Top five business travel technology trends in 2020

• March 10, 2020
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Business travellers today are always on the lookout for top technology that will assist them in making their business travel easier and more efficient. Here are top five in 2020 that will change the way we plan and experience our trips.

SMART DEVICES

A smart device is an electronic device, generally connected to other devices or networks via different wireless protocols that can operate to some extent interactively and autonomously. Travel industry players like hotels can make use of these devices to optimise guest experience and streamline operations. Amazon has launched ‘Alexa for Hospitality’, designed to bring its voice assistant technology to hotel rooms. It simplifies tasks for guests like playing music, controlling in-room temperature or lighting, and even checking out. Alexa makes delivering a great customer experience simple.

RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)

RFID or Radio Frequency Identification is a form of wireless communication that can be used to track objects equipped with an RFID-embedded chip. IATA recommends the use of the RFID technology for baggage tracking which provides real-time baggage information that allows airlines to efficiently track the bag through all airport processes. British Airways recently launched a digital reusable bag tag that seamlessly connects your luggage to your BA app. The digital TAG allows travellers to keep track of where the luggage, throughout the baggage handling process and helps reduce mishandling.

VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY

The travel industry has recently started to adopt virtual and augmented reality technology to increase customer engagements. Virtual reality provides travellers with guided tours of what they can expect which allow the travellers to digitally get into the virtual surroundings of the place they are going to visit, be it a hotel or a tourist spot.
Augmented reality is relatively handy and easier to access. By having a smartphone with the app and internet connection, travellers can find out more about the location, a building or a landmark they are in, in real-time.

KNOWN TRAVELLER DIGITAL IDENTITY (KTDI)

KTDI provides a frictionless travel experience for passengers while allowing them to have greater control over their personal data. The identity data that is usually stored on a chip on a passenger’s passport is instead securely stored and encrypted on their mobile devices. Passengers can manage their identity data and consent to share it with border authorities, airlines and other pilot partners in advance. Using biometrics, the data is checked at every leg of the journey until arrival at the destination, without the need for a physical passport.
Passport-less travel: Fly passport-free between Canada and the Netherlands
The World Economic Forum and the governments of the Netherlands and Canada launch the first pilot project for paperless travel between the two countries at Montreal Airport. Still in its testing phase, the final project is expected to be rolled out at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Toronto’s Pearson international airports by early 2020.

5G NETWORK

The 5G speed of data transfer will cause significant change and bring far-reaching benefits to your business trips. With 5G technology, the travel sector will become connected whether in transportation, culture or hospitality, this new generation of the wireless network will bring many improvements and technological advancements. The travel experience will become much more seamless and flexible than ever.
Smart Hotel: OPPO unveils the world’s first 5G-powered hotel
OPPO Australia has created the world’s first travelling 5G network powered smart hotel. The 5G hotel is powered off OPPO’s Reno smartphone with 5G network and packed full of the latest technologies, including 5G cloud gaming, an AR wardrobe and advanced smart home features.