data demand
Behind the scenes, AI is revolutionizing consumer market research. Businesses can accumulate vast amounts of information about customers across multiple touchpoints, enabling new ways to optimize services and offerings. “The main impact AI will have on travel in 2024 will be about data,” says Jose Arozarena of Tour Reviews, a platform for tour providers to manage online reviews. “Companies with the most amount of data available will benefit the most and the earliest. AI will be able to understand that data more effectively, delivering better, more personalized services.” We will be able to provide insights that will lead to
In February, Lufthansa announced it would launch a Customer Insight Hub in collaboration with marketing and innovation consultant TD Reply. The AI-powered portal mines data from countless customer interactions, from online bookings to in-flight engagement to social media, and can be used to report on the customer experience and adjust service. .
Philipp Schilchegger, Head of Customer Insights at Lufthansa, said: “Customer Insight Hub accelerates collaboration and decision-making within our company. There is a foundation.”
That same month, Vueling took a different tack, using Persona+ to create customer profile avatars that allow departments to role-play different scenarios with fictional passengers and generate feedback on suggestions. announced.
Data collection may have great potential, but there are understandable concerns for consumers, especially when it comes to privacy. Data breaches continue to occur with worrying frequency. In 2020, Marriott International and British Airways were fined around £20 million for breaching the GDPR, and in 2023, Air Europa, American Airlines and Air Canada were also hacked. Implementing responsible data management measures such as data protection, efficient storage, and responsible data disposal will become a priority for organizations and customers alike.
at the airport
Airports may provide the most prominent examples of AI in the coming years, with rapid adoption of biometric and digital solutions in the form of fingerprints and facial recognition. If you've ever gone through immigration with a smile on your face at places like Singapore's Changi Airport, you're likely to embrace this technology.
Biometrics has advanced significantly, with 98% of airports intending to implement biometric equipment and 60% of airports deploying biometrics across their airports, according to Amadeus' 2024 Travel Technology Investment Trends Report. intend to do something. The next five years will include check-in, bag drop, lounge and boarding.
The report confirms that machine learning is the most important technology for travel businesses this year and five years from now, with data analytics and cloud considered top investment priorities. According to the IT specialist, SITA, implementing this type of technology is not only efficient, but essential. In April, the company released a white paper on biometrics titled “Face the Future,” highlighting how projected passenger growth (8 billion by 2040) will put an extraordinary strain on airport, border, and airline resources. He emphasized that he was putting pressure on him. Existing paper-based, manual travel infrastructure won't cut it.
Technological improvements also extend to the development of 'digital travel credentials' (DTCs), digital copies of acceptable identification documents such as passports, which speed up the process at border crossings. The white paper highlights examples such as the Star Alliance biometrics initiative, which allows passengers to register their biometric data via photo and enjoy faster contactless processing at participating airports. This has now been extended to the Lufthansa Group and is also available in Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna, but the ultimate goal is to allow all passengers in the network to travel without a boarding pass or smartphone. .
David Laborel, CEO of SITA, said: “Airlines and airports have learned from the congestion and disruption seen over the past few years. Advanced data sharing and analytics tools can bring stakeholders together and identify opportunities for efficiency and lean operations. Solutions such as integrated airport management and real-time insights into asset and passenger flow management enable an agile and collaborative response to any disruption.”
Turkish Airlines provided another example of how AI can improve navigation or “wayfinding” within airports. The company introduced voice recognition software to remove language barriers and installed 100 of his SmartMic language translation devices at Istanbul Airport. This allows non-English speaking passengers to communicate with airline staff. The new device supports 52 languages and 72 accents and allows real-time conversations in multiple languages through its 7-inch screen.
green AI
The impact of AI in improving operational efficiency will also be significant, from responding to flight interruptions and cancellations to managing payments and staffing shortages.
According to SITA, 90% of airlines already have plans to use technology solutions to increase the efficiency of their operations and aircraft turnaround by 2026. More than half have already introduced technology to optimize operations such as taxiing, takeoff and landing. The same applies to airports, where building monitoring and energy management systems are particularly important to address environmental goals.
“With the industry goal of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 in mind, airlines and airports are taking the necessary steps to reduce their carbon footprint and accurately monitoring their energy consumption and emissions. We are introducing digital tools to optimize the process,” says Labrel.
Many hotels are also implementing AI-powered technology to improve things like waste management strategies. Accor's Gaïa allows hotels to track their sustainability efforts by measuring and monitoring their energy, water, waste and carbon footprint performance. Meanwhile, Iberostar has adopted the Winnow system to show exactly what is being wasted (via cameras and other sensors) and provide chefs with a report that includes cost, weight, and quantity of food wasted. Did.
Whether it’s counting leftover croissants, optimizing fuel levels, or planning your dream itinerary, AI is likely to become your new must-have travel partner. See you in 10 years, Genie!
