TravTalk India Online Magazine
A team of Amadeus travel tech experts have identified the annual travel trends. As per the trends, increased use of metaverse, new biometric possibilities, working from anywhere and travelling light will be major trends of 2023, which will transform the industry in future.
TT Bureau
The Amadeus 2023 Travel Trends has identified five new developments that, according to the travel tech giant, will play a part in shaping travel over the coming year.
- Meet a new kind of travel agent: Exploring the metaverse will allow travellers to explore a destination before they arrive or relive their memories once they leave
- Smile for your seat: Biometrics will help create a smooth travel payment experience
- Travel without baggage: Hotels will offer travellers more amenities, so they can travel lighter
- Working from roam: Remote workers will adopt an increasingly nomadic lifestyle, migrating to different locations as ‘work from anywhere’ policies become normalised
- Welcome to bonding business breaks: A new category of business travel, focused on connecting teams, building relationships and unlocking creativity away from the office, will emerge
Amadeus’ team of travel tech experts have identified the annual travel trends and have mentioned that while technology is a major driver of change, and Web3 and biometrics will have a big part to play, human relationships are equally important.
Mani Ganeshan, Global Head of Engineering, Travel Sellers Unit and Centre Head, Amadeus Labs Bengaluru, said, “Travellers worldwide expect seamless travel experiences driven by comfort, security, and personalization. The growing sophistication of technology underpins travel providers’ ability to deliver on these expectations and transform the customer experience. Now that the future has arrived, new and emerging technologies are enabling us to achieve these objectives in a new reality where people can better control their travel experiences while prioritizing aspects important to them, such as their impact on the environment, cultural nuances, and interpersonal relationships. With the emergence of newer technologies, the travel ecosystem is going through a fascinating and progressive phase. As technologies evolve to meet travellers’ expectations, they will rapidly shape the future of travel for the better.”
The report claims that in the coming years, the metaverse will take traveller engagement to the next level. Travellers will be able to enjoy deeper cultural experiences in an online world, exploring virtual concerts and exhibitions. The technology also offers enormous potential for pre-trip assistance and the opportunity to “try before you buy”, creating further wanderlust and excitement. This will become increasingly popular way to trial higher-priced items such as luxury cruise holidays.
Amadeus also shared example of the acceptance of metaverse by major brands across the world. Walt Disney Co. has plans to create a real-world theme park ride, which incorporates a parallel 3D virtual world experience, while Seoul is blazing a trail with its plans to go “meta” by 2023 with a platform titled “Metaverse Seoul”. Qatar Airways recently announced Qverse with a MetaHuman cabin crew, providing an immersive experience to tour, navigate and check-in at Hamad International Airport.
Also, it said that biometric payments – via the likes of ApplePay and GooglePay – are now mainstream for both retail and travel payments. But over the coming years, travel is likely to take biometric payments to the next level. Airports already use biometrics for travel document identification. From paying for train tickets to seat upgrades, in-flight meals or late checkout at the hotel, with biometrics, travellers worldwide will use convenient, more secure, biometric payment solutions.
