In the year 2019, I think that it would be fair to say the world can be accessed with the push of a button. Sometimes, even a push may be far too much effort, because often a swipe does the trick. Technology has influenced nearly every single sector, from retail to entertainment, from how the media industry operates to countless other examples. It is but natural that its influence would also be felt in the realm of travel and tourism.

Startup culture has taken India by storm, and its influence is being felt heavily when it comes to the travel industry, with innovative technological advancements. Travel based startups have revolutionized the whole industry to such a great degree, that technology has brought about a new level of ease and convenience into every single process.

It would be fair to say that to analyse the impact of technology upon this sphere, we need to look at two different aspects. Technology has made life simpler for customers, enriching their travel experience to quite a great degree. It has also benefited accommodation providers by ensuring that various aspects of the travel experience can be enhanced with the help of modern technology.

1.) Benefits for travellers & customers: In the days of yore, embarking on a vacation, whether it was for business or recreation, would be a cumbersome process. There would be a great degree of research involved, from the destination, to the tourist attractions, to the safety aspects of travel, ultimately to the accommodation factor.

It would involve much manual interaction with a travel agent, whose options would be limited, and whose suggestions would not necessarily be tailor-made according to customer interests.

This is something that has changed completely with the new technological revolution. Travellers that know where they wish to travel can completely customize the trip in such a manner that best suits their interests.

Ultimately, reviews too play a major role in this regard, helping tourists bypass the whole manual intervention process from travel agents completely.

Travel based start-ups have revolutionized the whole industry to such a great degree, that technology has brought about a new level of ease and convenience into every single process.

It may be fair to see that with the influx of technology, travel has become a breeze in every single respect.

2.) Benefits for hotels and accommodation providers: It is but obvious that accommodation providers also want to provide their customers with the smoothest, most-relaxing experience possible. And to achieve the same, they often seek the help of technological start-ups to endow their visitors with an experience that they won’t easily forget.

For instance, virtual reality can be used to showcase how the rooms will look in a 3D format before the visitors even check in. And when they do, visitors today can bid farewell to long queues at the reception area with the help of digital room keys. Ultimately, with the assistance of mobile concierge services, any manual interaction can be bypassed making for a truly smooth and hassle-free experience.

And then there are innovative startup entities, which provide branded solutions at hotels, at the concierge desk, that can be accessed by customers with the help of tablets. This can be used not merely to view attractions, but also purchase third party tickets, that guarantee a small cut for the accommodation provider.

It is a heartening sign indeed that the entire spectrum of travel and tourism has been touched and transformed from its very core with the use of technology. It is also a promising sign for technological start-ups because the growth of the travel industry also means a synergised period of growth for their business.