The way we travel is changing. With technology helping us plan, book, and stay in touch while on the go, we can travel anywhere in the world without missing a beat in our daily lives. In fact, according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, we are also travelling more than ever before — whether that means taking more leisurely vacations or business trips. But will these changes lead to even more travel? And how might technology continue to change the future of travel? Read on to learn about how travel may evolve in the coming years based on trends with big data behind them.

Introducing the data-driven traveller

A data-driven traveller is an individual who relies on information to make decisions about their travels. They use a variety of sources, such as social media, blogs, and online reviews to plan their trips. These travellers typically look for authentic experiences and unique places that can't be found in guidebooks or the mainstream travel industry. Many are also environmentally conscious and want to explore local cultures. For example, one way for tourists to enjoy their visit while minimising environmental impact is by renting cars with electric engines rather than those powered by fossil fuels like gasoline or diesel. By driving these cars, you'll help reduce emissions and carbon monoxide pollution. Plus you'll save money since the engine does not require expensive gas. Another way would be to take public transportation like buses or trains because they're usually cheaper and have less of an impact on the environment. And if you do end up taking a car, find out where it's getting fueled from so that you know what type of fuel your vehicle will be using.

How data is changing the travel industry

Data is changing the travel industry in a number of ways, from how travellers research and book their trips to how hotels, airlines, and other stakeholders operate. One major way data is changing the industry is through personalization. Personalization can take many forms, such as tailoring itineraries or recommendations to individual travellers needs or desires. It can also mean using data to make decisions about which destinations are in demand and whether prices should be increased for certain routes. For example, Norwegian Airlines has used predictive analytics software to help it decide on new routes. By analysing historical flight pricing data, they identified that they could profitably add flights between London and New York City during off-peak times at a price that would not be prohibitively expensive. Hotels are also beginning to use data insights when deciding what amenities to provide guests with.

The benefits of a data-driven approach to travel

Data is the key to unlocking the future of travel. From a data-driven approach, you can make better informed decisions on where to go and what to do when you get there. It's not just about driving traffic, it's about driving business value. By using data, we're able to measure KPIs for each campaign; for example, if we want to measure how many visitors came from organic search results in our Google Adwords campaigns - we need only look at the organic click through rate (CTR) in comparison with other sources such as display advertising or outbound links. With this information, we are able to adjust budgets based on user preferences by changing bids or creating new ads specific to those audiences. For instance, we might see that someone searching for 'hotels' is more likely to be interested in bookings outside their country of origin so they might create ads specifically targeting these people with expat being one of the keywords in them. In essence,  empowers us to connect with people more effectively.

The challenges of data-driven travel

Data-driven travel is not without its challenges. As with any new technology, the more people who adopt it, the more data there is to process and analyse. For example, when photos are taken on a smartphone, they are automatically uploaded to a cloud server and tagged with GPS coordinates that can be used to create a map of the location. This means users no longer need to manually search for their photos in order to find where they were taken. Unfortunately, this also means you have little control over what happens to your personal data if someone hacks into the service or if your phone gets lost or stolen.  That’s why companies like AirBnB and Uber have developed strong policies about how long they keep user information before it’s deleted from servers. Even so, mistakes happen: In October 2016, hackers obtained access to private data from 32 million Yahoo accounts—including names, email addresses, dates of birth and telephone numbers—in one of the biggest cyberattacks ever. Personal details about 500 million users were hacked at Facebook in 2013. These breaches show how easy it is for criminals to get hold of sensitive data.

The future of data-driven travel

We are on the cusp of a data-driven revolution. With more and more people relying on information, not intuition, to make decisions in both their personal and professional lives, it’s no surprise that travel is next in line. That’s right; we are entering the era of data-driven travel. Here's what you need to know about this new mode of travel. First, December is historically one of the most popular times for holiday travel. Prices are lower than usual because fewer travellers take off during the winter months due to adverse weather conditions. Second, December flights can be cheaper as they fill up later and seats may go unclaimed or available after cancellations closer to departure date. And thirdly, many hotels have December specials too so you can get some good deals with our latest December travel deals.

(Above mentioned article is a feature content, This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of IDPL, and IDPL claims no responsibility whatsoever.)