travel tech insights

Tour operators are an intriguing part of the travel industry. They’re elusively difficult to capture in a single definition because they form a diverse constellation of products and services, all of which reflect different cultures and geographies. 

The very beginning

‘When I founded dcs plus, 14 years ago, with no employees and with no capital, I could hardly foresee a growth to an international company with hundreds of customers in over 45 markets and with a staff of over 70 people. We could not have come this far without the loyal support, dedication and hard work of each member of our team and without the trust and confidence of our partners and customers.

I remember the days when we couldn’t even dream to ‘conquer’ the world, but when, with unbridled ambition started to ‘build’… However, we knew that there was no sector in the modern economy that could remain impassive to technology; more than that, we were very confident that we could build and create value
through technology solutions in an extremely dynamic industry, that was global by its nature. That thought brought us an incredibly pleasant and motivating feeling; it offered us so much diligence and courage that we took on challenges and rose to them with an unbelievable enthusiasm.’

Cristian Dinca - dcs plus CEO and Founder

In the previous entry in our series on the evolution of the travel industry since 2000, we focussed on the major players in the travel and tourism industry and how these companies and organizations have shaped the industry of today. We also discussed how their impact has influenced the way customers experience travel on a global level.

In today’s third and final installment, we’ll examine the most influential technologies within the travel industry and how their evolutions have impacted both travel companies and consumers. Our goal is to focus on the most important moments in the progression of travel technology to highlight just how much the travel and tourism industry has changed in a relatively short amount of time.

Technologies develop quickly. What was state-of-the-art or revolutionary one day is out-of-date the next, and the technologies that have had the greatest impact on the travel and tourism industry are certainly no exception. Since just the year 2000, the technological platforms available to both companies and customers has significantly transformed the way travelers travel and companies operate.

Today on the blog we begin a three-part series examining the evolution of the travel industry during the last 14 plus  years. Since 2002, a number of seismic shifts have taken place within the travel industry that have had a massive impact on how companies operate and travelers experience the world. The goal of this series is to discuss the major milestones in the travel industry’s evolution from the perspective of the traveler/consumer, the industry’s major players, and the technological advancements that have transformed the industry into a powerhouse of global commerce.

In this first entry, we’ll look at the traveler and discuss the changes in available tools and the mentality buying behavior throughout the last decade and a half.

It’s an understatement to say the world has changed drastically since 2002. At seemingly the same time, people become both more and less connected through advancements in technology and 24/7 access to information, goods, and services. The world is simultaneously much larger and much smaller than it was just 14 years ago, and the way industries function in today’s world bears little resemblance to global business climate of the year 2002.

True or false: Nearly half of all travel bookings made during 2016 will take place offline via phone or in-person with the assistance of a travel agent or travel management company.  

True, which is surprising, especially given the highly connected nature of today’s travel industry and the capability for travelers to complete complex, packaged bookings on their smartphone or tablets. In fact, according to a recent survey published by Euromonitor International, roughly 44 percent of travel and tourism-related bookings will be completed via desktop or mobile devices during 2016. While this is significantly higher than other retail industries, it can be something of a shockingly low figure considering how hard the travel industry has worked to align itself with mobile technology capability.

However, what’s perhaps more stunning in the Euromonitor International report is where industry analysts suggest mobile travel bookings are headed in the near future and the impact they’ll have on the travel industry in the coming years.