The new tourist has everything solved from a cell phone

How connectivity, access to information through devices and digital platforms allow the evolution of travel towards intelligent and efficient tourism.

The new tourist has everything solved from a cell phone
Digital tourism. Photo by Hammer & Tusk / Unsplash

Traveling the world is no longer the same as it used to be: the laborious and complicated process of booking airline tickets, hotels, and tours, the need for an interpreter in countries with languages different from ours, the burden of carrying a tourist guide, maps and museum brochures are a thing of the past. Carrying a tourist guide, maps, and museum brochures is a thing of the past century.

With the invasion of technology and its dynamic evolution, the tourist's world has been transformed and what's even better, it promises a future where everything -from buying flights, planning tours, booking hotels and visiting a museum- can be done instantly and with just a cell phone in hand.

Today we have digital tools that until a few years ago seemed impossible to implement: airline and hotel booking portals from a web page currently account for 85% of purchases of these tourist services.

Tours, car rentals, and even the contracting of services such as shows or translators are also carried out from a website or a mobile application. The new tourist has everything solved from a cell phone.

The tourist activity is part of the change generated by the technological impact that is taking place all over the world. Connectivity, access to information through devices and digital business platforms allow the evolution of travel consumption to increasingly intelligent, efficient, and growing.

The future of tourism

According to various studies, the tourist who travels abroad, is increasingly demanding, compares the offer of different hidden countries, and based on their experience, demands more and better services:

Virtual travel

It is possible to be in a place without actually going there. The Internet allows us to see photos and videos in real-time of any destination and with that information to determine if a real trip is made. The promotion of countries, cities, and hotels should be supported by digital presentations full of innovation, creativity and become the beginning of the trip.

Security for the tourist

The safeguarding of documentation is fundamental for tourists, especially in developing countries. Today there are companies, insurers, and banks that offer virtual packages based on virtual identity in the cloud for the time the tourist is traveling preserving his identity, confidentiality, and information.

Tourist communities

Most frequent travelers resort to groups on social networks where they share information and recommendations for their trips.

Technology in the future of tourism

Everything that tourists request and demand was first thought of by a company or an innovative mind to enhance a brand, a service, or a travel experience. Some of the innovations that are making inroads in the markets are:

A smart suitcase

The idea of a suitcase controlling biometric data is not a great novelty, but it has reached the consumer at affordable prices. It allows checking the suitcase's itinerary from an App, from which the lock can also be closed and opened remotely, as well as controlling the weight of the luggage.

A translator in your hand

It is possible to travel anywhere in the world with the mobile applications of an online translator with audio that allows us to speak in our language and play in another language, interactive maps, and even a portable tour guide that tells us what is most important to know during our visit.

Augmented reality

With a cell phone, we can visit museums, art galleries, and even public shows and receive more information in real-time about the places we are visiting. The most traditional museums are already digitized to receive the new generation of tourists, allowing technology to be a factor that directly influences a positive experience during their visit.

All these changes are making tourism change radically, and it seems that the new axiom of tourism should be to focus on not losing sight of the cell phones, tablets, and mobile devices of its customers. This seems to be the immediate response to the current demands of the international tourism market.