The private sector and NTOs must become
better at using technology to connect with tourists, especially if they want a
share of surging arrivals from key growth markets such as China.
Antonia Lopez de Avila Munoz, president and
CEO of Spain's State Company for Tourism Technology and Innovation Management
(SEGITTUR), said digital technology is not only a key mechanism for attracting
tourists to a destination; it can also be used to improve a wide range of
issues such as mobility, security, healthcare, and energy and resource
management.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Global
Tourism Economy Forum in Macau last week, he said technology will become
increasingly important as the industry moves towards the World Tourism
Council’s forecast of 1.8 billion international arrivals by 2030.
“(Spain is the) first in Europe to (have the
most) protected areas and third in the world...even with 60 million tourist
arrivals a year. That's partly because we're focusing on using technology to
help manage everything from security to water usage.”
Given that four out of five people visiting
Spain travel with a connected device, technology and social media can play a
major role in providing tourists with a better destination experience.
This includes providing visitors with
multilingual guides and up-to-date information on events and weather as well as
a platform to share their photos, videos and experiences, he said.
Tourism organisations and relevant
authorities can also use the data for a number of purposes from monitoring
traffic to promoting niche products. To do this, investment in communications
infrastructure, such as installing free Wi-Fi in urban centres, is key.
Mei Zhang, founder of WildChina, said
technology will also become more important as tourists become increasingly
confident about travelling by themselves. This is especially true for the
Chinese market, which is becoming more sophisticated.
-TTG Asia.
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