Utilising technology for distribution & disruption

As travel has returned across the Asia Pacific, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that consumer expectations and demands of the traveller are changing across all stages of the journey. COVID-19 has produced a transformation in expectations about the travel process for consumers in the region, from how they research, plan and book a trip, to where they want to travel, who they want to travel with and what they want to spend their money on. 

Given the regional lockdowns and uncoordinated nature of border closures and travel bans imposed during the pandemic, it’s unsurprising that a degree of uncertainty and caution prevails for international travel. Asia Pacific travellers have also been slower to abandon concerns around health and safety, have shortened their planning and booking windows and are retaining heightened demands concerning the level of timely information and support made available to them through the travel process.  

COVID-19 also accelerated a range of ongoing issues: Regional consumers continue to pivot towards online & direct sales channels and mobile booking; travellers are becoming more independent, particularly in younger generations; consumers are more conscious about sustainable travel and tourism options and their personal impact when the travel.   

Technology is at the heart of the air travel sector’s response to these disruptive changes. The industry is pushing digital solutions to facilitate new preferences and ways of interacting with travel.  

• What are the key technologies that Asia Pacific travel firms need to adopt to meet changing regional travel trends?  

• What are the technology priorities for the traveller through different stages of the journey? 

• With the rise of the ‘always on’ traveller and greater desire to stay informed, what information does the regional traveller want, and what can they do without? 

• How are travel research/planning, booking and payment trends changing? 

• Should regional travel companies be pioneering technology development to create bespoke solutions, partnering with third party firms/using established systems or outsourcing development completely? 

• Are regional travel companies falling behind, and if so, what can they do to keep up with new trends?