other sectors, such as energy and water, in the MK Data Hub, the technical and data infrastructure of the MK:Smart project. Frictionless travel, as a result, may be a big draw for an organisation looking for, say, a conference or meeting host city. With increasing amounts of data available, in particular from those cities embracing the Internet of Things, could a smart city have an edge over other cities? “HRG’s Meetings, Groups and Events division is the fastest growing sector, and we have a very large team looking at the right venue,” says Dear. “Being plugged into a smart city could be a dif- ferentiation for us, but it depends if that is the best venue: if we had a large con- ference, what is the shortest distance for the delegates to travel? Is there an airline network or alliance that can take everyone into one place?”
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
One trait these cities share is that real-time transport data can be easily accessed
However, there is also scope for travel management companies (TMCs) to harness the data for their own tools. “The utopia of total trip is where the travel indus- try is heading, ensuring total connectivity once the traveller is there,” adds Dear. Florian Tinnus, head of corporate IT at Amadeus IT Group, goes further. “If thou- sands of delegates were attending a large conference in a smart city, Amadeus tech-
nology could provide taxi companies or the visitors’ bureau with business intelligence and, potentially, relevant travel itinerary details, to help them better welcome those visiting their city,” he says. “We also have the technology to offer individual travellers personalised local destination content, such as restaurant reservations or city tours, and we could notify drivers and hotels if flights are delayed. Smart cities can also help com- panies ensure the safety of their travel- lers in the event of natural disaster or other crises.”
SEMANTIC DATA There are apps that already plug into smart cities, according to Charlotte Lamp Davies, vice-president of travel and hos- pitality at Data Art, citing Google Now as being able to plug into a city’s transport
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