Travel Technology Trends 2023 | Mashable

The pandemic may still rear its ugly head, but travel is back in a big way.

While listening to our favorite shows and working from home, we mapped out our next travel destinations. At the same time, travel and technology companies have moved rapidly with the times to develop technologies such as AI, biometrics and remote working solutions to enhance or enhance the Trip experience. This sets up 2023 for a great year of travel. Here are some of the top travel tech trends we expect to see in 2023.

1. Airports get a technology upgrade

Expect to see a lot more technology designed to make getting around the airport easier. Before you even leave your home to baggage claim, new technologies are stepping in to solve the headaches of theft. Clear now offers a free online tool called Reserve to reserve your place in the security line in advance. Of course, Clear also hopes you’ll sign up for its paid subscription, which offers identity verification and expedited security using biometrics (eye or fingerprint scanning).

The Transportation Security Administration is expanding its biometrics pilot project. TSA is essay facial recognition technology at 16 airports for identity verification and plans to expand the program to more airports in the “coming months”.

Once you’ve crossed the security line, your face and hands will be in much greater demand for snacks and magazines, according to a 2023 travel trends report from Amedee. ApplePay and GooglePay already offer payments authorized by facial recognition technology. But this year, your favorite airport store Hudson has partnered with Amazon begin testing its “Just Walk Out” technology, which accepts payments with palm recognition.

Once you have landed at your destination, companies like Boomerang, SITAand Roadie will help you track, retrieve and deliver your lost luggage.

We’re all for a hassle-free flight experience, but using biometrics and tracking personal items comes with Privacy risks. False biometric identification (which is more common among people of color and trans and non-binary people) and data breaches are factors to consider. Also, the TSA biometric driver is currently opt-in, but programs like this often become the norm. “We often see with these biometric programs that they are only optional in the introductory phases – and over time we see them becoming standardized and nationalized and eventually mandatory,” said privacy advocate Albert Fox. Cahn. Washington Post.

Ultimately, it’s important to know what you’re getting into – and what you’re giving away – for a slightly faster experience.

2. Airbnb continues its dominance

In 2022, Airbnb turned lemons into lemonade. First of all, it finally solved the drama of surprise cleaning fees not being added before departure. Now when you search for an Airbnb, you have the option to see the total amount you would pay, with the cleaning fee included. For good measure, Airbnb also had the last word on the growing trend of excessive cleaning demands from hosts: “Guests shouldn’t have to perform unreasonable payment tasks like stripping beds, doing laundry, or vacuuming when leaving their Airbnb. But we think it’s reasonable to ask travelers to turn off lights, throw food in the trash, and lock doors, just as they would when leaving their own home.”

Second, it finally solved the problem of landlords banning Airbnbing tenants from their apartment. It had been a huge untapped market for Airbnb, but it turns out cutting landlords into the deal goes a long way. Now, Airbnb has partnered with property management companies across the country to create the “Apartments compatible with AirbnbRenters can search the website for apartments that allow Airbnb rentals and see how much they could earn as a host – after Airbnb and the landlord get their share of the profits. It’s a pretty nifty solution. to help people offset the exorbitant cost of renting this Airbnb first contributed.

Like it or not, Airbnb is moving full speed ahead in 2023. With more transparent pricing and more potential Airbnb hosts, the short-term booking platform should be as widespread as ever. Plus, with rising travel and real estate prices, it’s all a win-win for Airbnb.

3. Our favorite streaming shows get us off the couch

If you found yourself wanting to book a trip to Sicily while watching Season 2 of The White Lotusdespite all the scams and murders, you’re not alone. Searches related to travel for the Italian island have skyrockets since the launch of the second season. But this phenomenon is not exclusive to The White Lotus. According to Expedia’s 2023 Travel Trends Report, 68% of US travelers wanted to visit a destination after seeing it on a streaming show or movie, and 61% actually booked a trip.

