IFITT hosted at the World Travel Market on Monday 7th November 2011 a workshop on technology and social media enabled real-time service management in tourism and hospitality. The event was attended by 300 people and presenters included experts from great companies such as Google, Slovenian Tourist Board, eTourism Lab Bournemouth University, Eyefortravel and 77Agency. Throughout the conference a wide range of issues regarding the adoption of real-time enabled social media were explored, and opportunities for tourism and hospitality companies were identified:
“The social web reaches the speed of life”
Social media usage has reached the point of mass maturity and is gradually shifting from static channels towards dynamic channels and real-time interaction with and among consumers. Therefore companies do not have the luxury anymore of responding to changes in demand and consumer needs over a long period of time. Constant real-time monitoring of the social media sphere offers the opportunity for tourism and hospitality service providers to sense and detect dynamically changing wants and needs of their customer, identify service failures and receive information for personalisation and adaptation of products. Therefore, the speed and agility with which companies can adapt to social media enabled real-time information that is retrieved from their customers will be a critical factor that impacts the competitiveness in the marketplace.
“Real-time technologies impact the entire travel cycle”
As shown by Sam Gregory, Industry Manager at Google, real-time technologies are increasingly at the heart of the entire travel cycle. This requires from companies however a new way of thinking. Support for a wide variety of social media channels is needed as it is ultimately the consumer that decides which channel or gadget is the most relevant. Flexibility and short term planning of the social media strategies is key as the technology in this sector is developing at an ever increasing pace. It is important to engage with consumers and ensure that companies are part of the conversations about their brands.
“Smartphones: The real time technology catalyst for tourism”
Smartphone technologies gain increasing importance in the tourism industry. They not only enable consumers to experience and share their experiences at the same, but also provide a useful real-time tool for on the spot travel research and planning. Given the latest developments in augmented reality, information moves from the screen to where it is needed most: The immediate field of the viewer. This shift in the approach how information is retrieved and consumed offers a plethora of new ways how to personalise and enhance customer experiences. Joanna Matloka from 77Agency says’ “The game is on and sky is the limit of competitive advantage brought by service innovation through mobile real-time enabled technologies”
Adapting social media however poses a number of challenges to organisations that have to be addressed in order to implement the channels successfully. Following Tinkara Pavlovcic Kapitanovič, Head of eBusiness and Strategic Projects at the Slovenian Tourist Boards these challenges include the alignment of social media and overall marketing strategies, embracing a social media awareness acceptance within the organisation, focussing on quality of the engagement, frequency of the engagement and monitoring the outcomes of social media activities.
IFITT President Professor Dimitrios Buhalis says “This event with a strong input from Bournemouth University eTourism Lab has shown how critical innovation through technology and social media is for the competitiveness of tourism and hospitality businesses. Embracing real-time enabled technologies will shape the future of the industry and is key to competitiveness.”
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