Thanks to technology, travellers are on the cusp of something really exciting. That’s what Sabre will be demonstrating at this year’s Travel Technology Europe on 25th – 26th February 2015, when it will be hosting the show’s Innovate theatre.
Whilst nothing can replace physical travel, technology is enabling new ways to enhance the experience for travellers – taking them on a new journey.
Imagine you’re panicking, running late for a flight. Wouldn’t it be great if your airline knew where you were and could therefore either keep the check-in desk open a little longer for you or rebook you onto the next flight?
Imagine you’ve just taken your seat on the plane and you’re feeling uncomfortable. Your airline could soon be able to message your mobile device at that exact moment, offering you the option of an upgrade.
Imagine you’re leaving your hotel room in the morning, having not had the best night’s sleep. Your hotel could soon be able to ask you how you’ve slept as soon as your close the door behind you. If you haven’t slept well, it could offer a complimentary breakfast to make you feel better.
The technology that could enable these scenarios already exists and is on the verge of becoming a reality for travellers. Geo-location – technology that can pinpoint exact indoor location – is a big trend in travel now and, once mainstream, could have endless possibilities. Sabre will be demonstrating its own experiments in this exciting area, and will be discussing the potential of these new technologies. To find out more, come and meet Sabre’s Head of Innovation, Joakim Everstin, during Sabre’s hands-on ‘Touch the Technology’ sessions from 12-12:30pm in the Innovate Theatre.
Budding developers should also head to Sabre’s API Workshop, on Wednesday 25th February at 10:30am in the Evolve theatre. Joakim will be explaining how innovators can use the travel apps in Sabre’s Red Apps Centre to help the travel industry provide new products to travellers.
Offering travellers personalised experiences and products is becoming increasingly important for the travel industry. According to Ideaworks, airlines’ revenue from the sale of ancillaries has increased every year since 2010, and was projected to reach $49.9 billion for 2014. The continued growth of this emerging sector now depends on new tools that can harness traveller data to enable personalised and locationalised upselling. On Thursday 26th February at 10:30am, Eric Hallerberg, Sabre’s VP of Global Accounts, will be discussing how Sabre is helping airlines and travel companies tap into this growing revenue opportunity during the Burning Distribution Issues panel.
Travel Technology Europe will take place alongside the Business Travel Show at London Olympia from 25th – 26th February. We look forward to seeing you there!