7. Relevant technology travel trends and developments will be presented and hospitality tech experts will show in panels and best practice examples how hoteliers can successfully master the digital transformation and benefit from technology.

In his speech at the Hotel Technology Forum, on March 7 at 2.30pm, Kevin King, COO, Shiji Group, will highlight how the digital transformation can succeed in the hospitality industry while also managing customer expectations. At the same time he will select important points describing how to lay the foundations for success.

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Preview: Travel Innovation and Technology Trends 2023

A preview of the most significant innovation trends in travel technology and distribution for 2023.

By Phocuswright Research

Introduction

As the world fully reopens in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel industry can once again focus its attention squarely on the future. While significant challenges remain (i.e., inflation, recession, staffing, international conflict), it’s a good time to place strategy and competitive edge-building at the forefront. 

Each year, Phocuswright's expert analysts identify the technology and innovation trends that will influence travel significantly in the coming year and beyond. This year, we’re exploring the growing roles of social media and Web3 in travel, addressing the realities of sustainability and our fragmented technology landscape, and pondering the impact of the next game-changing technologies like generative AI and eVTOLs. 

This overview article is a preview of the full report , which features brief introductions to the eight trends that we will cover in the coming months. Stay tuned for each full trend analysis, and for details on a late spring/early summer webinar in which we’ll discuss these trends live. 

The Future of Social Media, Influencers and Social Commerce in Travel

Web3 is proving itself in travel .

• Green Travel Innovation Now (Yes, Now!) 

Selling Travel Is Hot Again – Even If You’re Not a Travel Company 

Glimpsing the future: chatgpt, generative ai and travel .

• Regime Change in Digital Hotel Operations 
• eVTOLs in Travel: Viable Addition or Flights of Fancy? 

Super Apps’ Secret Sauce 

By Robert Cole

Efficient direct-to-consumer marketing has been the goal of travel industry marketers since the dawn of the internet. Intermediaries may create value by cost effectively expanding brand reach, but they rarely enhance the brand-customer relationship in a manner superior to the brand itself. 

According to one projection, U.S. social commerce surpassed $45 billion in 2022 and will reach nearly $80 billion in 2025, growing its share of total e-commerce sales to 5.2%.

Social commerce – in which merchants sell products directly through social media platforms without involving another e-commerce environment – is a key strategy for direct consumer engagement. According to one projection, U.S. social commerce surpassed $45 billion in 2022 and will reach nearly $80 billion in 2025, growing its share of total e-commerce sales to 5.2%.

The forthcoming report will focus on:

• How influencer-driven social commerce differs from traditional paid advertising
• Sponsorship and affiliate marketing methods typically employed throughout the social media landscape
• Influencer communities

The future of influencer-driven social commerce represents a significant opportunity for a travel industry striving to develop direct distribution channels, nurture loyalty and improve marketing efficiency. 

Image captions

By Norm Rose 

After years of hype surrounding blockchain and Web3 technologies, 2023 promises to be the year when Web3 starts providing measurable value to the travel industry. This is both a revolutionary and evolutionary change that will eventually impact all players in the travel ecosystem. 

• Separating the hype from true business impact
• Reviewing the landscape
• Adopting Web3 across the industry
• A closer look at the Web3 startup space and innovative companies, highlighting their unique contributions to the space
• An evaluation of how traditional industry players are viewing Web3 technologies, with an eye to understanding how the mainstream travel industry will adopt Web3
• A review of multiple sectors of the industry, including air and hotel distribution, short-term vacation rentals, ride sharing, payment, settlement, social travel and loyalty

The focus will be less on these companies’ future capabilities, and instead evaluate the real-world impact these companies have today. 

Green Travel Innovation Now (Yes, Now!)

By Cathy Schetzina Walsh

Facing mounting pressure to enact measurable change, travel companies must move beyond greenwashing and halfhearted environmental efforts.  

The industry can either accept the challenge to make real change and become more sustainable via innovation – or be forced to do so via crises, regulation and traveler demand.

• Several new initiatives launched by travel companies and destinations
• How individual travel companies are shifting towards renewable energy sources
• How travelers – particularly younger travelers – increasingly consider environmental impact when making travel plans

Travel companies must innovate now to establish green infrastructure, leverage data and influence traveler behavior to shift the industry towards green energy sources and preserve tourism for future generations. There are many challenges along this path. Stay tuned for more on what’s realistic, what’s not and what needs to happen to effect meaningful change. 

By Lorraine Sileo

Non-travel brands, such as financial institutions, retailers and loyalty clubs must really want to get into the travel business. Over the past 18 months, several have launched travel booking platforms or announced ambitious plans to do so, even though the online travel agency market is already consolidated and highly competitive. Will they succeed? If so, what are their advantages and what will be the impact on the marketplace?  

If travel is best left to the big travel portals, then why are so many other entities jumping in?

