Growth of Technology and its Contribution to Tourism Business

Technology is growing each day by leaps and bounds. It is influencing every aspect of our lives. Tourism business has witnessed much change in the past few years and what was earlier regarded as impossible has now become a dream come true for the consumers. The phenomenal growth of technology has impacted this industry in a positive way.

Technology has done wonders to improve our travel experience right from dreaming to planning, booking, experiencing and even sharing. This has led to an amazing spurt in tourism the world over. According to statistics, as compared to 2014, 50 million more people traveled internationally in 2015.

How has Technology Improved Our Experience as Tourists?

Consumer is now the king with so much information available every moment on the internet. Information technology is the backbone of world tourism.

It is the internet revolution which has made us more inclined toward traveling and vacationing. It has spurred us on to make more adventurous travel plans without doubts and fears assailing us. Our smart phones are our constant companions. We never feel out of place and stranded without information now. So we do not hesitate to plan vacations farther away from our homes.

With various travel and tourism portals available on the net, it is easy for us to do research and finalize our destination. Sometimes social media too plays a role here. As technology has grown so has social media. Sharing of photographs and holiday experiences on social media also help us, decide on our travel destination sometimes.

Now it is time to make the bookings. Earlier it was a cumbersome process involving middlemen or coordinating on phone for long hours. Today, technology has simplified everything for us. Reservations for hotels, airlines and other traveling arrangements can easily be made via the internet with just a few clicks. We can even compare the prices of various airlines, hotels or tour operators and make an informed choice.

There are many tourists who do not even plan in advance these days. A quick travel plan is worked out and the arrangements are in place en route with the help of the smartphone.

Any delays or changes in plans on the part of the airlines and travel operator can be communicated instantly with the advancement in technology. We do not have to suffer any inconvenience.

Even experiences on vacation destinations have become better with growing technology. Augmented reality and simulated reality are gradually being included in tourism experiences. For instance, the Museum of London has an app for augmented reality. This app re-creates the history of the place for the visitors. Such experiences are likely to grow in the future and fuel further the travel excitement of tourists.

The tourism industry is thus experiencing a boom. We, the consumers are happy and showing an inclination to travel more and more. With this increased inflow of tourists as a result of advancement in technology, the industry too has revamped its old style of functioning.

How has Technology Improved Organization and Administration of Services for Tourists?

There has been a surge in tourist traffic to hotels with advancing technology. Online booking is the order of the day. Hotels and travel agencies have installed hardware with high speed and have customized software programmes. A faster and better booking process is the result. Thus businesses save time and money and add to efficiency.

All check-ins and check-outs are completely computerized for the convenience of the guests.

Branches of a hotel in different locations can now share data since they are connected by a computer system. Movement of guests and their reservations can thus be smoothly coordinated.

All the hotel staff information, preferences of guests, housekeeping and reservation details are stored in a system and can be accessed anytime for improving the service quality for the guests.

With improved technological prowess, innovative means such as audio guidebooks and pod guides are being used to entertain guests on tours.

Social media, search engine optimization and digital advertising are the boons of technology to businesses. The tourism industry has been making effective use of these to boost their sales. Luring tourists the world over by cashing on the growing wanderlust is thus made easy by technology and its reach.

New trends and techniques have given rise to new opportunities. By 2019, the sector is expected to provide 296million jobs. Technology has opened up the entire world not only to tourists but also to those who wish to be a part of the tourism industry.

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