By 2025, 68% of the global population will be
from “post-digital” generations – those born since 1981 who have grown up using
technology in nearly every aspect of their lives and who are less likely to
want face-to-face interactions unless absolutely needed, including when they
travel.
A new report from SITA, 2025: Air Travel for a
Digital Age, found 83% of airport and airline IT executives say these
tech-savvy travelers will be the most important influence on their passenger
solutions strategy over the next six years.
The report says these digital travelers are
demanding more automation and hands-on control during every stage of their journey,
including using their mobile phones to access baggage location notifications,
boarding information and payments.
Subscribe to our newsletter below
In the report, SITA CEO Barbara Dalibard says these
travelers also have an expectation for “travel to be seamless, where every step
fits neatly with the next, delivered as a single, unified experience” across
airports, airlines, border control and other modes of transport – from the
moment they leave home to when they arrive at their destination.
Dalibard says this shift will require more
efficient operations and collaboration among all stakeholders responsible for
delivering that experience.
“Without this collaboration, we will not be
able to deliver the journey digital travelers want,” she says.
The report says some of the primary
technologies the industry needs to invest in include cloud services, 5G,
biometrics and secure travel tokens, automation, chatbots and artificial intelligence.