Technology

September 17, 2024September 17, 2024

AI – “Artificial” or “Assisted”?

Blog, Technology

By Timothy O’Neil-Dunne, Principal at T2Impact Ltd, a global Consulting, Analyst, and Venture firm. There is something personal about how we think (duh). When we are confronted by new technology ... Read more

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023

Innovating in the Clouds: Why data-driven approaches are critical for airline retailing in 2023

Blog, Technology

By Brian Staunton, Chief Commercial Officer at Atlas Last year, I moderated a panel on travel technology at the Arabian Travel Market. It was a fascinating discussion about how far ... Read more

March 22, 2023March 20, 2023

The future of travel and tourism in the metaverse

Adventure, Arabian Travel Market, Blog, Destinations, marketing, Technology, Travel Industry, Trends

It’s fair to say the metaverse has generated a lot of hype, although in 2023, it’s certainly been superseded by AI chatbot ChatGPT. While it’s not currently the talk of ... Read more

January 9, 2023December 6, 2023

The rise and impact of women entrepreneurs in travel and tourism

Arabian Travel Market, Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Professional Development, Technology, Travel Industry, Women in Travel

Globally, the surge in the number of women spearheading start-up roles in travel and tourism is not just noteworthy; it’s revolutionary. Over the past few years, there’s been an unmistakable ... Read more

October 26, 2022November 3, 2022

Tourism & Tech: Developing an innovative solution

Blog, Technology, Travel Industry, Trends

The chaotic period that the tourism industry has overpassed during the past few years made us rethink our travelling habits and adapt to new ways of travel. The triumphant return ... Read more

October 24, 2022October 26, 2022

How fintech innovation solves common travel and hospitality pain points

Blog, Hospitality, Technology

Over the last few years, technology has made an appreciable impact on the travel and hospitality sectors, improving efficiency, reducing costs and providing enhanced customer experiences. Today, as fintech solutions ... Read more

September 2, 2022August 30, 2022

6 Ways to Use Virtual Tourism in Your Marketing Strategy

Blog, marketing, Technology, Travel Industry, Travel Technology, Trends

By Tom Mcloughlin, Founder, SEO Travel Virtual reality is a topic generating a lot of hype at the moment, with the majority of industries considering the ways that this technology ... Read more

August 19, 2022August 22, 2022

Scotland aims to be Europe’s leading travel tech hub

Arabian Travel Market, Blog, Technology, Travel Industry, Trends, WTM London

By Steve Keenan, Co-Founder, Travel Perspective Scotland is making a bold bid to become Europe’s leading travel technology laboratory and boost the country’s tourism industry. Travel Tech for Scotland (TTfS) ... Read more

October 18, 2021October 28, 2021

How technology can help airlines today

Blog, Responsible Tourism, Technology, Travel Industry

By Yann Cabaret, VP Strategy, Product & Marketing, SITA FOR AIRCRAFT 2020 has gone down in history as the worst year for air travel. While we have seen a bounce ... Read more

October 18, 2021October 21, 2021

How technology transformed China’s tourism industry

Technology

Technology has had a massive impact on China’s tourism industry. Marcus Lee of China Travel Online explains how.

October 4, 2021October 4, 2021

Travel tech leader shares tips for post-pandemic success

Blog, Technology, Travel Technology

Hotelmize — a fintech-travel start-up that uses high-end technology to solve industry challenges — thrived during the pandemic. Want to know how they did it?

June 16, 2021June 17, 2021

Technology can help us meet the challenges of Responsible Tourism

Blog, Responsible Tourism, Technology

It is not just the green environmental agenda. There is a host of ways in which technology can assist us in reducing our sector’s use of resources and greenhouse gas ... Read more

March 26, 2021March 25, 2021

How travel businesses can combat the threat of cyber security attacks

Blog, Technology, Travel Industry

Hospitality and tourism firms are being warned to beef up their cyber security with a warning that attacks on businesses is rapidly on the increase.

March 22, 2021March 23, 2021

Moving Forward Cautiously to Build Inclusive Smart Destinations

Blog, Destinations, Diversity & Inclusion, Technology

Conversations regarding equity in tourism through topics such as regenerative tourism and racial diversity have led to a greater need to consider inclusivity within our beloved industry.

