As a 90’s baby, most of the things may not surprise you as much as the technology does. From manual tasks to complete automation and even going beyond, we have surely come a long way. In fact, now that I think about making phone calls or just staying connected, it only seems understandable to take out mobile from the pocket and start dialing. That’s how convenient it has become!
Gone are the days when people used to run for the payphone or worse, wait until they got home just to dial-up and tell their friends they have reached a certain location.
As communication has become better, thanks to technologicaladvancement, other aspects of life have also improved. This is not just limited to the quality of life but also other factors especially, education, business, food production, and traveling. As a millennial, I have traveled during the time when most things were manual.
From booking a plane ticket to applying for a visa and then getting the currency, almost everything was very hectic and required years and years of planning.
Now that we are able to stay connected thanks to the internet, this has changed completely. If you have a good internet connection like Optimum, you can stay connected, even book your ticket on the go, and use the e-pay system regardless of where you are. The best thing about Optimum is the free nationwide hotspot that allows you to stay connected without any extra payment. So, if this interests you, then you can contact Optimum Customer Service and get yourself a plan of your choice.
10 Ways Technology and AI Are Transforming Travel and Tourism
Currency exchange is one of the biggest issues when you are planning an international journey. Most of the currency exchange services charge a hefty fee, while others have rate discrepancy that affects the conversion rate. The worst issue is that you will have a currency conversion cap to control the inflow or outflow of currency.
In short, you need to plan your whole trip while keeping in mind that you do not have to spend more than your budget. Staying within the means can be challenging because during traveling,you can never be sure about anything. With contactless payment, you can now pay through Apple Pay or Google Pay anytime, without converting the currency. This also helps you to travel safely without fearing theft or running out of money at any given moment.
Pro tip: Track the currency of the country you are visiting and buy via online wallet when it reaches its low. This will help you save a lot of money through e-wallet and eventually your trip will be much cost effective.
2. Wearables
Just a few years ago, all the airlines were relying on manual ticket booking. This meant that if you planned to cancel the ticket, you needed to keep all the details in mind and at least cancel it one month prior. However, with ticketing, this process of buying, canceling, and postponing has improved.
Now, airlines and companies are issuing smart boarding passes along with wearables to ensure that everyone reaches there ontime. Moreover, these wearable watches help in speeding up the boarding process ensuring that there is less waiting time and you can easily request things without calling the authorities. This also works in planes, airports, and while boarding.
Pro tip: smart boarding passes are only offered by a few airlines so before you buy the ticket and start the boarding process ask for the availability. These wearables are generally available on non-connecting flights for facilitating passengers.
Security is one of the very crucial parts of traveling. From the boarding process to luggage checking and then ensuring that your luggage is safe, there are a lot of variables involved in the process.
However, with the help of security robots and automated scanners, all the luggage can be scanned in no time. The best thing about this process is that it reduces the waiting time and there is no human error. In short, now the process is smooth, quick, simple, and much more accurate than before.
Pro tip: security robots are common in countries that support transit flights because they get passengers from all around the world. While booking your flights robot security is not important, in a personal capacity. However, once you reach the airport only then you will be able to notice the availability of security robots.
Big data is slowly becoming one of the buzzwords because you will see everyone either talking about it or mentioning its effectiveness. The University of Michigan states that traveling has become easier and safer because of technology and big data. In the case of traveling, big data helps in scanning people, understanding their behavioral patterns, and making sure that borders are safe.
So far, it is one of the best ways to ensure that criminal activities can be controlled and people responsible for criminal activities can be brought under strict scrutiny. Moreover, big data ensures that the cause of traveling can be screened and verified before the traveler steps into the door.
Pro tip: smart security scans are only available in a few countries and on a few passports only. Before starting your journey, make sure you know the privileges that you will get on your passports. As a US citizen or a European citizen, you will have access to a lot of privileges including smart scanning.
Ticketing and visa processing are not something new for people living and traveling in today’s world. Almost everyone who gets to travel now has to book a ticket and apply for a visa online. However, just a few years ago, all these things were manual. You had to explain the reason for traveling and then prove the reason by offering complete details and identifications. Even the slightest change in the documents or discrepancy means you just wasted a lot of money.
