UK travellers are increasingly embracing innovative digital travel tools, with one third (36 per cent) using voice search tools such as Apple Siri and Amazon Alexa to research trips, according to a survey commissioned by Travelport.
The research, which was carried out by Toluna Research, also found that more than two-thirds of travellers are open to offering personal biometric data to allow for biometric screening at airport security if it reduces waiting times.
The survey of 16,200 travellers across 25 countries revealed that more than a third of respondents now use digital payment wallets or payment apps while travelling. Travelport says this demonstrates an increasing level of tech-savvy travellers using emerging tools to negate the inconveniences associated with travel, such as having to carry cash or convert currency.
Furthermore, 34 per cent find it ‘very painful’ when they are not able to access their booking information on all of their devices, while 26 per cent feel pictures and videos on social media carry the greatest influence over their travel choices.
Guy Snelgar, commercial director for the UK at Travelport, said: “The UK is a country that has vastly welcomed technology and so it is no surprise that digital travel tools are in demand. What is important to note is that UK travellers are seemingly ready and willing to jump onto travel technologies. The travel industry in the UK therefore needs to stay ahead of the curve to keep surprising and delighting its customers with cutting-edge digital solutions that tangibly enhance the experience of travellers.”
Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport, added: “We can all see the way technology is changing almost every aspect of our lives. The travel industry has always been about new experiences and adopted new technologies early. This is as true today, with such high demand for voice search and biometric screening, as it was when I joined this industry almost 30 years ago.”
travelport.com