Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products Lists
  • Developer
  • 5G
  • Security
  • Cloud
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Tech & Work
  • Mobility
  • Big Data
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • CES
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Top Products Lists
  • Developer
  • 5G
  • Security
  • Cloud
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Tech & Work
  • Mobility
  • Big Data
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • CES
  • See All Topics
  • Sponsored
  • Newsletters
  • Forums
  • Resource Library
TechRepublic Premium
Join / Sign In
Innovation

Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

By Olivia Krauth February 8, 2018, 12:56 PM PST

Image
1
of 16

tourism1.jpg
tourism1.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

1. Skyhour

Image: Skyhour

1. Skyhour

From designing hotel rooms to on-the-go fitness apps, tech is making its way to all sectors of traveling and the tourism industry. Here are 16 ways technology is making travel easier, safer, and more fun.

The technology behind person-to-person payment systems and apps has made its way to the travel sector in the form of Skyhour. In the app, people can gift skyhours, which are fixed at $60 for one hour in skytime. The recipient can redeem the skyhours on flights with over 350 international and domestic airlines.

Image: Skyhour
tourism2.jpg
tourism2.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

2. RFID bag tags

Image: Delta

2. RFID bag tags

When using RFID technology in airline bag tags, airlines can automatically connect travelers and their luggage. Travelers can receive updates via text or an airline app to know when their bags are ready for pick up and where they’re located.

Image: Delta
tourism3.jpg
tourism3.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

3. MobilityScore

Image: TransitScreen

3. MobilityScore

Hotel accessibility can be a key part of planning a vacation, especially when you’ll be staying in a big city where a rental car might not be an option. MobilityScore is a website that helps determine how accessible your hotel is by train, bus, or other form of transportation. It can help unfamiliar business travelers pick the hotel closer to the metro stop, and it can also show how close your transportation options are once you’ve arrived.

Image: TransitScreen
travelgallery4.jpg
travelgallery4.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

4. Aaptiv

Image: Aaptiv

4. Aaptiv

Traveling means being away from your home gym, but there are ways to stay fit while on the go. One option is Aaptiv, a subscription-based app full of audio fitness courses. Travelers can perform more than 2,500 courses in their hotel room or gym, or outside.

Image: Aaptiv
tourism5.jpg
tourism5.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

5. FriendFund

Image: FriendFund

5. FriendFund

Apps that round up debit card purchases and save the change have grown in popularity in the past year, and now there is a round-up app for travel. FriendFund uses round-up transactions and direct deposits to help the user save money for future travel.

Image: FriendFund
tourism6.jpg
tourism6.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

6. Wave

Image: Wave

6. Wave

Tech is also being used to increase travelers’ safety. For example, the Wave app allows two or more people to share their location with each other for a predetermined amount of time. The locations are shown on a private map, so you can track down a friend or relative if you get separated while exploring a new city.

Image: Wave
tourism7.jpg
tourism7.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

7. Visit Arizona app

Image: LighthousePE

7. Visit Arizona app

Technology is driving mobile apps that help travelers navigate a new area and avoid typical travel headaches. For example, the Visit Arizona app utilizes a user’s known behaviors and preferences to suggest things to do or smaller towns to discover without sifting through online reviews.

Image: LighthousePE
tourism8.jpg
tourism8.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

8. Hilton Connected Room

Image: Hilton

8. Hilton Connected Room

Guests can customize the Hilton Connected Room via an app, allowing them to adjust lighting and heat quickly. Guests can also hook up their streaming services to in-room devices to make themselves at home.

Image: Hilton
tourism9.jpg
tourism9.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

9. Amelia

Image: IPSoft

9. Amelia

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) uses Amelia, a digital worker created by IPsoft, for some IT functions on their help desk. By using a virtual worker instead of a human, the team saves time and money as Amelia can handle thousands of services requests a month, according to IHG Director of Global IT Service Support Scot Whigham.

Image: IPSoft
tourism10.jpg
tourism10.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

10. Holiday Inn Virtual Reality

Image: IHG

10. Holiday Inn Virtual Reality

By using virtual reality (VR), Holiday Inn can test different furniture pieces and fabrics before creating a live environment. The process is more efficient than building several prototypes, and allows hotel owners to have more of a say in the design. Better thought-out hotel room designs could also make guests’ stay more comfortable.

Image: IHG
tourism11.jpg
tourism11.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

11. Hotel VIA

Image: Hotel VIA

11. Hotel VIA

San Francisco’s Hotel VIA uses tech in a few ways to make guests’ stays more comfortable. Guests can use their phone as a room key, and a customized concierge app helps them plan their stay.

