THE future of tourism is smart. Globally, destinations are investing in a range of new technologies and IT infrastructure, aimed at enhancing traveller experiences. These empower travel organisations and tourism institutions to make real time business decisions based upon comprehensive data analytics.
Dubai World Trade Centre has announced the Future Tourism Summit this year from December 9 to10 to source innovative technologies and set the vision for the industry, bringing together over 400 senior executives.Strategic leaders from regional airlines, hotels, airports, government, tour operators and food and beverage outlets are investing more than Dh143.4 billion ($39 billion) between now and 2023 to upscale their business offerings and smartening the travellers experience at each touch point.The summit in Dubai will showcase smart technology and digital solutions and provide delegates with a regional forum to discuss a range of topics, including big data that anticipates trends and personalises marketing to attract new customers; smart terminals and self-check-in kiosks streamlining airport and hotel operations; payment systems that deliver secure, cashless and instant purchases; high-speed web services that enable a near-infinite amount of information to go mobile; apps that can connect tourists real time to customer services, geographically relevant info and a social space to share their journeys; and next generation hardware that responds to travellers’ needs with intuitive user interfaces. There will be keynote speakers, soon to be announced and breakout sessions led by technology experts and solution providers, and an exhibition showcasing the latest developments in travel technology.