In this, the last of our explorations of the four Traveler Tribes 2033, I would like to talk about the Travel Tech-fluencers.
In this, the last of our explorations of the fourTraveler Tribes 2033 , I would like to talk about the Travel Tech-fluencers.
Each of the Traveler Tribes identified by the new report has a unique value for our sector. As we work to understand them, we can prepare now and invest in the technology that improves how they will travel in 2033. This is particularly true of the Travel Tech-fluencers, a group torn between excitement about technology and concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy.
As CTO at Amadeus, I believe it is my role to address their worries and ensure this Traveler Tribe sees how the latest innovations can improve their travel experience while at the same time maximizing what they already enjoy from technology, such as Artificial Intelligence for planning or Virtual Reality for more efficient airport experiences. The opportunity with this Traveler Tribe lies in exploring the grey areas as their ambiguity is what will help us design the technology of the future.
Let’s begin by finding out a little more about this Traveler Tribe.
Travel Tech-fluencers: Forward-looking perspective
Travel Tech-fluencers are the business travelers of today, with three quarters traveling around the world for meetings. Nearly half are under 32 and, while they have moderate incomes today, most expect this to increase in the coming years. On the lookout for opportunity, they have a forward-looking perspective on life and believe their careers are on an upward trajectory.
Their progressive perspective is illustrated by how much technology they own, with many making use of virtual reality (VR) headsets and cryptocurrencies today. But as they grow older, Travel Tech-fluencers will see priorities change, with a majority owning a wellness app, for example. The fact that this Traveler Tribe is starting to think about how they can best care for themselves and others - sooner rather than later – again reflects their progressive attitude.
On the surface, the Travel Tech-fluencers are confident go-getters, but beneath the surface, there is more happening. While nearly half of this Traveler Tribe say they are unafraid of risk, a majority say they are averse to ambiguity. They like to have a plan and be in control.
In terms of sustainability, 82 per cent of the Travel Tech-fluences say sustainable solutions dictate their decisions. That is until sustainability inconveniences them by having to invest a significant amount of their own time or money to do so.
Travel experience
Planning
These two sides reappear when Travel Tech-fluencers think forward to 2033. Most trust artificial intelligence (AI) to plan all elements of a trip, while they are comfortable with virtual reality preview tours and super-apps. But the Travel Tech-fluencers couple this with the concern and uncertainty they have about having a different travel reality to the one they expected. They plan to use travel agents in 2033, review locations on social media and use AI for work, rather than personal trips – all suggesting being in control is more important than submitting to the possibilities of technology.
Transport
The Travel Tech-fluencers – like almost all travelers in the study – will remain loyal airplane users in 2033. But this Traveler Tribe also expects VR and augmented reality (AR) navigational aids to speed up journeys through airports. Over the next decade, they want airports to be defined by automation, speeding up their trips.
Yet, further ambiguity is revealed when it comes to sustainability. Travel Tech-fluencers are willing to pay more for biofuel flights, but they will likely be traveling for business, meaning they will not be the ones paying. At the same time, virtual meetings are seen as a sustainable solution, but this Traveler Tribe is less willing to attend digitally if it slows their careers down.
Accommodation
While claiming to want new, authentic options when it comes to accommodation, Travel Tech-fluencers’ accommodation habits will be the same in 2033 as they are today. Staying with global hotel chains, this Traveler Tribe will expect these properties to share their progressive mindset – for example by accepting fingerprints to access rooms.
Travel Tech-fluencers are, however, no more likely than other Traveler Tribes to prefer carbon-neutral over carbon-positive hotels.
Payments
Travel Tech-fluencers are leading the way when it comes to new payment options, already using cryptocurrency and subscription services. On the surface, this means they will be more comfortable using new technology. But in reality, this Traveler Tribe wants to stick with Apple Pay and PayPal as concerns over privacy shadow their decision making.
While outwardly confident in navigating the world to come, this Traveler Tribe is more reticent than it first appears with the path of change.
How can we win over the Travel Tech-fluencers?
Travel Tech-fluencers are, then, progressive and confident on the surface, but quietly cautious inside. Their mixed feelings about technology in 2033 causes angst, as demonstrated by the things that both excite and concern them most about travel. The avid, planning Travel Tech-fluencers are excited that AI will make planning travel in 2033 faster and reduce problems. But – more than any other travelers – they fear the risk of cyber-attacks and are concerned about the safety of their data.
Travel Tech-fluencers will be vital collaborative partners for the travel industry, telling us the positive and negative sides of the future travel experience – what excites and concerns them. This will allow travel to evolve better than if those feeding back to us give solely positive or solely negative opinions.
The ambiguity of this Traveler Tribe may well be its greatest asset.
Which Traveler Tribe are you?
As we saw above, Traveler Tribes 2033 works to segment travelers into one of four Traveler Tribes based on an understanding of their mindset. Does the description of the Travel Tech-fluencers sound familiar? Do you fit the bill, or do you think you might identify better with a different Traveler Tribe? Perhaps even more than one?
We have developed a quiz to help you find out where you fit in, which you can take by clicking 'Take the quiz!' below.
If you’re interested in finding out about the other Traveler Tribes, I’d encourage you to read the blogs already published on the Pioneering Pathfinders, Excited Experientialists and Memory Makers.
If you want to find out more about Traveler Tribes 2033, the research we undertook, our wider ambitions for the project and a lot more, I’d encourage you to visit thetheme page or download thefull report .
Which Traveler Tribe are you?
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