Tourism and Technology
(Kamruzzaman Ratan/Getty)
Travel and tourism has long been proven to be one of the most stable industries in the entire planet. It has been rising steadily with 25 million international tourist arrivals in 1950 to over 1 billion in 2012 – a quarter of this number belonging to Asia Pacific, according to the UN World Tourism Organization. This, supported by UNWTO research, is expected to rise by 3.3% every annually until the year 2030, with market share of the emerging markets, including the Philippines, to have doubled by then.
In the local scene,
the Philippines received a whopping 4.7 million international tourists in 2013,
despite the calamities that beset most of the Visayan region in the second half
of the year. This is according to the Department of Tourism, who added that
this number has even surpassed last year’s tourism arrivals by 9.56%.
The same study by the UNWTO
also estimates around 5 to 6 billion domestic tourist movement around the
world. The international body also stated that 1 out of 11 jobs today are
tourism-related.
It is without a doubt
that the advancement of online technology played a hand in the tourism
industry’s rise. Airline companies and hotels post promotions and huge
discounts on their websites that are updated everyday. Booking accommodations
and tours have been made as easy as a simple click of a button.
The proliferation of
Internet-enabled mobile devices, as smartphones and tablets, has also played
the same effect. A 2012 Google/Ipsos/Sterling study indicated that travel
planning is one of the most popular cross device activities.
More recently, 80%
travelers use the Internet for planning their travel, versus 28% who used
informational brochures, and 14% who relied on travel agents, based on a
multi-option study question in June 2013 by research company Ipsos.
Travel websites and
even personal travel blogs have even gained a share of the tourism spotlight,
as these provide more personalized information that appeal better to certain
readers. Events such as blogger conferences and food and experiential tours
also abound these days, as providers of travel and tourism products and
services have now learned to leverage on the Internet’s power to drive more
customers to their business.
With the globalization
of information, tourism providers without an online presence are often left out
in the dark. But even without a website, hotels, restaurants, resorts, and the
like can take advantage of online crowdsourced resource sites such as
TripAdvisor, where a potential tourist can look up advice and recommendations
from fellow tourists.
Technology has also
played a big role in making prices more competitive. Two newcomers who have
revolutionized travel accommodation include AirBnB (bed and breakfast) and
CouchSurfing.org. AirBnB has provided a singular online booking platform for
smaller accommodation institutions like hostels, inns, and even your own spare
bedroom! Couchsurfing on the other hand, provides a large member directory of
travel-minded individuals who are willing to provide even the humblest of
sleeping conditions (such as a couch, hence the name) to the more adventurous
travellers.
If you are part of the
tourism industry, be it a small walking tour service, to a large chain of
hotels, here is a useful infographic for you to help keep visitor loyalty.
(with data from UNWTO, Philippines Department of Tourism, Google, and Ipsos)
(with data from UNWTO, Philippines Department of Tourism, Google, and Ipsos)
