Leisure travel: human touch versus digital efficiency

15-06-23

Highly personalised service is becoming the key differentiator for travel consultants, according to a new report from Accor.

The report, entitled "Tailor-Made Touch or Digital Efficiency", looks at the strategies, technologies and trends affecting leisure travel consultants in the recovery and with an eye on the future. It argues that while the ongoing digital transformation of their operations is, of course, vital, even more important is developing the services and fostering the partnerships that can help them delight and connect with their customers at a level that is beyond what alternative intermediary models can achieve.

The report, which focuses on the European market, describes how the pandemic accelerated the transformation of the leisure travel intermediary market, with the widespread adoption of digital technology and the model shift of many key players in an attempt to become digital companies or B2B technology providers.

It supports the idea that, used well, technology, from messaging platforms to payments and artificial intelligence, can be a travel advisor's best friend, helping them to optimise their capacity with a wide range of inventory; access powerful digital distribution channels; better understand their customers; market themselves; and offer more sophisticated and efficient services.

However, it argues that the key to the success of bespoke travel planners is the ability to get close to their customers and offer them the personalised service that travellers now expect.

The report argues that to deliver this kind of high-level service, it is vital that travel planners understand the evolving desires of leisure travellers. From the hot destinations of the moment to emerging long-term trends - such as slow travel, wellness travel and the quest for sustainable travel - advisors must not only be aware of these factors, but also have the inventory, partners and local knowledge to offer their clients relevant options and insights.

This knowledge and expertise can come in part from digital media, but by no means in its entirety. Partners on the ground who can share local knowledge and expertise and language capabilities, essential in a continent as culturally and linguistically diverse as Europe, are vitally important, along with the scale and variety of inventory to provide advisors with options as trends continue to evolve.

The report, which also addresses forward-looking factors such as artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies and the metaverse, as well as some of the key destinations from 2023 onwards, can be downloaded here. It is the first in a series of three reports to be published by Accor in the coming months, with the second and third focusing on business travel and the MICE sector respectively.