Don't be surprised if you visit a hotel and see robots performing concierge-like tasks, such as greeting guests, providing information, or even cleaning and handling luggage. Over the past few years, robotics and automation have moved quickly. For instance, the Sheraton San Gabriel Hotel in Los Angeles uses a team of robots to assist guests with luggage transportation, room service delivery, room and hallway cleaning, and other tasks.
Or take Samsung's Ballie personal assistant robot, which has an onboard projector and advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.
The vast potential of this trend is being explored more and more, which means that travel companies are leveraging these approaches. A few years ago, chatbots providing technical support seemed innovative; now, it's not unusual to see robots replacing human support teams.
According to Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety, and Security, "Passengers have made it clear: they want to spend less time booking and move through the airport faster." Biometric popularity is not a new phenomena. According to the International Air Transport Association's 2017 Global Passenger Survey, approximately 64% of respondents supported the use of biometrics in airports to reduce check-in times. Airlines such as JetBlue, LOT, and Adria Airways use Face ID software to identify passengers, while airports are embracing the concept of "smart airports" to increase operational efficiency, improve customer service, streamline processes, and strengthen security. We all want travel to be easier and safer in the future, and the idea of a fully integrated digital identity travel experience fits with that.
As pointed out, AI has been integrated into various aspects of the travel and tourism industry, including face recognition systems and airport security scanning devices. However, the number of ways AI has been integrated into the travel business is long. Among the many potential applications of AI are smart chatbots, data analytics for finding valuable insights, and the areas of design and marketing. Hopper App, which has generated over $600 million in ticket sales since it first launched, is an excellent example of using artificial intelligence in action. Through innovative technology, you can find the best flight price at the right time and get a heads-up on future flight prices. They've helped the industry through the app by bringing in smart price predictions powered by AI.
Environmental organizations have been critical of the tourism industry for a while, claiming saturated destinations, overuse of water resources, pressure on local resources like energy, food, and other raw materials, and carbon emissions. In this sense, many operators have made their businesses more environmentally friendly by embracing emerging technological trends. These include using more sustainable aircraft to reduce each flight's environmental impact and shifting toward more sustainable fuel in the cruise industry. Other examples include how the hospitality sector is turning their hotels into eco-friendly places to stay and incorporating carbon offsetting programs into travel apps. At the same time, more organizations are considering giving some of their profits to funds that fight climate change, among other things. Certainly, travel technology companies are playing a greater role in promoting environmental sustainability. We see potential in personalization and facilitating the discovery of new appealing destinations, particularly where technology is involved. It is clear that as artificial intelligence evolves, travel technology has the potential to expand even further.
We've already seen examples of technologies that use the internet to connect everyday devices, allowing opportunities for air transport stakeholders. One of the newest travel tech trends is the Internet of Things (IoT). By connecting everything with technology, an "internet of various things" can be developed. This can be used to give hotel guests a device that connects to all the electronics in the room or to make things run more smoothly at the airport gate. Newark Terminal A is one example of a worldwide airport terminal that already uses cutting-edge wireless technologies to give travelers and airport workers a tech-forward experience. Some other airports trying new things with private 5G networks are those in Brussels and Frankfurt. We can expect that the Internet of Things (IoT) will help make travel easier and more seamless from beginning to end.
Tekton has successfully collaborated with air transport stakeholders, including a leading Latin American airline. To find out more about this case study, please contact us!