Virtual tours and digital assistants: UK holidaymakers think future of travel lies in tech

Travel companies are being encouraged to embrace new technologies to create a more immersive and enjoyable travel experience for holidaymakers, new research suggests. Artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are all identified as new enhancements. Almost … Continue reading →

Travel companies are being encouraged to embrace new technologies to create a more immersive and enjoyable travel experience for holidaymakers, new research suggests.

Artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are all identified as new enhancements.

Almost half of British holidaymakers (48%) would like to see investment in interactive technology, like VR and AR, according to a study by mobile technology group Apadmi.

A fifth (21%) believe that the use of artificial intelligence and digital chat bots would improve the booking process.

By asking a few initial qualifying questions and filtering a plethora of options down to a handful of highly personalised choices, AI could lead to a more tailored experience, it claims.

The company surveyed 1,000 people who had taken a holiday in the last 12 months.

It aimed to identify the expectations of British tourists when booking holidays, discovering their biggest bugbears and identifying how technology could provide more efficient journeys, better personalisation and improved customer service.

Almost one in three (27%) UK holidaymakers complained about the sheer number of options when booking a holiday.

The reason could lie in the fact that today’s travellers are so used to high levels of personalisation in other areas of their lives, that they are now demanding the same approach to help them find their ideal holiday.

Apadmi CEO Nick Black said: “Creating loyal customers is becoming increasingly difficult for companies operating in the travel sector.

“Competition is becoming fiercer between different travel agents and operators, and customer expectations are changing continuously.

“Our research has found that customers are asking for more innovative technology from the travel sector. Investing in areas such as AI, VR and AR will help travel companies create and maintain competitive advantage, and build that elusive consumer loyalty.”