Time keeps on slippin’ into the future – and travel technology is slippin’ along for the ride
As the calendar turned its pages to January 1, we entered the last year of the second decade of the 21st century. Remember Y2K? It’s hard to believe that nearly 20 years have passed since that non-event. Yet we – and our technology – survived and continue to thrive, producing a seemingly never-ending parade of innovation.
For road warriors, it’s the golden age of technology. Smarter devices and faster connections have opened doors and knocked down silos for travelers, making all manner of experiences, services and products available at their thumbtips. In fact, according to the second annual State of Business Travel Survey from National Car Rental, 93 percent of frequent business travelers prefer travel brands whose technology offerings make their travel experience better or easier, or preferably both.
So as the third decade of the Digital Century looms on the horizon, now is as good a time as any to take stock of the state of the technological art in travel, to see where it’s brought us – and to get a glimpse of where it might be taking us.
In the hotel space, the buzz is all about targeted personalization, according to the latest Starfleet Research study, involving more than 450 hotel executives, managers and staff. The research found that 89 percent of hoteliers “agree” or “strongly agree” that targeted personalization – i.e., presenting guests with highly relevant messages, offers and services at the right time – is crucial to improving the guest experience and enhancing guest satisfaction, loyalty and favorable brand advocacy.
And technology is the key to understanding guests and their preferences on an individual basis. Because it’s all about data – capturing, analyzing and tapping into the mountain of guest profile information, including thousands of data points gathered about each guest’s activities from hotel booking to hotel checkout. According to the study, gleaning meaningful, actionable data from such an avalanche of information can only be accomplished with today’s technological capabilities.
Beyond data management and analysis, the next wave of guest experience management for hoteliers is artificial intelligence. The Starfleet Research report reveals that while it’s still early in the game for this newest entrant in the technology sweepstakes, AI-enabled devices are already proving invaluable, particularly in the area of hotel guest services. These devices are shortening guest wait times by providing faster response times to guest inquiries and requests – and by fielding a number of inquiries simultaneously.
Of course faster service response and faster problem resolution are top drivers of overall guest satisfaction.
Face FactsAt the airport, 2019 is likely to be a critical year for biometric facilitation with the technology reaching a tipping-point for passenger acceptance and operator commitment, according to Acuity Market Intelligence. Acuity predicts this year will see global market acceleration for the technology, as airports and airlines expand biometric services beyond immigration eGates and kiosks, introducing seamless biometric touchpoints at check-in, bag drop, security and boarding gates, generating $1.3 billion in revenue by 2022.
"Fastlane biometrics is a nascent market with rapid growth potential," according to Maxine Most, who is a principal at Acuity Market Intelligence. "Today, about 5,600 biometric eGates and kiosks are deployed at more than 300 locations in 80 countries. This number is projected to triple by 2022."
The majority of Fastlane Biometrics units currently in use are automated border control eGates and automated passport control kiosks; fewer than 300 of the remaining units are deployed at check-in, bag drop, security and boarding. Acuity predicts these numbers will shift over the next two to three years as additional Fastlane Biometrics touchpoints become mainstream within airports.
"Airports will set the standard for biometric facilitation," Most says. "As the frequency of encountering Fastlane Biometrics increases, so too will consumer comfort and preference for the convenience of the experience.” However this is only the beginning, Most explains. “This will create opportunity – and significant demand – for similar solutions within, and well outside, the travel sector expediting and securing everything from cruise ships and car rental and ride-sharing services, to sports stadium and event center access."
Among those in the rental car industry picking up on biometric developments, Hertz has teamed up with Clear, a provider biometric screening kiosks, to speed car pickup. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program members with access to Clear are able to bypass the counter and pick up a car. At the exit gate, pods with cameras and touchscreens can read the driver’s face or
fingerprint. If they match up with Hertz’s reservation data, the gate will open. Meanwhile National Car Rental has fielded its own updated mobile app to improve customers' ability to select vehicles in advance. The app gives travelers a single point of contact to manage the rental experience from reservation to return. App users can track profiles and rewards, and at select airport locations they can view real-time inventory and hold a specific vehicle. In addition, National has launched an updated website platform partnered with OEMs to provide the latest available in-vehicle technologies.
"Today's business travelers are more tech-savvy than ever, and they depend on reliable platforms and tools that bring speed, choice and control to their travel," said Frank Thurman, vice president of marketing for National.