Major Trends in Travel Tech: Ask Skift

11.12.2023 - 22:53 / skift.com / Rashaad Jorden

Travel brands have increasingly looked to use emerging technology in their operations, especially generative artificial intelligence. What are major trends in travel technology? We put the question to Ask Skift, our artificial intelligence chatbot. It used information appearing in both our past news coverage and Skift Research. We also conducted additional reporting.

Some of the major trends in travel technology in recent years, as outlined in various Skift articles, include:

Mobile Innovation: U.S. companies like Airbnb and HotelTonight (which Airbnb later acquired) were redefining the lodging sector in 2013 through mobile technology. Larger digital giants like Google, Apple, and Nokia were also influencing the transportation with their mapping and local information offerings.

Use of Tech for Competitive Advantage: Many travel companies were tapping into tech products a decade ago to gain a competitive advantage (as they are today). Tech was helping travel providers offer customers relevant deals and accessible customer service. In addition, companies are using big data to streamline operations, cut costs, and boost revenues.

Smart Design: Another trend was the rise of smart design in travel, influenced by the “Apple-ification” of the world. This trend is seen in more design-centric airports, efficient hotels, and generally more design-meets-UX savvy sectors in travel.

Data-Driven Curation: There was an increasing need for better curated experiences in travel due to the overwhelming choices in search results for online booking. Booking providers were trying to deliver well-targeted information — and this is still a big priority — to travelers by mining and analyzing all kinds of data.

Go deeper into the business of travel with Skift’s new AI chatbot.

Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes earlier this year listed five travel technology trends worth following in 2023, the first of which was airport biometrics. Singapore announced in September that its Changi Airport will go completely passport-free starting in 2024 when it implements an automated immigration checkpoint using passengers’ biometric data. Passengers will undergo a facial scan that verifies their identity instead of presenting their passport to an immigration officer.

Dubai International Airport is also no longer requiring travelers to have passports or boarding passes. Instead, passengers will be able to use their face as their ID.

Meanwhile, travelers going on trips via virtual and augmented reality has been another major trend in travel technology, with the global virtual tourism market expected to grow to more than $847 billion by 2028. Virtual reality can help give travelers an idea of what to expect if they choose to visit a