Paris (Emily in Paris), The United Kingdom (Bridgerton and The crown), New Zealand (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), and Hawaii and Italy (thanks to The White Lotuswith the help of Search for Italy) were all trending destinations in flight search and demand in 2022, with no signs of slowing down in 2023 by Expedia.

Of course, these are the favorites of the main travel destinations, but the report also indicates streaming tv shows and movies are now the main sources of inspiration for travel, so it’s no coincidence.

4. Digital nomads are officially mainstream

Digital nomads have been around for a while, but the rise of remote working during the pandemic has thrust this lifestyle into the mainstream. To research shows that hybrid and remote employees have better work-life balance and are more productivewhich prompted more companies to offer these fonts.

Now that many workers are no longer dependent on their location, they are taking full advantage of the digital nomad lifestyle. And the trend towards remote work is expected to increase. According to Upwork, 36.2 million Americans will work remotely by 2025, double the pre-pandemic period (16.8 million). In fact, nomadic list, a membership platform for digital nomads, predicts that by 2035, one billion people will work remotely for at least part of the year. Last year, the platform registered over 4,000,000 users.

Very early on, digital nomadism was only considered for privileged dreamers in their twenties. “Not only do you need a relatively strong passport that makes tourist visas easy to obtain, but also employment in the knowledge economy and access to technology and devices that make work easier. possible distance,” said The Guardian in 2015. But broadband continued to improve globally, flights continued to get cheaper, countries started offering visas suitable for remote workand there was enough critical mass that digital nomad hubs and coworking spaces started popping up.

Today, according to Nomad List Statisticsdigital nomads are 44% female, 40% non-white, average age 33, and hold a variety of jobs including marketing, UI/UX design, product management, and yes, software development .

Needless to say, being a digital nomad has never been so accessible.

5. Virtual and augmented reality boost IRL travel

The pandemic has brought travel and tourism to a screeching halt, forcing businesses to get creative using virtual and augmented reality. “Coming out the other side, the same absorbing technology will be used to enhance the visitor experience rather than replicate it,” Euronews said in its Travel Report 2023.

Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality was quickly adopted to provide consumers staying on-site with the virtual travel experience they dreamed of. Without leaving your home, you could To visit museums and explore sights like Machu Picchu And now it’s also being used to help travelers research their next vacation spots, as a “try before you buy” way when choosing hotels and tours, and even a way to reserve them. As VR/AR becomes more mainstream thanks to Meta Range of quests and Sony PlayStation 5 (and maybe Apple soon?) offering user-friendly VR headsets, expect to see more travel and tourism companies offering VR tours.

Hospitality companies love Marriott, Shangri Laand holiday hostel are offering virtual tours of their rooms, and businesses like Beyond and Weezy have sprung up to deliver immersive virtual travel experiences. Ultimately, VR/AR for travel is integrated into every step of the customer journey. Whether you’re at home or visiting the real deal, expect VR/AR to cross your path.

6. Get back to nature in wild new ways (beekeeping!)

If you’re sick of all the tech talk, you’re not alone. People want to unplug and recharge, without their devices. After a few years, it’s no surprise that travelers are prioritizing wellness. But they’re not just looking for a spa visit. According to Hotels.com (owned by Expedia) 53% of US travelers looking for wellness activities want something exciting and new. “The trend here is that the same old yoga retreat is over. People are looking for what we call a new wave of wellness,” said Melanie Fish, global PR manager, Expedia Group Brands, during the Expedia event revealing its 2023 travel trends.

If you’re looking for a wellness getaway, expect to see more hotels and tours offering activities like forest bathing (also known as sylvotherapy), foraging, fruit harvesting, and even beekeeping. Alternative wellness destinations are multiplying all over the world. Apparently the US is the number one destination for millennials, but Gen Z seems to be more adventurous, preferring Norway, Turkey, Switzerland, Iceland and Sri Lanka.

Whether you’re a digital nomad who’s made globetrotting a way of life or an everyday traveler picking up the pace after a break, these tech trends will be at work behind the scenes wherever you are.