Similarly, with manual ticketing, the cancellation time and fee were hefty because you booked a ticket and even if you canceledit, there was no way of knowing that it is available for others. With online booking portals, it is now easy and so the cancellation fee is negligible.
Pro tip: while planning your trip track the ticket prices and then filter the trends. This will help you know about the days when flight tickets are cheaper so you can save a lot of money on your next trip.
Most of us can only speak one language. If you were fortunate enough or you are an immigrant, maybe you can speak two languages. This means when you visit a country that does not speak English, communication becomes a guesswork. In old times, people would learn a language before they could plan a tour.
This is nearly impossible in the present time because although most of us would love to speak multiple languages online courses are easily available but we can all agree that it takes much more than just a few online courses.
However, thanks to translation apps now you don’t have to worry about learning a new language or communicating things, instead, you can simply use translation apps to translate everything in real-time. Most of these translation apps are free and come with multiple language setting options.
Pro tip: most of the free translation apps do not offer real-time translation but you can get translation devices that will work in real-time. Moreover, some paid apps also work wonders.
Did you know, most tourists complain that gestures that are considered polite in some countries are considered offensive in others? To make matters worse, this eventually affects tourism in countries with more conservative cultures. Now, tourism influencers are helping in raising awareness about cultural differences. Technology is becoming one of the simplest and most useful tools to boost tourism spree.
From online vlogs to videos and blogs, you will find more people talking about cultural differences. Before you book a ticket, just a quick online browsing will help you know about the country you are going to visit and what you should expect. This is not only a good way to stay culturally aware but it will also help you know about the famous tourist destinations that you must visit. In addition, these videos are good for luggage preparation and understanding the season.
Pro tip: watch YouTube videos for better cultural understanding, especially follower vloggers from your country to understand cultural shock and keep your mind prepared.
Getting a visa might seem like a simple task but if you have a passport that does not offer a visa on arrival from the majority of countries then you will need assistance from a tour or travel agent. In this case, they charge a hefty price for their service and in some cases, you might even have to pay some extra for documentation as well.
Now, with online visa applying services most of the embassies offer online visa services. Regardless of the country you are from and the passport you have, you can simply sign up and make your account on the embassy website. From scanning to rejection and even other details, you will receive everything online.
Moreover, most countries now offer e-visa so you do not have to carry documents along. Just a downloaded PDF of the visa is enough to help you pass the immigration and scanning.
Pro tip: Although third-party booking apps are good it is better to use the airline apps as they offer an upgrade option and a mile cash option.
Traveling is never a one-size-fits-all experience. If you look for reviews, you will come across a lot of different reviews based on the personal experience. One of the major issues is personality and background traits. Moreover, your home country and personal experience also affect your travel choices and experiences. People from developed countries, especially people living in metropolitan cities choose travel destinations that offer them raw, authentic, and close-to-nature experiences.
On the contrary, people living in developing countries prefer visiting metropolitan cities. While planning a tour, understanding these features plays a very important role but this is only possible if there is a prior knowledge of the overall environment and culture of the country you are visiting. Now, with the help of touring countries and available packages, you can easily shortlist the most suitable option and personalize your experience accordingly.
Pro tip: search for hotels and restaurants that offer add-on experiences. From halal food, options to babysitting and pet grooming you will find everything online.
Remember the immigration lines where everyone has to wait for hours? Well, in some countries biodata is now universal. You can easily check in with the airline app and then go to the immigration counter for a quick scan and you will be on your way. Just a few years ago, this was nearly impossible but now it nearly takes a few minutes to clear the immigration and check in as well.
Moreover, airline companies now make sure that you do not have to come to the airport 2-3 hours ago. Instead, you can simply check in your luggage online with no waiting line. This is not just limited to check-in but also luggage claims as more airlines are opting for scannable and trackable luggage. While passengers are choosing trackable luggage tags, airlines are also stepping up to ensure the safety of luggage.
Pro tip: Although some countries offer full, online scanning options your destination or recipient country also plays a very important role. Before you take your flight, learn about your destination and the features that will be offered.