Lily Sweeney, writer
The travel industry, like many other industries, is innovating and technologically advancing in 2022 - and Luke Stays has the inside scoop.
In a recent blog post all about technology’s role in the travel sector, the property management franchise said, “It is imperative that hotels, airlines, restaurants and other companies stay on top of the latest technology trends within the travel industry. As customer expectations shift, this is even more vital than ever in the age of COVID. Here are some of the new tech trends to look out for.” Luke Stays then shared the six biggest trends to pay attention to:
- Voice support technology - Voice control “is becoming more common in actual travel experiences”. For example, hotel rooms with voice control for lighting/heating/tourist info. Plus, smart speakers, smartphones and AI assistants have all made voice search more common for “booking airline tickets, hotel rooms and travel experiences”.
- Contactless payments - Contactless payments are safer and more secure than ever, and they “will allow travel companies to process payments much more quickly, including when customers do not have access to cash, a credit card or a debit card”.
- AI chatbots - “AI-assisted chatbots are among the best investments companies are making nowadays in travel technology, since they can provide 24/7 customer support regardless of staff availability.” Thus, customer expectations are always met.
- Robots - “Robotic technology is one of the most exciting types of travel technology, and it is constantly improving.” In some hotels, robots greet guests/provide info. In others, they handle cleaning and luggage handling. In future, robots could further expand their utility, doing things like assisting in restaurants (food prep and service).
- Virtual reality - VR “enables travellers to experience distant locations from the comfort of their own homes, and can determine whether or not they ultimately complete the booking”. It’s perfect for a pre-holiday trial run, and many 360 tours are available.
- Cyber security - “Businesses in the travel management sector are increasingly at risk of cyber-attacks and are also more vulnerable to data breaches of other types.” Travel companies tend to hold a lot of customer data, and “cybersecurity is an important focus area for these professionals” in 2022.
Find out more about a potential franchise investment with Luke Stays via the company’s profile page, which you’ll discover linked above.
Luke Stays
Since 2018 we have built a portfolio of over £30m and 300 properties. Now it’s your turn to be part of the journey and repeat the same.
Lily Sweeney, writer