PPB March 2019

A Rise In Travel Technology Travelers are increasingly turning to their smartphones and using various apps while on a journey: • 61 percent of travelers have booked and paid for travel through their smartphone • 64 percent use their smartphone enroute to their destination • Leisure travelers use seven to eight apps, with maps (52 percent), weather (51 percent) and branded airlines (50 percent) topping their list of the most widely used apps • When using an app, travelers want real-time flight alerts (65 percent), access to their entire trip itinerary (64 percent), and the ability to search and book flights (63 percent) • 49 percent of travelers want to live chat with a travel rep directly from a travel app Source: Travelport’s 2018 Digital Traveler Survey These Are The World’s Most-Visited Tourist Attractions 1 Niagara Falls 2 The Great Pyramid of Giza 3 The Great Wall of China 4 Eiffel Tower 5 Acropolis of Athens 6 Christ the Redeemer 7 Stonehenge 8 Machu Picchu 9 The Blue Lagoon Source: Skyscanner Wanna Get Away? Don’t pack yet—these three travel barriers tend to keep people grounded: 71% Cost 45% Children 39% Pets Source: Project Time Off Stay And Play Here are some of the top reasons why travelers turn a business trip into a bleisure holiday: • They’re visiting an entertainment-packed city – 48% • They’re visiting a bucket list or must-visit location – 43% • The city is easy to navigate – 38% • The number of nights they stay – 37% • The weekend’s proximity – 37% • Additional personal costs – 37% • The destination offers great recreation – 34% • Friends can join – 32% Source: Expedia To Infinity And Beyond Mainstream space travel isn’t here yet, but it’s swiftly approaching. As space technology advances, space tourism won’t be such a giant leap. Nearly half (40 percent) of travelers say they are excited about the prospect of space travel and 38 percent would personally consider the experience. Source: Booking.com Tour i sm | MARCH 2019 | 59 GROW