October 20, 2020October 19, 2020

How to make the most of Travel Forward Virtual

Blog, Technology, Travel Technology

Last month we announced that Travel Forward would be a fully virtual event in November. One of the questions we were frequently asked was ‘how will the virtual event compare ... Read more

July 21, 2020August 18, 2020

Emergence Of Niche Travel Post COVID-19

Blog, Technology

Several experts in the travel business have expressed confidence that we will likely see significant growth in niche travel driven primarily by the confidence of travelling in a less risk ... Read more

July 14, 2020August 20, 2020

Catch up – Paying for travel: the customer impact during and post Covid-19 experience

Blog, Events, Technology, Travel Forward Online, Travel Technology, Video, Webinars

Speakers Brian Quarrie is a management executive with 20 years specialist knowledge within the payments industry. Having worked across multiple geographies (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and several payment product ... Read more

July 14, 2020August 20, 2020

Catch up – Keynote Opening Address

Blog, Technology, The Travel Tech Show, Travel Forward, Travel Forward Online, Travel Technology, Video, Webinars

Speakers Paul Charles is a former BBC News Presenter, former Communications Director to Sir Richard Branson at Virgin Atlantic and at Eurostar, and now runs The PC Agency, a global ... Read more

July 7, 2020November 13, 2020

Travel Forward expands reach with series of online mini-conferences

Press Releases, Technology, Travel Forward

Payment processes, chargebacks and refunds will be discussed at length in the first Travel Forward Online, a new imprint designed to bring a digitised Travel Forward experience to the desktops ... Read more

July 3, 2020August 17, 2020

5 rules for handling guest email addresses

Blog, Technology

The law, the tools on the market, and the automation options are all finally aligned. You have everything you need to collect your guest email addresses and communicate effectively.

June 26, 2020August 17, 2020

Now is the time for technology that works

Blog, Technology

As the travel industry has moved online to work remotely with the ongoing global crisis, technology plays an important role in assuring our continuous connection to the entire world.

June 19, 2020September 30, 2020

Could Virtual Reality be a way for hotels to differentiate?

Blog, Hospitality, Technology

Virtual Reality, and other rich content tools, could be the means to turn lookers into bookers for hotels.

June 12, 2020August 14, 2020

Millennials, Travel Tech and Post-Pandemic Travel

Blog, Technology

For travel providers, it’s now more important than ever to use technology that resonates with millennials. Because these digital natives aren’t just an important group in their own right.

June 8, 2020

WTM Global Hub extends range to cover Tech Opportunities and Tour Operators

Press Releases, Technology

WTM Global Hub’s ongoing series of business-focused webinars will feature two sessions this week, looking at where technology will make the difference in the post-COVID-19 new normal, followed by a ... Read more

June 5, 2020August 14, 2020

Could Zoom be the future for travel agencies?

Blog, Technology

We are becoming accustomed to video apps like Zoom, both in our social lives and our business lives.

June 1, 2020September 30, 2020

Data-driven Decisions In Times Of Uncertainty

Blog, Technology

It’s easy in times of crisis and uncertainty to be led by our emotions, and to make decisions which we wouldn’t normally make. Your best defence in uncertain times is ... Read more

May 26, 2020August 14, 2020

Travel Technology Trends For A Post-Coronavirus World

Blog, Technology

From a historical perspective, five years from now, we will look back on this period and simply conclude that travel technology was already ushering the future of travel. COVID-19 just ... Read more

May 26, 2020August 13, 2020

Serving the travel industry with tech solutions is necessary nowadays

Blog, Technology

The business-critical importance of next generation technology in travel and hospitality was made crystal-clear.

May 22, 2020

Industry Experts to share tips on Technology, Customer Loyalty and COVID-19 in webinar for WTM Global Hub

Press Releases, Technology

WTM Global Hub – WTM Portfolio’s new online portal – and Travel Forward – the leading travel technology event in travel & hospitality – are hosting a free-to-view webinar which ... Read more

May 22, 2020August 13, 2020

Contactless Hotel Operations Have Moved from Nice-to-Have to a Necessity

Blog, Hospitality, Technology

The idea of contactless technology in the hotel industry is not new, though until now it has been regarded as an operational ‘luxury’ rather than a must-have.

