The document discusses how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, distributed ledgers, extended reality, and quantum computing (DARQ technologies) will transform the travel industry. It suggests that these technologies can be used to create highly personalized travel experiences in real-time, optimize operations, redefine convenience through robotics and smart rooms, and reimagine travel through virtual experiences. The document outlines three main opportunities for travel companies: breaking barriers through seamless processes, taming uncertainty through predictive technologies, and creating customized "markets of one" through real-time personalization.

1. TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY VISION 2019
A POST-DIGITAL
TRIP OF A LIFETIME

2. Travel companies are on a bold and mystifying
trip to a new world. It’s a world where:
• Passengers and guests communicate their demands
instantly and expect gratification in real-time.
• Interactions are highly personalized and ultra-convenient.
• Travel experiences are not isolated events,
but part of a connected journey.
Magical
mystery tour

3. Digital technologies have
taken travel companies
halfway there.
“Post-digital” technologies—Distributed Ledgers,
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Extended Reality and
even Quantum Computing (DARQ)—will take them
the rest of the way.
Here’s how.

4. of travel executives claim their organizations
are experimenting with DARQ technologies.
But experimentation will not distinguish a
post-digital company.
Scalable solutions that benefit customers will.
92%
Finding your
way in the DARQ

5. The travel experiences remain largely unchanged.
Offerings are difficult to find and purchase.
Waits are long. The same information is requested
over and over.
Travel companies that stand out will be those
that adopt new technologies to create new travel
realities, tailored to individual customers at
a given point in time.
of travel executives believe the
combination of DARQ technologies
will have a huge impact on their
businesses in the next three years.
65%

6. New technologies like AI and Distributed Ledgers
can be used to manage and optimize:
• Crew schedules, routes and fuel consumption
• Fleet maintenance and utilization
• Smart contracts and authentications
• Complex data reconciliations
Operations
re-engineered

7. DARQ power can make today’s travel experiences
more relevant and convenient.
• Tech-enabled onboarding and wayfinding
• Robotic assistance
• AI-enabled “smart rooms”
Convenience
re-defined

8. Extended Reality enables experiences that are
as good as, if not better than, the real thing.
• Virtual tours
• Virtual rooms and balconies
• Virtual meetings
• Virtualized event-planning
Travel
re-imagined

9. Customers’ digital demographics are now poised to
provide the next wave of customer understanding.
Customers
re-considered
83% of travel executives think digital identities
will give them a new way to identify market
opportunities for unmet customer needs.

10. Where will the
future of travel
take you?
With new technologies, travel companies have
the chance to not only change their business
and operating models, but also transform what
travel means in a post-digital world.
Three opportunities
hold particular potential.

11. OPPORTUNITY 1
Breaking barriers
Currently, the travel process is rife with inefficiencies.
It doesn’t have to be this way.

12. New technologies
drive convenience
• Facial-recognition for boarding and checking in
• AI voice-recognition and translation for
agent communications
• Known Traveler Identity programs for seamless
passenger journeys

13. OPPORTUNITY 2
Taming uncertainty
Travel companies that can address uncertainty, predict change
and manage disruption will achieve a competitive advantage.

14. Travel companies
gain an upper hand
• AI for predictive maintenance improves passenger
safety and operations
• Interactive voice technologies and AI for predicting
customer behaviors enable real-time personalization

15. As people’s lives become more enmeshed
with technology, unique opportunities
are arising for companies to deliver a new
product or service—not just customized
for specific customers, but for their needs
at a specific point in time.
OPPORTUNITY 3
Creating global
marketplaces
of one

16. Nearly 90% of travel execs believe the
combination of customization and real-
time delivery represents the next big
wave of competitive advantage. Already,
41% are prioritizing both equally.
AI enables real-time travel experiences that
put travelers at the center.
IoT-enabled distributed ledgers and advanced
analytics pave the way to trust-based relationships.
Technology platforms and APIs allow multiple
parties to connect and deliver a comprehensive
set of services.
90%
Momentary
Markets

17. The post-digital
transition
starts now
Travel companies can apply new
technologies to improve operational
performance, extend existing services
to new customers and markets, or even
launch new business models.
Regardless of the strategy they
pursue, forward-thinking companies
are preparing now for the
transformations that lie ahead.

18. WHY HERE
A unique opportunity
in this region

19. About the
research
Each year, the Accenture Technology Vision team
partners with Accenture Research to pinpoint the
emerging IT developments that will have the
greatest impact on organizations in the coming
years. In 2019, the process included a global
survey of 6,672 business and IT leaders—including
166 travel executives in 13 countries. This report’s
findings are based on analyses of their responses.
Read the report:
A post-digital trip of a lifetime –
Travel Technology Vision 2019