What does the changing technology landscape mean for today’s travellers?

As most of us know, the only constant in technology is change, and the pace of this change is accelerating.

But what does this mean in practice? How will changing technology bring about changes in the real world? And how will the focus on meeting evolving expectations impact the millions of trips we make around the world every day?

Here we look at four of the most important evolutions happening in travel tech right now and the tangible, practical changes they are bringing about.

From the move to public cloud and the continued creation of new modular solutions to the impact of biometric authentication and generative artificial intelligence, you’ll see what’s making a difference today.

Inspiring innovation to build traveler-first journeys

One of the fastest developing areas in our industry is the role of biometric authentication, with new hardware and software driving major changes. Airports are now well-positioned to provide a seamless end-to-end experience for passengers, from arrival, through passport control and boarding.

Travelers will no longer need to repeatedly present paper documents and will be able to pass through checkpoints using only their face as identification, depending on their privacy settings.

And increasing biometric interoperability between airports, airlines and border control authorities is creating new opportunities to deliver frictionless experiences that get passengers through the process faster, get them to the gate on time, reduce stress and give them more time to spend in the lounge or shopping.

Biometrics also helps airlines improve on-time performance by making the boarding process faster and smoother. Another benefit of the technology is that it means fewer airline staff have to deal with biometric touchpoints, freeing up agents to handle more complex customer inquiries and provide the best possible customer service.

Real change in the real world.

Other sectors are also beginning to feel the impact of generative AI across the journey.

Whether you’re planning a vacation, a business trip, or both, this fast-growing technology is creating inspiring search and shopping experiences to get you the information you need quickly and efficiently. New tools have the power to find, summarize and present information in new and accessible ways, in natural language.

While traveling, travelers are finding their needs are met in a more intuitive and personalized way: Conversational generative AI chatbots, for example, are deployed to ask the right questions to understand traveler preferences, and confusions are resolved more quickly through intelligent rebooking systems.

Post-trip, generative AI can help provide feedback more effectively, allowing travel providers to respond to online reviews and stay in touch with customers in a more meaningful way.

Running the critical systems that support global travel

Perhaps the most important fundamental change happening in our industry today is the move to the public cloud. Moving functions out of siloed data centers into shared, public spaces is revolutionizing software development cycles and capabilities, and bringing the industry closer to its customers.

This transition will enable us to operate a future-proof infrastructure for the travel industry and prioritize collaboration.

By working together, we can develop truly compelling solutions that deliver real benefits for travelers.

Our cloud-based services give you access to your data and applications from anywhere, making it easy to get your itinerary, booking confirmation, maps and other important information on the go – all in real time, so you get real-time information on flight, weather and traffic conditions.

For technology providers, cloud services are scalable and can accommodate varying levels of demand with less chance of downtime or performance issues, which is important when processing millions of transactions per day across systems that require availability. Finally, data storage in the cloud offers automatic backups and robust security features, providing added protection against data loss, theft, or damage.

Transforming the travel industry and setting new standards

Finally, modular technology and creative capabilities are driving change in the travel tech sector, providing the foundation for increased experimentation, rapid adoption and innovation. A renewed focus here means new capabilities can be introduced quickly. Travel sellers and travel providers can take advantage of modern solutions now, rather than waiting for major overhauls that sometimes take months. We are moving to a world where new capabilities are introduced more quickly and implemented in short order.

Airlines’ move to an offer-and-order environment is a great example. As next-generation aviation technology is deployed, travelers will be able to personalize every aspect of their trip with richer profiles for context-aware service and one-click payment. The technology will enable them to self-serve any changes they want across every touchpoint, including seats and ancillaries.

If you do encounter disruptions, new technology means you can rebook the best option instantly on your mobile, without having to wait in line to speak to an advisor.

These are real-world benefits being realized today.

Looking to the future

Technology is constantly changing. As traveler expectations evolve, we need to be innovative to create new solutions that meet their needs. Today, travelers want more options, more personalization, and more content tailored to their needs.

They want to shop in inspiring spaces, with intuitive technology that takes them on their journeys at a moment’s notice.
As an industry, sometimes in front of your eyes, sometimes in the background, we are creating the technologies that make this possible, from the industrial systems that underpin global industries, to the technology you experience every day as you seamlessly pass through an airport.

It’s a way to make travelling better.