Trends and Predictions for Travel and Hospitality Management
It has been a decade since the economic recession of 20008 which shook the global economy. The effects of the recession were felt all across the globe. Over the past 10 years, however, the markets have surged towards recovery. One sector that was relatively unaffected was the hospitality and tourism sector which is now one of the most sought after careers. The historic burst in travel has been increasing the demand for hospitality management graduates.
In the last 10 years, things have changed drastically. This is not just in terms of the travel itself with people being open to new places and ideas. This is also to do with how the entire trip is planned. These days most of the travel arrangements, be they business or leisure, are made online. From flights and trains to hotel bookings and concert tickets, every reservation can be made online.
To gain an edge over their competitors, many in the travel and hospitality management industry have adjusted their approach to provide a perfect and unique travelling experience.
1. Personalisation
One of the biggest priorities of the modern travel is personalisation. Standard travelling process is not enough for travellers anymore and professional fo the travel and hospitality management industry need to understand that. A personalised approach is now taken as an expectation rather than something extraordinary. The more unique and above and beyond you go with your services, the happier your customers will be.
2. Recognition Technology
The face recognition technology, in addition to other techs like fingerprint, retina scanning, biometric identification, has great potential for the travel and hospitality industry. This technology will help in collecting data and identifying the personality of a traveller. It will help the travel and hospitality management professionals in providing their clients with a personalised service, reward them for being regular customers and grant them access to the associated services.
3. Online Booking
This is a no-brainer. The revenue of online booking in 2018 was 92.5 million USD. The industry experts predict more for 2019 with the expansion of the digital space and inclusion of more people into it. Online bookings allow travellers to review a variety of deals on the web before they choose the one meeting their requirements, expectations, preferences and budget.
4. Mobile Application
With mobile phone, everything is available at the tip of your finger. It has also made us lazy. We are so used to getting everything so easily that we drop anything that requires even the least amount fo effort. Travel and hospitality management professional who do not recognise this are missing out. A mobile application is just another mean to provide online booking and ensure that your customer does not go to your competitor.
5. Chatbots
The use of artificial intelligence in customer support is on the rise. It allows you to have a round the clock customer service at reduced costs. With a chatbot, you will never miss out on a query or feedback. Chatbots are now extremely sophisticated and can usually help out a customer before the services of its human is needed.