70% of global travelers want virtual reality to explore a destination

Every traveler can agree on the importance of having an exciting destination to explore, a safe, clean hotel to call home, a well-maintained rental car and a helpful insurance provider. 

But where do the similarities between travelers begin and end? Do hopes and dreams for a perfect trip mirror each other’s across countries and regions? Or are they wildly different? For example, are travelers from China more interested in adding technology to their trips than those from Germany? Are French travelers more budget-minded than Brits? 

These themes are explored in the new Amadeus research report, Travel Dreams. Six thousand travelers from the United States, United Kingdom, China, India, France and Germany were surveyed to better understand what they expect from a trip and importantly, how technology can transform the process.

Here are some of the major findings across all stages of the traveler journey.

Where does trip inspiration come from?

How do people decide where they want to go? Sources of inspiration have shifted a lot in the last five years, with social media and content creators now playing a major role worldwide. This is particularly true in China and India, where 50% of travelers surveyed say they look to travel influencers. French and American travelers ask family and friends (54% and 55%, respectively), while many in the U.K. get travel ideas from the TV they watch (41%).

Virtual reality tours are also growing in popularity, with 70% of global travelers “likely” or “very likely” to use virtual reality or a virtual tour to explore a destination ahead of their visit. 

Hotels and destination management organizations (DMOs) should look to incorporate these channels and tools into their upcoming marketing campaigns to better attract new audiences and engage them with content that drives bookings.

How do travelers approach booking hotels, cars and insurance? 

Hotels

With a destination in mind, travelers have strong preferences in how they book hotels. Globally, travelers say they use online travel agencies (OTAs) the most. According to Travel Dreams, the second most popular method is booking direct through the hotel website, which is favored by travelers from China and the U.S. In contrast, Europeans rank in-person travel agents highly.  

Car rentals

Most global travelers agree they get the best deals by booking directly with the car rental company. However, more Chinese and Indian travelers say they also find deals booking cars as an add-on to their hotel booking, and travelers from India are almost twice as likely to hire a car when they go abroad compared to the other countries surveyed.

Trip insurance

Methods of booking travel protection vary, but most travelers surveyed say they purchase coverage from recognized and trusted brands online. 

Travelers also report a big risk in not purchasing insurance, with the average loss for people uninsured totaling $1,210—and in some cases it’s significantly higher. Of the many reasons cited for booking insurance, 38% of leisure travelers say they want health insurance to cover emergencies while abroad.

These findings all point to the importance of a strong distribution mix—hotels, mobility and insurance providers should sell content and services on a variety of third-party channels (such as OTAs and global distribution systems) to capture the most bookings possible. 

What’s expected from the hotel experience? 

Opinions are split between leisure and business travelers when it comes to hotel check-in. Leisure travelers crave the personal touch, with 50% of those surveyed saying personalized interactions would help them achieve their perfect stay. By comparison, business travelers want more efficiency in the form of an online or self-service check-in.

As for onsite services, 63% of travelers say they are willing to pay extra for their favorite hotel features like a premium view or entertainment package. Of the countries surveyed, travelers from China and India say they would pay 16% above the average daily rate to get the view they want, compared to just 8% of French travelers and 9% of Brits.

Hoteliers need to know their guests and cater to them in order to stand out from the crowd. That means incorporating a personalized touch from staff when appropriate, offering tailored packages as part of the booking flow or adopting more technology to streamline their stay.

What are the dreams for the future? 

Travelers are excited by the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in helping them build future trips. Fifty-percent of leisure guests would trust AI to recommend restaurants to them, increasing to 60% among business travelers. Just 13% of travelers surveyed “would not trust AI to recommend things to me at all.”

To enhance the car rental experience using technology, 40% of travelers feel a “seamless booking process via a simplified app or website for contactless car reservations and pick ups” would greatly improve their trip.

As for insurance, speed and proactive assistance stand out. Fifty-two percent of all travelers surveyed want 24/7 travel assistance for emergencies, such as rebooking flights or finding accommodation. Travelers want insurers to be there for them when things go wrong rather than offering compensation later.

These travel dreams offer huge opportunities for the hospitality industry to better understand and serve travelers globally as well as in their local markets. Whether travelers want more AI advancements, simplicity from insurers or customized hotel stays, technology can help transform everyday experiences into memorable trips that build lasting loyalty.