Image: Hotel VIA
tourism12.jpg
tourism12.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

12. Marketing

Image: Pure Florida

12. Marketing

While technology is changing the way people travel, it is also impacting how those in the tourism industry market their products and services. Compared to print marketing, new online advertising methods are cheaper and easier to measure, CEO of Pure Florida Harry Julian said.

“Marketing technology has allowed us to measure the performance of our ads, be more nimble as a company to stop and pivot away from poor performing campaigns and test new ones,” Julian said. “We can fail fast thanks to digital marketing technology tools.”

Image: Pure Florida
tourism14.jpg
tourism14.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

13. Smart TVs

Image: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Houston by the Galleria/Kokua Hospitality, LLC

13. Smart TVs

For Kirk Pederson, president of San Francisco-based hotel management company Kokua Hospitality, smart TVs in hotel rooms can help guests stay connected and entertained on their trip.

“Giving guests the ability to seamlessly stream content, movies, music, their work from their personal devices onto our Samsung SmartTVs has completely changed the value and use of these amenities,” Pederson said.

Image: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Houston by the Galleria/Kokua Hospitality, LLC
tourism15.jpg
tourism15.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

14. Axiom Hotel

Image: The Axiom Hotel/Kokua Hospitality, LLC

14. Axiom Hotel

San Francisco’s Axiom Hotel has offers a router in each guestroom, with each guest able to access free, secure, 15 mbps Wi-Fi. With more routers available, guests are more likely to be able to stay connected during their stay, especially important for business travelers.

Image: The Axiom Hotel/Kokua Hospitality, LLC
tourism16.jpg
tourism16.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

15. Roxy

Image: Roxy

15. Roxy

Used at Vancouver hotel Hotel Blu, Roxy, a digital assistant, can provide much of the information in the standard hotel directory, including recommending things to do and basic hotel facts. Guests can also request fresh towels or room service through Roxy.

Image: Roxy
tourism17.jpg
tourism17.jpg
Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

16. Alltrails

Image: Alltrails.com

16. Alltrails

Travelers can check air quality data through Alltrails.com before booking a last second weekend trip or heading to a popular hike in the area.

Also see:

  • Travel and business expense policy (Tech Pro Research)
  • I built the ultimate tech travel-kit for cheap (ZDNet)
  • Special report: Turning big data into business insights (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
  • Photos: 15 TSA-friendly business travel accessories (TechRepublic)
  • 8 pro tips to reduce the stress of business travel (TechRepublic)
  • CES 2018: 5 trends that will have a massive impact on business travel (TechRepublic)
Image: Alltrails.com
  • Innovation
  • Account Information

    Share with Your Friends

    Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry

    Your email has been sent

Share: Photos: 16 ways tech is changing the tourism industry
Image of Olivia Krauth
By Olivia Krauth
Olivia Krauth is a multiplatform reporter at TechRepublic.
  • Account Information

    Contact Olivia Krauth

    Your message has been sent

  • |
  • See all of Olivia's content

TechRepublic Premium

  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Automation specialist

    PURPOSE Recruiting an automation specialist with the right combination of technical expertise and experience will require a comprehensive screening process. This Hiring Kit from TechRepublic Premium provides a flexible framework your business can use to find, recruit and ultimately hire the right person for the job. From the hiring kit: DETERMINING FACTORS, DESIRABLE PERSONALITY TRAITS ...

    Published:  March 27, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 28, 2023, 12:48 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Cybersecurity engineer

    PURPOSE Recruiting a cybersecurity engineer with the right combination of technical and industry experience will require a comprehensive screening process. This hiring kit from TechRepublic Premium provides a flexible framework your business can use to find, recruit and ultimately hire the right person for the job. From the hiring kit: DETERMINING FACTORS, DESIRABLE PERSONALITY TRAITS ...

    Published:  March 27, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 28, 2023, 12:18 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Business information analyst

    PURPOSE A large segment of internal and external modern business now takes place on computers, tablets and other mobile devices. The information technology infrastructure that has sprung up around that business can be daunting in its scope. This Hiring Kit from TechRepublic Premium provides an adjustable framework your business can use to find, recruit and ...

    Published:  March 26, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 28, 2023, 12:51 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Grant writing guide

    PURPOSE This grant writing guide from TechRepublic Premium will help you identify a grant that fits your idea, build a team to help you compile a proposal, and set a timeline to meet the application deadline. From the guide: BEFORE YOU START This list of steps will help the grant writing process go more smoothly. ...

    Published:  March 26, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 27, 2023, 6:00 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium

Services

  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information

Explore

  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Twitter
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on Flipboard
© 2023 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Property of TechnologyAdvice