Technology has been a catalyst for change across almost every industry, and the travel sector is no exception. In our 2016 industry snapshot survey, a number of participants agreed that ‘digital interaction’, ‘online marketing’ and ‘the increase in web/app bookings’ are, among others, key emerging trends to look out for in the next 12 months.
“The future is only going to get more targeted, with even greater info and insight becoming available online,” said Anthony Rawlins, managing director at Digital Visitor, during his Keynote at the show last year.
According to Rawlins “over 80% of people using social networks and content sharing sites for leisure and travel inspiration”. This means it’s key for any successful travel service operator to keep-up to date with the latest technologies and tools to help with their digital offering. And there’s no shortage of these at British Tourism & Travel Show next month.
From apps and travel compare sites to ticketing vendors, many companies are now catering to the ‘self-service’ traveller, offering an online management system across multiple digital devices. Here are just a few of them to meet at the show:
Ticketmaster Groups is dedicated to providing a total sales service for group organisers, social clubs, coach operators, inbound and domestic tour operators and schools. Any type of group can be fully catered for. From West End musicals and world class concerts to sports and family events (stand F27).
Encore Tickets makes booking theatre, attraction and live music tickets simple, both online and off, for group bookings or individual theatre ticket sales (stand H21).
Group Line is part of The Ambassador Theatre Group, the largest in the UK, and have 20+ years’ experience working with the Travel trade and group organisers (stand F21).
See Tickets is the UK’s leading groups ticketing provider with an expansive range of product, including theatre, events, sports, attractions, music, and comedy (stand G1).
Roeville is the creator of premium quality coach tour reservation software, including T3 passenger reservation and tour management systems, plus the WebRes e-commerce sites used by the UK’s leading coach tour brands (stand F11).
Puratech Solutions’ eTOS (eTravel Operation SOlutions) is a full travel operations suite, which caters for OTA’s, tour operators – DMC’s, outbound FIT / group and scheduled tour operators (stand E1).
Criton by Information Apps is a self-build digital concierge for the travel sector, which enables rental property owners to create their own branded app in just a few minutes (stand F23).
As well as this, Joel Brandon-Bravo, managing director of Travelzoo UK, will be putting the spotlight on the online travel sector in the Keynote Theatre at the show (23 March). He’ll be talking about how they (and other companies) put together packages at the right prices, giving examples of best practice methods.
Also taking to the stage is Alexander Göransson, lead analyst – services & payments at Euromonitor International, discussing ‘overcoming disruption in UK travel’ (22 March). He’ll be covering all forms of disruption, not only from the fallout of Brexit, but also by factors such as technology with mobile sales rising, and changing demographics, and what the travel industry can do in order to overcome this.
For more information on the seminar line-up, please visit www.tourismshow.co.uk/education/
British Tourism and Travel Show will return to the NEC Birmingham on the 22-23 March 2017. For more information and to register for a free ticket, please visit www.tourismshow.co.uk and use priority code BTTS1 (direct link: https://registration.n200.com/survey/3merbygtnzi4j?actioncode=BTTS1).