May 18, 2020August 13, 2020

The Future is Electric: Exploring the World in a Two Seat Solar Powered Airplane

Blog, Technology

While Tesla and other car manufacturers are changing the way we commute, prototype electric airplanes are set to change the way we fly in the future.

May 15, 2020August 13, 2020

SMART Tourism Will Help Destinations Reopen Faster And Safer During The COVID-19 Crisis

Blog, Technology

The past few years have seen more and more destinations adopting travel-tech solutions to enhance their visitor experience. Now, these same SMART tourism technologies can be adapted to help face ... Read more

May 11, 2020August 13, 2020

Time for airlines to revisit new-and-improved virtual reality

Aviation, Blog, Technology

The enthusiasm for virtual reality is growing as airlines consider all options for winning business and converting customers in the new post-Covid-19 world.

May 7, 2020August 13, 2020

The current thirst for virtual travel and its role in future travel planning

Blog, Technology

When travel shut down in March, the Faroe Islands – along with a large part of the world – turned to virtual tourism to remind tourists what they were missing, ... Read more

April 22, 2020August 13, 2020

Conversational Interfaces Are The Next Frontier In Travel

Blog, Technology

Billions of people use Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and WeChat every day. Messaging apps to communicate with businesses as well as friends – Facebook says some 10 billion messages are exchanged ... Read more

April 22, 2020August 13, 2020

Navigating The Effect Of COVID-19 On The Short-Term Rental Industry

Blog, Technology

While almost every industry is feeling the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the travel industry is at the forefront of the economic downturn, and naturally, that is a daunting ... Read more

March 18, 2020August 11, 2020

If You Aren’t Clued Up On AI, You’re Missing Out!

Blog, Technology

Artificial intelligence (AI) is something all of us have heard of, but what exactly is meant by “AI” and what’s it got to do with the travel industry?

March 18, 2020August 11, 2020

2020: A Breakout Year For Travel Tech

Blog, Technology

Here are our picks for the top 3 travel tech trends we’ll all be talking about in 2020.

February 4, 2020October 9, 2020

5 Technologies for developing tour companies in 2020

Blog, Technology, WTM Latin America

By Marta Poggi We live in the era of digital transformation in various economic sectors and it’s no different in tourism. The businesspeople and managers of tour companies deal on ... Read more

November 26, 2019

Blockchain in travel: hype or reality?

Blog, Technology, WTM Latin America

By Travel Forward Blockchain is certainly causing excitement in the travel tech market. As companies and providers look for opportunities to use the technology, it is dividing opinions among specialists: ... Read more

November 4, 2019April 22, 2020

Always Have A Long-Term Plan

Technology, Travel Forward, Travel Technology, Video

“Always have a long term plan and be ambitious where you want to take your business from a technology point-of-view” Chris Crauford from @HeathrowExpress shares his advice for the travel ... Read more

November 4, 2019April 22, 2020

Leveraging New Technologies With CWT

Technology, Travel Forward, Travel Technology, Video

“How organisations can leverage new technologies to make travel easier, fun and more efficient” Utpal Kaul from @my_CWT shares his insights

November 4, 2019April 22, 2020

Innovation Should Be Focused On Travel Needs

Technology, Travel Forward, Travel Technology, Video

“Innovation should be focused on travel needs” Evantia Guimba from Amadeus shares key points for innovation to be successful in the travel industry.

October 25, 2019October 9, 2020

Big Data: Strategic for Tourism in the Digital Age

Blog, Technology, WTM Latin America

By Marta Poggi In the digital age, the strategic use of technology and specifically of data becomes a decisive factor for companies in all economic segments. It is no different ... Read more

October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

The Hospitality Tech Landscape: What Does the Future Hold?

