Travel and tourism are among the most impactful industries in the global economy. According to Statista, leisure travel accounts for around 80% of travel expenditures worldwide. However, the excitement is ruined by the tiring and cumbersome process of planning and prepping for the vacation.
However, technology is here to save the day. From researching to booking tickets, technology can transform the cumbersome chore into a seamless process. This way, you can plan the perfect trip, which is important because 93% of Americans are planning to travel in the next six months.
By harnessing the power of technology, you can bag the best deals and offers on tickets and hotel bookings. Technology also allows travelers to preview the destination, share the travel experience and more. Let’s take a look at ways in which technology is making life easier for travelers.
Skip the Queue With Online Bookings
Have you ever stood in the queue to make reservations or reached a hotel only to be told it is fully booked? With the advent of technology, you can make all bookings from the comfort of your home and preview the hotel room, flight seats, etc., ahead of the trip. According to Statista, hotels and flight tickets were American consumers’ top two travel product bookings in March 2024.
Travel websites like Booking.com or Expedia have revolutionized how we research and book travel. These portals aggregate all necessary information, from flights to hotels and activities, in one place. This allows travelers to compare options and pick the best one based on their requirements.
Besides hotels and travel, technology allows travelers to manage other important aspects like commuting and transportation at their destinations. For example, Chicago is among the top 30 places to visit in the U.S. for 2023-2024 and attracts massive foot traffic during the holiday season. While the city has a robust public transport system, Eminent Limo notes that renting spacious and luxurious Sprinter vans for sightseeing in Chicago for families is best.
All you have to do is look up Sprinter van rentals in Chicago online and make a booking. You will have a luxury vehicle ready to ferry you around the city, from airport pick-up and sightseeing to airport drop-off at the end of the trip. In short, all you need is your smartphone and working internet connectivity to handle everything booking-related right from the palm of your hand.
Tap the Potential of Travel Apps
The U.S. is expected to have around 316 million smartphone users in 2024. There’s an app for everything from looking up the nearest ramen shop to the closest ATM in your vicinity. By tapping the potential of travel apps on their smartphones, leisure travelers can save a lot of time and effort.
Apps like Google Maps will help you avoid getting lost in unfamiliar streets. They also offer real-time traffic status or time to destination when you are out and about in your Sprinter rental. Similarly, Google Translate can help you break language barriers, converse with locals, or decipher the menu at a hidden gem of a local restaurant.
The convenience of using these apps is not lost on travelers, as over 850 million people used travel apps in 2023. Some of the most popular travel apps include Airbnb, Booking, Hopper, Trivago, and Skyscanner. Whatever your need, from contactless payments and digital wallets for convenient payments to subway ticketing and restaurant bookings, there’s an app for everything.
Preview the Destination with Mixed Reality
Since the launch of Apple Vision Pro, Mixed Reality has become the buzzword in all industries. It’s the latest innovation that combines the utility of AR and VR in a single environment. Using this technology, leisure travelers can virtually walk through the streets of their destination, check out the attractions, and more without leaving their homes.
For example, a family of six, including young kids, can get an idea of whether the bustling streets of Tokyo will be more suitable or the serene shores of Lake Como are more your style. Mixed Reality can also help plan an itinerary by virtually checking out the streets, layout, and other important information about places of interest. This information can be handy in prioritizing the must-see spots and managing time efficiently.
According to research, around 50% of people admitted that they would use VR to pick a holiday destination, provided it’s free. This is because the immersive experience allows travelers to get the feel of the destination and whether it will suit the traveling party.
Social Media and Its Role in Travel
It goes without saying that social media is one of the most important factors when it comes to deciding something in 2024. And when it comes to travel, there are studies to back this fact. According to Statista, 75% of travelers are inspired by social media to travel to a specific destination. From showing off on social media to visiting a gram-worthy destination, social media is shaping people’s travel choices greatly.
Another way social media is impacting travel choices is through vlogs, blogs, travel communities, or reels. When travelers see the destination in real-time on others’ feeds, read about their experiences, or watch daily travel influencers’ vlogs, they get influenced. Social media and, by extension, technology appear to be an important deciding factor for many.
Gadgets to Protect Your Belongings
Lastly, it’s very common for travelers to lose their belongings on vacation. However, losing a passport, keys, cameras, and other important belongings can spell trouble. Once again, technology comes to the rescue with gadgets like Apple Tags or Tile, which you can attach to your belongings and enjoy guaranteed peace of mind.
These gadgets can alert you on your smartphone if you leave your belongings behind and guide you to the exact spot where you left them. You can purchase several trackers and attach them to your backpack, wallet, keys, smartphone, and other expensive stuff.
Then, there’s the Find My feature on most Apple and Android devices. You can locate your lost phone and even track people if they get lost. The Find My feature on iPhone allows you to add friends and family to your network, and then you can see exactly where they are on the Maps app.
Apple has also introduced a nifty Check-in feature with iOS 18, where users can send a check message to their trusted contacts. This feature will then inform your contact when you start the trip, when you arrive, where you are in case of a delay, etc. This feature can send details like your current location, network status, battery details, route traveled, and the last time you unlocked your iPhone or removed your Apple Watch. All these details will help your contact pinpoint your location and reach you.
Technology has evolved rapidly and completely transformed the way we travel. From reservations and bookings to tracking lost belongings, technology assures peace of mind. And with that comes the core of vacation, which is focusing on enjoying the trip and creating memorable moments.
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