‘Tech doesn’t stand still’: Amadeus and Travolution launch Innovation Report

Travolution and Amadeus, the global distribution system and travel technology provider, have teamed up to produce a travel innovation benchmark report – the industry’s first

Travolution and Amadeus, the global distribution system and travel technology provider, have teamed up to produce a travel innovation benchmark report – the industry’s first


Like time, technology doesn’t stand still. Decades ago, Intel’s co-founder Gordon Moore predicted sustained and rapid growth as computer hardware became increasingly capable with a doubling of transistor density every two years. This pace of change is still evident in the smaller and faster mobile devices.
 
As advances in technology filter through to mainstream consumer applications, it isn’t overstating matters to suggest that society is changing in unprecedented and unexpected ways. For example, social networks now reach 88% of the UK population, accounting for some 20% of time spent online.


Businesses must now serve a generation of ‘digital natives’ – the generation born in the digital era of computers, internet, video games, mobile phones and MP3 players. These manifold technological changes and the resulting habits are at the root of new trends and attitudes set to have an increasingly important effect on the way we consume everything, including travel.


What does the travel industry make of these changes? How can travel technology companies like Amadeus help traditional businesses translate their customer value into one that has meaning to digital natives and other web-savvy consumers? We can’t begin to explore these questions without first establishing how things stand today, a digital ‘state of the nation’ as it were.


Helping people understand the value and application of technology in the travel industry is fundamental to Amadeus, which is why we’re excited to be part of Travolution’s first Innovation Report.


Tim Russell, managing director, Amadeus UK


 


About the survey


Research investigating what travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, airlines and cruise operators spend on technology is already well underway with our research partner Kew Associates.


The data will be backed up by a comprehensive trade survey and the results will be reported in the first quarterly edition of Travolution in 2011, due out in February.


In addition, the findings from the research will be presented in dedicated seminars at the Travel Technology Europe trade show in Earl’s Court, London, on February 8-9, 2011.


The Innovation Report, which will be produced annually from next year, will not only look at how different sectors within travel compare in terms of their investment in technology, but it will benchmark this against other comparable business sectors.


Lee Hayhurst, Travolution editor, said: “There’s no doubting the importance of the online channel in travel and the growing influence of digital for just about every firm.


“We want to find out if this is actually being reflected in terms of how those firms are investing for the future, and whether some sectors are embracing this better than others.


“There is no point travel companies talking about a digital future if they are not prepared to back that with real investment in the hardware, software and people to deliver it.


“This report will provide an invaluable and unique insight into the extent to which travel is gearing up for future challenges.”