Technology

The Future of Hotel Tech: What Does It Hold? For a long time, hotel tech didn’t give investors much to get excited about. Why? Many technology companies didn’t create anything ... Read more

October 3, 2019October 7, 2019

The Wonder of Travel Starts Here

Technology

By Evantia Giumba, Head of Travel Media and Startup Programme, WEMEA Online, Amadeus. It all starts with an idea. The electric light, the telephone, even the humble sandwich. Yes, there was ... Read more

August 26, 2019August 26, 2019

Smart Tourism Destinations

Blog, Technology, Trends

By Marta Poggi The Smart Tourism Destinations project was created in Spain in 2002 with the aim of improving the positioning of Spanish destinations globally by making them “smarter” and ... Read more

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019

The impact of technology on business and leisure travellers

Technology

There is a convincing argument that the travel industry invented e-commerce. In the 1960s, American Airlines and IBM developed the first-ever computerised customer reservation system. Fast forward to the first ... Read more

August 7, 2019August 18, 2020

We’re in 2019 and blogs haven’t died

Blog, marketing, Social Media, Technology, Trends

Search the web and it’s not difficult to find articles announcing the end of blogs. Texts from times as far away (in internet times) as 2008 were already claiming that ... Read more

July 30, 2019July 30, 2019

Digital transformation in tourism: how to begin?

Blog, Technology, Trends

By Marta Poggi We’re experiencing a digital transformation in tourism, as are many sectors in the economy, and there’s no turning back. We know that this transformation goes far beyond ... Read more

July 12, 2019August 12, 2019

Blockchain in travel: hype or reality?

Technology

Blockchain is certainly causing excitement in the travel tech market. As companies and providers look for opportunities to use the technology, it is dividing opinions among specialists: does it create ... Read more

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019

Innovate or Renew?

Blog, Technology

By Vitor Bauab – CEO of the BBG Brasil Group The importance of innovation in organizations is a topic that is becoming increasingly more frequent in the corporate environment. Particularly nowadays, ... Read more

May 8, 2019October 13, 2022

Trends and Innovation in Tourism and the Hotel Trade

Blog, Technology

By Marta Poggi The increasing use of new technologies has changed consumer behaviour and had a direct impact on tourism business. The 4.0 traveller uses a mobile phone at every ... Read more

April 18, 2019April 18, 2019

Case Study: The future of distribution

Technology, Uncategorised

In this interview, Nayan Peshkar, SVP of Digital, Distribution & Revenue Strategy at Millennium Hotels & Resorts presents a case study on how his brand has worked successfully with distribution, ... Read more

April 18, 2019

3 Multi-city Trends and Why You Should Care

Technology, The Travel Tech Show, Uncategorised

The travel industry is absolutely massive ($1.6 trillion in 2017)! But, with a massive market comes massive competition. The industry that thrives on beautiful Instagram photos and elite festivals (Fyre ... Read more

March 12, 2019March 26, 2019

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Technology

By Francesca Benati, Amadeus Senior VP Online Travel Channels, Western Europe, Middle East and Africa Planes, Trains and Automobiles. That’s not just the title of the 1987 comedy starring mismatched ... Read more

March 12, 2019March 26, 2019

The Five Future States of Content

Technology

By Dr Kevin Ashbridge, VP Global Travel, Leisure & Hospitality Solutions, SDL There is great interest in the travel industry around artificial intelligence (AI) and in understanding how it can ... Read more

December 14, 2018December 14, 2018

The Disloyal Customer

Technology

I was at a conference the other day and, whilst awaiting the first speaker’s presentation, I was chatting with the lady next to me. I am not sure how it ... Read more

November 23, 2018

All Together Now

Technology

I quite often give presentations explaining the characteristics of our future consumers – Generations Y and Z when actually, they are just about all grown up now. Gen Y were ... Read more

November 7, 2018November 7, 2018

#WTMLDN 2018 – The Final Day

Adventure, Blog, Business Travel, Destinations, Technology

It may have been the third and final day of WTM London 2018, but that didn’t mean things slowed down at all. ExCel London was once again packed with travel ... Read more

October 29, 2018October 31, 2018

Is Travel the Blockchain Beachhead?

Technology

Blockchain, so we are told, is a solution without a problem. Repeatedly, articles in the media say how Blockchain doesn’t have a real role, how it is being over-promoted, how ... Read more

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018

Is Multi-Modal the next big thing?

