Travel and Tourism project

HARP 2133

Midterm Project

Student’s name

My Topic: Technology

Source One: Technology Used in Hospitality & Tourism

Without technology, the tourism sector would not ever have gotten where it is today. It

continues to grow rapidly every day. The internet has a powerful impact on Hospitality and

Tourism, from reservation and booking systems to computer systems to even mobile

communications. The internet helps tourists to begin their experiences long before they ever arrive

to their locations. (Smith, Technology Used in Hospitality & Tourism)

Booking engines like Orbit and Expedia allow tourists the access to the cheapest and best

opportunities right at their fingertips. These things give travelers more control of their purchases

when it comes to traveling. Computer communication systems allow the opportunity for

businesses to stay connected more quickly and efficiently. This way, reservations are much easier

to stream line. With the help of mobile communication in the traveler’s device on the road, there

is a much more efficient way to keep in contact with travel arrangements. But technology isn’t

stopping there. (Smith, Technology Used in Hospitality & Tourism)

Source Two: Tourism in a World of Technology

We in the tourism industry are being faced with a very serious issue. Technology had many

great advantages which allows for replacement of expensive human labor, but it is proving to

produce a whole new set of unintended consequences. After all, in the Hospitality industry, we

pride ourselves on our ability to be hospitable face-to-face. Technology is a mixed bag for the

tourism industry. (Tourism in a World of Technology)

There is no doubt that technology goes hand in hand with Tourism, but where is the line

drawn? Businesses are being harassed with online surveys and reviews, some good and some bad.

Hotels are having to charge more for luxuries like free internet and calling, but these additional

charges combined with less personalized service means that people get a bad taste in their mouths

about technology. (Tourism in a World of Technology)

Source Three: Travel Technology

In the future, we should be able to eliminate the need for multiple little devices by putting

everything into one place: phone, credit card, music player, GPS, camera, internet, and so on. We

have become spoiled and used to all of these things at our fingertips that it can become

overwhelming. Lucky for us, there is smart technology that will be able sift through all of our

searches in order to know us better. For example, if you are vegetarian, your smart phone will not

even bother suggesting a steakhouse to you. (Keen, Travel Technology)

The trend towards technological individualization is the key to offering a tourist a perfect,

personalized experience. Our goal in the Technology industry is to meet the needs of the client,

and with technology that will give us all of that information at our fingertips, it will be that much

simpler. (Keen, Travel Technology)

Discussion:

Technology and Tourism go hand-in-hand to make some of the best experiences for the

traveler. Without it, things like online booking, reviews, directions, and immediate interaction

would be close to impossible. It is so important that we have the technological abilities that we

have, because it enables the tourism industry to do incredible things. As technology continues to

make advancements, and tourism continues to expand on to bigger and better things, we have

begun to face obstacles as the two collide. Even still, much like anything new, we are overcoming

those obstacles well. It will be important to us as an industry to find a balance between the

technology that is used and the face-to-face interactions that are required for the industry to be

successful. I feel like, once we find this balance, the future for the two is equally bright. New and

insane advances are being made every single day, and if we continue to buckle down and really

make it happen, they can work beautifully to give the tourist the personalized experience that they

look for when they travel. After all, that is the job of Hospitality, right?

References:

Smith, Elizabeth. "Technology Used in Hospitality & Tourism." Small Business. Hearst

Newspaper LLC, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"Tourism in a World Technology." Tourism & More. Tidbits Newsletter, May 2011. Web. 24

Oct. 2015.

Keen, Nicola. "Travel Technology.". Debate on the Future of Sustainable Tourism; a Vision for

Sustainable Tourism in 2020. The Future of Tourism, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.