Feeling like a little fish in the big travel tech pond? Fear not – If there’s anything we learned from the recent Phocuswright Conference in Fort Lauderdale, it’s that all kinds of companies, irrespective of size, can make a name for themselves by embracing the latest trends. Here are just some of the ways that travel tech companies can succeed in 2016.
Personalisation is key
Technology allows us to reach more people in new and exciting ways but it’s important not to lose the human touch. Personalised nuances are what draw consumers to a brand and make companies stand out from the travel tech crowd. In a sea of the same, travel companies must do something new. The key is to use technology itself to aid that personalisation. Find out as much as you can about your customers – the food they eat, the music they listen to, the designs they love – and incorporate this into your brand. HomeAways’s Co-Founder and CEO Brian Sharples had it sussed when he said, “If you don’t make the travellers happy, they’ll go somewhere else”.
The need for community
Consumers are becoming movers and shakers in the travel landscape themselves as hosts with Airbnb, BlaBla car sharers and so on. There is set to be even more choice in the travel industry through trusted communities like these in 2016. The power really is with the people! Technology means that we are learning more about each other and ourselves, not just the world around us. To coincide with this, travel tech companies are encouraged to develop a culture of community around their brands. It’s also pertinent to build brand trust through social media – individuals are more likely to believe their peers than other sources, a point emphasised by Umapped’s CEO Lisa Israelovitch in her Travel Innovation Summit talk.
The importance of mobile
You’re probably sick of hearing it by now but mobile-optimised content has never been more important. The latest
Google research shows that 87% of digital moments happen on mobile devices, with a whopping 50% increase in travel searches year on year. This is easy to see in everyday life – we’re all glued to our smart phones as we catch up on the latest news, communicate with friends and purchase products. To succeed in 2016, travel tech companies need to go where their consumers are and improve their instant booking services on mobile devices. Taking this a step further, Kayak are working on creating an integrated shopping cart across all devices – seriously impressive stuff!
Embrace change or be left behind
TripAdvisor’s CEO Stephen Kaufer shared words of wisdom on his success at Phocuswright – “I set the seed for constant change, built into the culture from day one”. The emphasis on embracing change and adapting to fit in with what consumers want was a recurrent theme at the conference. Travel tech companies need to be fearless when it comes to digital innovations and not simply follow the lead of others. This is not only applicable for start-ups – established companies also need to push boundaries. Expedia Inc’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi commented, “We are constantly improving and optimising as a company. No one at Expedia is sitting comfortably in their chairs”. This “need for speed” has clearly worked for Expedia, which remains one of the world’s top OTAs.
If we learned anything at the recent Phocuswright conference, it’s that companies need to go the extra mile and put their customers first at every turn. This is not just true of the travel tech industry – all businesses can follow the above guidelines to step up their game in 2016. Answer the questions consumers didn’t even know they had, give them access to real-time updates and information and adapt your company practices to reflect the latest digital developments – with a little patience, you’re sure to succeed!
Is there something to be said for branching out even when you’re making profits? Is it always necessary to shake things up a bit? We’d love to hear your insights – tweet us @TravelMedia_ie.