Technology

Quite a few years ago (pre-Internet) I was commissioned to carry out a feasibility study for a large telecommunications organisation. The idea was to test the concept of an electronic ... Read more

October 17, 2018October 17, 2018

The third journey: the travel industry may not be transforming, but it is certainly transitioning

Technology

Marketers are familiar with the notion of the ‘customer journey’, which maps a route from potential prospect, through closed sale and beyond. In the world of travel of course, this ... Read more

September 18, 2018September 18, 2018

Must Have Web Technologies for 2019

Technology

This year at WTM London I will be running a Genesys Session called Must Have Web Technologies for 2019. I see travel as an information industry. When a purchase is ... Read more

August 17, 2018August 17, 2018

Information Banks – A Vision of the Future

Technology

Catalysed by the recent hive of activity surrounding General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a few strands of thought from the past and present have come together in my mind to ... Read more

July 20, 2018January 11, 2019

Technology: a travel experience facilitator with greater added value

Blog, Technology, WTM Latin America

by Marília Borges, Research Analyst for Euromonitor International Whether it is when consumers are deciding which experience to have, during the experience itself, or even after it has ended, technology ... Read more

July 20, 2018July 20, 2018

Getting the Message

Technology

The news that Etihad passengers will be able to communicate with the airline via WhatsApp got me thinking about my own messaging apps. I use quite a few. On my ... Read more

June 22, 2018July 3, 2018

Is airline loyalty living in the dark ages?

Aviation, Technology

After writing my blog last month about customer relationship management moving on, I have to ask the question: “Are airline loyalty schemes still living in the dark ages?” Loyalty schemes ... Read more

June 8, 2018August 20, 2018

Transparency leads to trust

Summer 2018 Magazine, Technology

The EU’s new data protection rules, known as GDPR, are now in place and could have a global impact on the travel industry, Rob Gill reports. During the early months ... Read more

May 24, 2018July 3, 2018

CRM is moving on

Technology

A week or so ago I saw a demonstration of one of the better CRM systems, specifically designed for travel companies. What impressed me is how sophisticated customer relationship management has ... Read more

April 12, 2018May 10, 2018

Smart Tourism 2020

Technology

One of the seminar sessions I am running at this year’s Arabian Travel Market is called Smart Tourism 2020. I do work within both the tourism and travel industries and ... Read more

April 11, 2018May 10, 2018

Artificial intelligence: to infinity and beyond

Spring 2018 Magazine, Technology

Artificial intelligence has the potential to be as transformative as the introduction of computers – and the travel industry stands to benefit. Jenny Southan explains Over the past few years, ... Read more

April 4, 2018May 10, 2018

Comparing the Middle East travel market to other regions

Technology, Trends

Phocuswright has been tracking the size and growth of total and online travel markets for over two decades. In 2017, we sized the total market globally at US$1.6T. While online ... Read more

March 21, 2018May 10, 2018

Trade Shows, Events and Digital Convergence

Technology

By Paulo Salvador There can be no doubt that the Trade Shows & Events segment is undergoing unprecedented transformation. The concrete signs of these changes are a direct consequence of ... Read more

March 21, 2018May 10, 2018

Millennials, mobile fuel soaring online bookings in Middle East

Destinations, Technology, Trends

The Middle East’s relatively young population (38% below 20 years old and 27% millennials) and high Internet penetration (74%) are helping to driving double-digit growth in the region’s online travel ... Read more

March 15, 2018May 10, 2018

Losing your voice

Technology

I have been doing some research for a presentation I will be giving next month. I am going to be talking about our future customers – Generation Z. They were ... Read more

March 7, 2018May 10, 2018

City break innovations in a Balearic capital

Destinations, Spring 2018 Magazine, Technology

Now that Palma de Mallorca has reinvented itself as a city break destination, Katherine Lawrey finds out how the city is refining the visitor experience. Encouraging visitors to disperse throughout ... Read more

February 27, 2018May 10, 2018

Technology and the necessary off-line connection

Blog, Technology

It is a fact that information technology (IT) is fundamental to the tourism chain. If we limit ourselves to thinking about the corporate sphere and the day-to-day routine of the ... Read more