If travel is best left to the big travel portals, then why are so many other entities jumping in? First, it’s easy to resell travel, considering the plug-and-play options offered by Expedia for Business, Rocket Travel (Booking.com), Hopper Cloud and others. And though non-travel brands’ travel gross bookings are tiny (earned commissions), the benefits can be big in terms of generating value and customer loyalty (e.g., Costco Travel, BJ’s Travel, AARP Travel Center). 

• How these developments put a whole new spin on online travel – creating pockets of loyalty across myriad brands
• How they compare to giant OTAs
• How they signal a shift in consumer behavior

“The travel industry can use generative AI in a variety of ways …” At least according to ChatGPT , the free chatbot from OpenAI that made its public debut in November 2022 (see figure below). Since its launch, ChatGPT has attracted massive attention as the world gets a taste of AI’s creative potential. But while the technology does have applications for travel, it comes with a number of challenges that must be addressed before generative AI can have a substantial impact on the industry. 

• Why generative AI is an area that travel companies should follow closely
• Why ChatGPT marks a substantial step forward
• Speed of advancement and potential pitfalls

Regime Change in Digital Hotel Operations  

By Adam Glickman, VP Brand Strategy, Actabl and Dmitry Koltunov, Co-founder, ALICE  

Hoteliers have typically looked at past performance and results to help forecast the future. They painstakingly analyze historical data to develop budgets, plans and goals. It’s been quite a simple approach, really: look back to compare in order to look forward and plan. 

Real-time data is the “beating heart” that forward-looking plans flow through, and which allows hoteliers to maximize profits while optimizing guest experiences.

But as we move on from COVID and “revenge travel” and adapt to changing travel patterns for business, leisure and group, it’s time to consider a new approach in the context of labor shortages and inflationary pressures. It is essential to develop a strategy that puts real-time data analysis at the core of a plan to manage the business. Real-time data is the “beating heart” that forward-looking plans flow through, and which allows hoteliers to maximize profits while optimizing guest experiences. 

• Several novel data-centric approaches to optimize operating performance in new and powerful ways
• Forward-looking demand data that can help enable precise scheduling and staffing
• How sales pace and sales leader performance data can uncover market-wide trends and individual performance management opportunities
• Identifying operational functions that can be automated, freeing up team members to deliver more personalized services to more guests
• Predicting new ancillary revenue sources by evaluating changing guest behavior patterns for each market where hotels operate
• Reviewing target Hours of labor Per Occupied Room (HPOR) for various segments and providing recommendations for using benchmarks to forecast labor costs

EVTOLs in Travel: Viable Addition or Flights of Fancy? 

By: Hollis Thomases 

EVTOLs, the acronym for Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing aircraft (pronounced “ee-vee-tolls”), have been in development for over a decade. Heralded as a greener solution to fossil fuel-powered short-haul planes, helicopters and roadway-clogging cars, eVTOLs will likely service intracity and city-to-city travel. The ecosystem is commonly referred to as Urban Air Mobility (UAM) or Urban Air Transportation (UAT).  

While the applications of eVTOLs are broad and have previously been categorized into areas such as cargo, emergency medical or inspections, Phocuswright’s forthcoming analysis will focus on passenger transportation.

In the past 18 months, United, American, Virgin Atlantic and Delta have each invested in and/or made deal commitments to one or more eVTOL companies.

• Addressing carbon emissions and climate change
• Collaboration and access to data and technology
• Improving the passenger/travel experience
• Mindshare, relevancy and branding
• Broadening of accessible markets

To flourish, eVTOLs must overcome concerns regarding short-term hindrances. Some of these key pain points include safety issues, significant legal and governing issues, certification of vehicles and pilots, public perception and adoption, sustainability, and infrastructure constraints. 

What do Google, Meta, Twitter, Hopper, Booking.com, PayPal and Uber have in common? All are Western companies with their sights on becoming super apps in the vein of Asia’s all-in-one mobile powerhouses. Apps like WeChat and AliPay in China, Grab (Singapore), PayTM (India), GoTo (Indonesia), Kakao (South Korea) and AirAsia (Malaysia) have all built addictive multi-service apps that dominate their respective markets. 

While different market conditions from region to region are not replicable, there are strategic lessons to be learned from the apps themselves.  

It remains to be seen whether companies can replicate the level of super app success seen in Asia Pacific (and more recently, in Africa and Latin America) in Western markets like the U.S. and Europe. But you don’t have to build a full-fledged unicorn super app to capture some of the benefits that have made these platforms an essential part of daily life for Asian consumers. 

While different market conditions from region to region are not replicable, there are strategic lessons to be learned from the apps themselves:

• Multiple services
• Daily usage
• Social networking
• Gamification
• What can be learned from successful super apps to make travel offerings stickier and more appealing
• Whether a travel company aspires to super app status or not

The overview article features full introductions to the eight trends that we will cover in the coming months.

Watch the online event that covered each trend, presented by Phocuswright analysts:

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