Technology tips

New tech is making it easier to be a travel advisor. (Photo Credit: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe)

CLEAR, the secure identity company easing the airport security screening process in airports across the U.S., announced a new partnership with Hawaiian Airlines ahead of its launch at Maui’s Kahului Airport (OGG) on May 1. 

A 420-mete white steel tube running alongside a railway line in the windswept northern Netherlands could usher in a new era in the transportation of people and freight.

Dublin’s tourism chief thinks AI can replace generic top 10 lists and travel guides – at least that’s one of the potential outcomes of his group’s new project with OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT.

Popular travel search engine, KAYAK, launches a new suite of AI-powered digital tools for travelers March 5, including a patent-pending price comparison tool and a more sophisticated chatbot allowing travelers to find quick answers to their most pressing travel questions. 

Malaysia may renew the search for MH370, a decade after the flight disappeared

Expedia is cutting nine percent of its workforce, about 1,500 jobs, as it begins preparing for a new CEO and a year with moderate revenue as air prices are predicted to drop. 

The search for Christmas gifts is on. Whether you’re looking for stocking fillers or the main event, these gadgets are designed to make travel easier.

Berlin is getting ready to welcome a futuristic ‘magnetic levitation train’.

The travel industry has become reliant on almost instantaneous feedback from online and VAX VacationAccess makes it even easier for more than 150,000 travel advisers.And we all learned from the epic meltdown by Southwest Airlines last Christmas how important technology can be.VAX VacationAccess was among the many big winners at the 2023 Travvy Awards in South Florida on November 2, taking home gold in the all-important category of best travel technology provider.

Travel apps and websites have significant room to improve in comparison to other industries, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Travel App Satisfaction and the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Travel Website Satisfaction Studies released Tuesday.The reports evaluate satisfaction with travel apps and websites in three different segments, including airline, hotel and rental car, considering key variables that influence customer choice, satisfaction and loyalty based on six factors: account management, day of travel/duration of stay (app only), navigation, reservation, speed and visual appeal.Research shows that airline, hotel and rental car app and website satisfaction trails the highest-scoring apps and websites in other industries. Specifically, overall satisfaction with travel-related digital travel channels is lowest among airline websites at 640 (on a 1,000-point scale).Meanwhile, hotel apps (682) and rental car apps (681) perform best among digital travel tools compared to airline apps (672), rental car websites (662), hotel websites (646) and the aforementioned airline websites (640).According to J.D. Power, the digital tools used most frequently on the day of travel are the boarding pass, check-in and flight status trackers on airline mobile apps. Nonetheless, their overall satisfaction scores pale in comparison to less frequently used tools such as those used for purchasing upgrades or tracking baggage.In terms of travel apps, Alaska Airlines ranks highest in overall satisfaction among airlines with a score of 688, followed by Southwest Airlines (687) and JetBlue Airways (680).

India-headquartered online travel agency Yatra Online plans to launch its initial public offering (IPO) on September 15. The company, which is listed on the Nasdaq since 2016, had filed a draft red herring prospectus on March 25 last year with the Indian regulatory body Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with a goal of raising up to INR 7.5 billion.

The technical glitch which caused last week’s flight chaos in the UK was a “one in 15 million” event, according to air traffic service NATS.

Finnish people flying from Helsinki to the UK may now be able to show a digital ID on their phone rather than their physical passport.

Users of Google’s travel services will now have a new feature to play with.

Quark Expeditions launched a new Partner Portal for travel advisors, in addition to a new AI resource specifically for advisors to get answers fast. 

Imagine being able to create travel marketing campaigns, social media posts, and television ads in a matter of seconds with the click of a button. 

Airbnb Posts Best Quarter Yet on Relentless Travel Demand: Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says his company can thrive in boom and bust cycles if it keeps innovating. To meet that promise, his company will have to boost its pricing competitiveness and makes it easier for individuals to list properties. And make the case to Wall Street on unfair comparisons to 2021.

More than 40 countries worldwide offer e-visas, travel permits that consumers can obtain online through a destination’s tourist visa website instead of having to go to an embassy or consulate, in their quest to help boost tourism. That figure includes a growing list of African nations that believe the emerging form of technology can help their travel industries run more efficiently.

UnderTheDoormat Group CEO Merilee Karr said her company’s new technology and distribution agreement with Visit Oman can be a novel approach to short-term regulation — one where technology can spur governments to embrace the sector rather than shun it.

Spain’s Iberia has been hit by a computer glitch, affecting its booking and boarding system.