The importance of understanding travelers’ motivation

Travelers make decisions for many different reasons, some rational and others more emotional. The complex web of underlying social and emotional drivers often collide with the more considered and rational impulses. What can the travel industry do to better serve travelers then?

Unlike many other industries, travel can inspire people. Through greater collaboration and offering more extensive options, travel companies have an opportunity to build the experiences travelers want.

Now the challenge is to present travelers with inspiring and personalized offers, in a way that can be easily scaled.

The industry needs to be able to bridge the gap between travelers’ motivations and how it offers services. From an innovation perspective, advances in technologies, approaches and techniques can support the industry to adapt to the needs of travelers today and in the future.

This paper will explore

Why understanding travelers’ motivation matters
By seeking to understand and act upon travel motivations, the industry has an opportunity to foster greater loyalty with a more personalized and creative proposition.

How can the travel industry adapt
We examine how the industry can become more dynamic, collaborative and connected. This means supporting travelers at all stages of their journey, from searching and booking through to arrival at their destination.

Some recommendations for the travel industry
Travel Companies can take some steps that include focusing on experiences and motivations, considering non-bookable content beyond flights and hotels, and using technology and techniques such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and advanced search to improve conversion.

"In 5 to 10 years’ time, travelers will spend much less time arranging travel and much more time enjoying the travel experience."

—Rodrigo Acuna Agost, Head of AI Research, Amadeus

"If a customer is browsing for a holiday and flights, we should be able to offer them extended services, experiences and products, such as entertainment options and tickets for concerts. The customer should not have to visit a myriad of websites to look for everything he or she needs."

—Giulia Chiari, Head of Supply Europe, StubHub