travel tech insights

Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion says for every action there’s an equal or opposite reaction - essentially, each action has two component parts that not only rely upon each other but can also counteract or combat each other’s characteristics. But what does Newton’s Third Law of Motion have to do with the travel industry?

Well, when it comes to travel apps and how these platforms provide value added for travel companies and their customers, the issue is not necessarily a matter of black and white. Instead, much like Newton’s Third Law, each action - or component of a travel app - has distinct benefits and liabilities - actions and reactions - that travel companies should consider before implementing a mobile app strategy or solution.

While it’s fair to say the travel industry at-large has more or less fully-embraced mobile concepts and functionality during the last few years, smaller travel companies or new start-ups are faced with a myriad of decisions and value propositions when it comes to creating and propagating a mobile platform.

We’ve discussed in a great deal before on this blog the rise and importance of the millennial traveler in terms of reshaping how the travel industry at-large appeals to and interacts with a younger generation of traveler - and how that younger generation engages with travel primarily through digital media, mobile technology, and the internet. But these discussion have usually been somewhat broad in nature and have not examined the concept of the millennial traveler through any specific cultural lens. That is until now, because recent travel industry reports and surveys have pinpointed a certain millennial traveler whose impact could mean seismic shifts in the tourism industry landscape.

We’re talking about the Chinese millennial traveler, particularly those on the higher-end of the socioeconomic spectrum, who are poised to become one of the most sought-after market segments of the near future.

The term ‘experiential travel’ is somewhat perplexing. For some, it might conjure up notions of obscure, harrowing activities in far-flung regions of the world where the idea of smartphone connectivity and wi-fi are entirely alien concepts.

While the true definition of experimental travel - selecting destinations, tours, and activities on a whim that are most commonly off the beaten path - does contain some elements of daring, today’s experimental traveler (much like today’s adventure traveler and somewhat akin to the millennial traveler) seeks unique, culturally relevant, and personalized travel experiences that are often booked on short notice - sometimes only a few hours beforehand. It’s an emerging, growing sector in today’s travel industry, and it’s one tour operators are capitalizing on and leveraging to remain viable and competitive.

The rise in experimental travel is something of a recent phenomenon.

Today’s corporate travelers have a lot on their plate. Is the presentation ready? Has everyone reviewed the report? Will the right players be available for this afternoon’s conference call? How can we quickly leverage this data into a positive action for our company? These are the questions the average corporate traveler faces on a daily basis, which is why - given the number of decisions needed each day - it makes perfect sense that travel agencies are still an important value proposition for the 21st Century corporate traveler.

Yes, in today’s increasingly connected, digitized world, access to destination information, travel review websites, and online travel agencies (OTAs) or travel management companies (TMCs) is greater than ever. But as the speed and pace of the corporate lifestyle continues to increase, business travelers find themselves at something of a curious paradox: the speed and availability in ecommerce that makes travel bookings so easy and convenient has actually made it difficult for corporate travelers to tend to these tasks given the myriad of other responsibilities they have day-in and day-out.

“If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else's shoes or at least eat their food. It's a plus for everybody." - writer, traveler, and documentarian Anthony Bourdain.

As today’s world becomes more interconnected and technology makes it easier for people to travel to parts of the world previously unknown, more and more people are taking the above advice of Anthony Bourdain and traveling to and from new and emerging markets - for example, those in Asia, Eastern Europe, South America, and others. Masses of international travelers are flooding emerging markets across a wide variety of cultural spectrums such as Mexico, Malaysia, Turkey, and the Philippines, which is opening new and varied value chains for travel companies.