As the travel industry continues to emerge from the impacts of the pandemic, there are still endless opportunities for new entrepreneurs to be the next game-changer in travel.
As the travel industry continues to emerge from the impacts of the pandemic, there are still endless opportunities for new entrepreneurs to be the next game-changer in travel. From harnessing social media and search to elevating the guest experience, we have seen travel startups determined to redefine the traveler journey now and into the future.
As I now head up the startup programAmadeus Launchpad in the Americas, I’m excited to see what’s next from budding entrepreneurs. A global program, Amadeus Launchpad is designed to support future champions in travel with technology and expertise. Amadeus Launchpad also works alongsideAmadeus Ventures , which focuses on funding and collaboration. Together, we provide an army of experts, resources and a set of value propositions to support the launch and business growth of travel startups.
In some cases, there are startups who have a great idea but don’t know where to start. As someone who has worked with startups for many years, and will serve as a Startup Program mentor at the upcomingPhocuswright Conference , I’ve seen multiple outcomes – where one clever idea may flourish while another equally clever idea fails to launch. With an unpredictable market and ever-changing traveler needs, it can be difficult to navigate this road to startup success. Here are some tips that can help travel startups become trailblazers in the industry.
Recognize key drivers for potential change
The aftermath of the pandemic planted many seeds for new travel trends. During the early days, travelers were largely stuck at home on social media getting inspired from travel-related posts. We are now seeing startups being able to harness the captive audience of social media and wrapping search and booking tools around the overall experience. Experiential travel planning is not a new concept, but it has been historically difficult to transact because of the more traditional ways travelers search and book for travel options. But the digital age has ignited a need to disrupt, modify, create and peel back the barriers to entry.
Consumers have hit the gas pedal on travel to experience new places but also to reunite and reconnect with friends and family. Although group travel is not new, we are seeing an evolution in the space in terms of group bookings. Improvements in technology, changes in travel behavior, the evolution of supplier change fee/cancellation policies and again, the impact of social media on travel planning, are the key drivers of innovation.
Understand the tech behind the takeoff
While it’s one thing to know there’s a problem to be solved, it’s another to know how it can be solved and if it will work. For many budding entrepreneurs, they have a seemingly unique idea, but they don’t have a deep understanding of the travel industry or the technological back end to search, book and manage a reservation. The concept could be creative and potentially successful, but without the foundational knowledge of travel technology, entrepreneurs may hit a brick wall. The idea might seem like the most important factor in a startup’s inception, but I encourage entrepreneurs to know the technology behind their great idea or product.
Startups who desire to be successful (who don’t have industry experience) can begin with mentors or advisors who have deep travel industry and technology experience. Those advisors can guide the founders to resources and industry contacts to help the startup team more quickly ramp up their understanding of the way the travel industry wheels turn. At Amadeus, we have an extensive library of documentation on our Launchpad andAmadeus for Developers pages to enable those startups to become self-sufficient on their journey to learn more about the ecosystem and help their solution take flight.
Play in the right sandbox
Through Amadeus Launchpad, we work with entrepreneurs at various stages of growth. Startups entering our program have access to Amadeus’ cutting-edge travel technology, global community, industry experts and training – all to launch and scale their business. This year, we have spent a great deal of time focusing on how we engage startups, streamlining our commercial processes and working on the most efficient ways to get those new customers into production. I am excited for these changes we are implementing and the overall impact for the startup community.
One example of a cutting-edge travel startup we partner with is App in the Air. The go-to travel app has quickly grown to over 7,000,000 users around the globe. The AI-based solution allows users to easily plan, book, track and manage their travels all in one place. Since joining the Amadeus Launchpad program, we have worked closely with the App in the Air team to understand their objectives and get them into production with the Amadeus solutions. They are on track to achieve their goals and rapidly grow their footprint in the industry, and we are excited to support their journey!
Aligning with the right tech partner can help untangle the complexities associated with taking an idea from inception to innovation. As Amadeus heads into The Phocuswright Conference, I’m looking forward to hearing from passionate entrepreneurs who are on track to becoming a trailblazer.
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