Following two years of social and cultural disconnect, millennials are continuing to drive growth within the travel industry. The digital era is not only crucial for growth, but it also allows the travel industry to tap into the needs and desires of these generations who are shaping the future of travel.
With the ongoing changes and advancements in technology, the travel and planning process has greatly changed through smart tourism. Smart tourism is a concept created by smart technologies to improve people's interactions, connect both digital and physical worlds, and augment people's experiences with technological elements, which in turn will enhance travellers experiences.
Smart tourism technology (STT) refers to the applications that can enhance a guests experience and generate added value to their stay. This can be done by implementing a technology based service for guests to use during their stay, which, through the same channels, staff can also gather insights on guests, with the aim being to provide customised products and services to meet their needs.
STT plays a significant role in how millennials travel, much more so than it is for older travellers. In fact, the empowerment of travellers between the ages of 18 and 34 is around 20 times higher than that of those between the ages of 55 and 70. Gone are the gruelling days of the travel planning process being tiresome and time-consuming, we are thriving in a world revolving around tech, so why shouldn’t it be brought into the travel industry!?
So, what exactly are millennials seeking? Not only are millennial travellers looking for ease, but they are also looking for a unique and personalised trips. STT not only has a greater impact on visitors’ satisfaction, but also of convenience of information, interactivity and personalisation. Millennial travellers are no longer content with receiving the same generic recommendations as everybody else, they look for extra charm and distinction from their experiences. STT not only provides these travellers with the ability to do just that, but it can remove the tedious process of researching and give guests access to what they desire.
Millennial travellers are no longer interested in dealing with the old school travel agents and services, rather they want to tailor their trip to their needs - this is 2022 after all. Technology is opening up the opportunity to broaden the services being given to guests, giving millennial travellers exactly what they want. Unique and personalised experiences.