Travel agencies know this. Innovation is no longer an option, but rather a constant obligation and a fundamental element of the business in order to compete in this fast-paced environment in which we live, where change is the new norm. However, their efforts in this area often go unnoticed by customers.
What are we doing wrong in the tourism sector that customers are not noticing this innovation?
According to the conclusions of the latest Report on Innovation in Travel Agencies in Spain, prepared by Amadeus, Braintrust, and Segitur, three out of four agencies believe that the innovations they are implementing in their companies meet the needs of travelers. However, travelers still see agencies as lagging behind other sectors such as banking, retail, and distribution.
These cutting-edge sectors, where new e-commerce routines, new channels of interaction with customers, and new areas of business that directly impact users' daily lives are constantly being developed, are influencing the tourism sector by "creating" a new type of more demanding traveler who values immediacy and convenience.
Independent travelers with a tendency toward self-management
Today's tourism customer, overwhelmed by what we might call "the Amazon effect," wants everything here and now, from the comfort of their home or mobile device. Their tendency toward self-management and their enthusiasm for technology leads them to demand a multichannel, personalized, and immediate experience, where they feel they have complete control over the process while being treated differently and in accordance with their personal needs and tastes.
The great efforts made by agencies in innovation in that part of the business that they cannot see are of little use to him. Improvements in processes, internal technology, management... are not what they demand, although without knowing it, they do need them.
This new traveler wants a "wow" shopping experience. It goes without saying that whatever lies behind this experience must work properly or much better than before.
Reaching the customer's mind with our innovations: the new challenge
According to the IIAVE II Report, experts and other industry players do recognize the tremendous progress agencies are making in terms of innovation, which indicates that things are being done well.
The challenge now is to convey this message to travelers as well and ensure that these innovations are not only seen, but also perceived and positively valued by them.
Reverse the figures so that the 37.5% of travelers who say that the innovations implemented by agencies are not well suited to their needs becomes 0%. Offering a digitalized consumer experience applied to travel, improving the analysis and management of big data to anticipate customer expectations and maximize satisfaction, or being creative by offering special added services that help agencies be perceived as innovative and unique may be the way forward.
Let's look at what sectors such as banking have done, launching applications that are seemingly far removed from their usual services, but which help them to positively impact their potential customers while collecting interesting data so that they can approach them correctly with personalized offers. Or the diversification of Amazon itself, based on an exhaustive analysis of data in what is understood as a "culture of metrics."
Travel agencies will survive, expand their space, and increase their market share.
In the world of travel agencies, we already have the foundation. Innovation is now part of the sector's DNA, and advances are constantly being made. Now we just need to know how to apply this innovation so that we can show it to the end customer.
And agencies will know how to evolve as they have done until now, expanding their space, offering high added value for travelers seeking personalization, advice, and security in their trips—in short, improving their customer experience in a mass market.
