Summary

• Evolving to the post-pandemic travel landscape demands a new approach.
• Convenience is starting to take precedence over luxury.
• An omnichannel approach can expedite the overall travel experience.

The hospitality industry is set to bounce back from the pandemic lull after travel restrictions were lifted around the globe. A survey by TripAdvisor in 2021 shows that around half (47%) of the sample size were willing to travel abroad that very year. 

However, post-lockdown travelers don’t just want to travel for the sake of Instagrammable locales. Having bottled up wanderlust for three-odd years, they want a travel experience that minimizes travel hassles and maximizes pleasure. Through this blog, we will examine four ways that the hospitality sector can meet evolving expectations for seamless travel.

Shifting landscapes

The post-pandemic travel landscape has fostered a mindset of erring on the side of caution. Travelers won’t dive headfirst into their itineraries unless all aspects of trip logistics are accounted for. The consequential impact on the industry is palpable, with September 2022’s flight revenue stats still only at 73.8% of what it was in September 2019.

To that end, how can a digital omnichannel approach tip the scales to a more favorable state? Let’s map out a tentative use case for omnichannel implementation in the hospitality sector.

The omni route

• Affordable flight tickets

Let’s consider a couple that wants to travel abroad for their extended holiday vacations. Wanting to beat the price surge, they begin browsing for flight tickets in earnest.

Solution

Real-time flight bookings: An omnichannel solution can source and consolidate their flight preference data seamlessly from other travel applications, auto-filling forms to save valuable time. It can also filter airline selections based on previous patterns of price range selections.

• Data & finance requirements

While their retreat may only be for a few days, the couple will still require forex from trustworthy sources, and ready-activation data roaming plans are some of the most popular services requested by tourists on short trips.

Solution

Integrated service ecosystems: To further incentivize travel, airlines can offer exclusive partner deals for international data and commission fee relaxations with their forex partners. Such integrations have the potential to significantly boost traffic through online flight bookings.

• Last-minute hotel bookings

Booking a hotel room within a budget is a major hassle for vacationing couples, especially during peak holiday seasons.

Solution

End-to-end service integration: Omnichannel integrations by airports and airlines can facilitate streamlined transit from terminals to hotel rooms based on user stay preference, working in tandem with popular cab operators. Seamless access to these services under one platform could create a major improvement in the transit experience for tourists.

• Holistic experiences

Since they don’t travel often, the couple would look for dedicated guidance in covering all the major attractions in their destination for memorable experiences.

Solution

Curated itineraries: An omnichannel platform can greatly simplify trip logistics for travelers. Presenting itineraries from professional tourism companies can boost first-time and “reluctant” traveler traffic.

Omnichannel is the key to new-gen hospitality

The hospitality industry faces a challenge in adjusting to the paradigm shift of seamless travel experiences. To address this challenge, a dedicated omnichannel approach can streamline end-to-end optimization of services from flights to hotels, thereby mutually benefiting businesses and avid travelers.