Feature 29 INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT
DON’T MISS ATM Travel Agents’ Academy Two half-day training programmes take place today for specialists in the field, covering topics including desti- nation briefings, sales training and presentation skills. Hall 1. 10:00 and 13.30.
“We know from our research earlier last year that guests still crave the
human, more personal touch, and so the ideal solution is for robots and humans to work in tandem in customer-facing roles”
leaving their armchairs, or receive recommen- dations for local restaurants when booking a flight to a new city. Embracing this technology and exploring new ways to use it in the sales process will ensure travel agents stand out in an increasingly crowded market.”
GOING MOBILE Another important prediction for the modern travel agent is the rise of the impact of mobile technology. Amadeus, in its recent ‘Online Travel 2020: Evolve, Expand or Expire’ report, outlines the rise of the mobile travel retailer. “Imagine an addictive mobile travel agency
app that accompanies the traveller along the entire journey,” it says. “Rather than being a complementary distribution channel, mobile could become
the only means of distribution and the only app a traveller needs – or wants. Mobile is there- fore no longer a platform, but a way of life, and gives agents the ability to connect with travel- lers throughout their journey, from booking, through to their return home and beyond.” The new breed of mobile travel retailer will
be able to communicate through chat channels or voice recognition; be empowered to cross-sell and up-sell at the right time during the travel- ler’s journey and accept alternative methods of payment such as virtual cards or Apple Pay. Sébastien Gibergues, Head of Leisure &
Online Travel, Amadeus IT Group, says mobile- only platforms such as Uber have proven the mobile travel retailer concept is viable. He adds: “However, it is likely that pure mobile players will initially focus on only a
specific niche - last minute deals, unique user experiences or specific content such as desti- nation services - exploiting instead one of the many channels offered by the mobile platforms: apps, chat bots, games and augmented reality. The future will tell how creative mobile travel players can be.”
ANINTELLIGENT FUTURE As a wide range of new technology becomes part of the modern travel agent’s toolkit, the incorporation of AI is also seen as a vital forward strategy. According to the ‘Future of Travel’ report 2016, from travel deals firm Trav- elzoo, AI is set to play a more dominant role. The report revealed that most consumers
not only expect robots to play a big part in their lives before 2020 (80 percent), but also
feel comfortable with robots being utilised in the travel industry. Travelzoo’s European President Richard
Singer says the travel industry needs to recog- nise the appetite for AI and should “strive to keep up with expectations, at the very least”. He believes the AI opportunities far
outweigh the risks, and says: “We know from our research earlier last year that guests still crave the human, more personal touch, and so the ideal solution is for robots and humans to work in tandem in customer-facing roles. “A healthy balance of robotic technology,
AI and human service will help travel profes- sionals create a more seamless customer expe- rience – the industry just needs to be more accepting of this fact, and do more to embrace it,” Singer adds.
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