February 22, 2018June 2, 2020

Social media expertise needed as the market gets complicated

Technology

For three years from 2014-17, I looked after a lot of social media accounts. It was the phase where travel companies knew they had to have social, but had no ... Read more

February 16, 2018May 10, 2018

At last a use for Blockchain

Technology

I don’t know about you but I have been to quite a few presentations on blockchain and read plenty of articles on the subject. I now think I understand what ... Read more

February 12, 2018May 10, 2018

Grow your market worldwide – achieve competitive advantage as a Travel Agency

Technology

The Travel Industry has come a long way and is continuously developing. This includes both supply and demand. Latest trends shown in The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 indicate many ... Read more

February 8, 2018May 10, 2018

Digital travel is travel and how the Middle East stacks up

Technology, Trends

Phocuswright has been tracking the shift of global travel bookings from offline to digital for over 20 years. Today, while only about half of travel is booked online in the ... Read more

January 25, 2018May 10, 2018

Smart Tourism

Technology

I will be running a new seminar at this year’s Arabian Travel Market. I am calling it Smart Tourism. The ‘smart’ concept has reached almost everything around us. I have ... Read more

January 24, 2018May 10, 2018

How technology is going to transform the travel industry

Blog, Technology

As technology advances and the behaviour of travellers changes, the whole tourism production chain is reinventing itself. With consumer confidence increasing in relation to technology, their travel expectations are also ... Read more

January 19, 2018May 10, 2018

The package holiday is alive and well

Technology

Expedia has carried out a research study in partnership with The Center for Generational Kinetics. The study is called ‘Generations on the Move – A deep dive into multi-generational travel ... Read more

December 20, 2017May 10, 2018

Is the January feeding frenzy coming to an end?

Technology

Some interesting news from Hitwise. Part 3 of their Cyber Week 2017 report showed increased travel purchase activity during Black Friday in November. As we all know, January has traditionally ... Read more

November 17, 2017May 10, 2018

Digital Hospitality

Technology

At World Travel Market London this year, I ran a Summit called Future Digital Thinking. I split this into 2 two hour sessions, the first focusing on the hospitality sector ... Read more

October 13, 2017

The long-term survival of the Travel Agent

Blog, Technology, Trends

They say you cannot serve two masters, but in the old days, travel agents did. Our transactional role as the “agent” between the supplier and customer saw many of ... Read more

September 8, 2017October 4, 2017

Service beyond the sell-by date

Blog, Technology

A recent study by Carlson Wagonlit Travel has discovered that business travellers tend to take four technology devices with them on trips. The survey of more than 1,900 business travellers ... Read more

August 11, 2017August 11, 2017

What’s love got to do with it?

Blog, Technology

In the last month, I was invited by an airline to contribute to a strategy day. A few external experts such as myself had been invited along to the strategy ... Read more

July 17, 2017October 4, 2017

The general data protection regulation

Blog, Technology

The Data Protection Act 1998 is old news. Taking over is the General Data Protection Regulation. The Regulation will harmonise data privacy laws across Europe. It will protect EU citizens’ ... Read more

June 9, 2017October 4, 2017

The British Airways lesson

Blog, Technology

Many opinions have been written about the technology issue that affected BA and the way in which the airline handled the situation. It must be one of the worst PR ... Read more

May 19, 2017October 4, 2017

SEO Tactics for the Tourism Industry

Technology

Search Engine Optimisation – or SEO as it’s more commonly known – is one of the most important digital marketing fundamentals to get right. Why? Because the majority of online ... Read more

May 15, 2017October 4, 2017

Man vs. machine – no contest

Technology

A week or so ago I was chairing this year’s Eyefortravel Europe conference. All of the important subjects of the day were discussed, including mobile, data, personalisation, disruptive technology, artificial ... Read more

April 19, 2017April 19, 2017

Revenue management vs school holidays

Technology

A news story in the UK press ran a couple of weeks ago about Term-time holidays: Supreme Court rules father must pay fine for taking daughter out of school. John ... Read more

March 15, 2017March 15, 2017

Destination Management Organisations vs. Tour Operators

Technology

In the early days of the Internet, we tried to forecast how it would change the way travel was sold. A common prediction was that the Internet would cause travel ... Read more