Willingness to use apps, share health data increasing as travel opens

As cross-border travel continues to reopen, airlines, hospitality providers and other travel suppliers should enable digital solutions to communicate with consumers and boost their confidence in traveling again.

According to the latest “Rebuild Travel Survey” from Amadeus, travelers are showing increased willingness to use apps to alleviate anxiety about last-minute cancellations and refunds and to store and share personal health data.

The survey compiles responses gathered in the first two weeks of September from 1,000 travelers in each of nine markets – France, Germany, India, Russia, Singapore, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States – who have traveled in the last 18 months. 

Ninety-seven percent of respondents say technology will increase their confidence to travel, up from 91% in February and 84% in September 2020.

More than one-third (35%) of respondents say guidelines about where and how to travel are confusing and make them less likely to book business or leisure travel.

But travelers are showing increased willingness to provide personal health data in order to travel. Overall 70% are willing to provide this sort of information for international travel using digital health passports, with the greatest willingness coming from respondents in Spain (78%) and the least from respondents in the U.S. (58%). 

When asked about specific ways technology can boost their confidence to travel, the most popular usage is mobile applications to provide on-trip notifications and alerts (44%). Other ways respondents want to use technology include self-service check-in, contactless mobile payments, automated and flexible cancellation policies and mobile boarding. 

Amadeus also asked travelers what solutions can help the industry become more sustainable. Top responses include greater availability of green modes of transportation (46%), making sustainable travel more cost effective (44%) and transparency around travel companies’ sustainability policies (41%). 

“The travel industry still faces many challenges in light of COVID-19, but we are seeing positive steps taken as restrictions lift and developments in digital health certificates continue around the world,” says Decius Valmorbida, president of travel at Amadeus.

“This research demonstrates the appetite to travel continues to grow, and that travelers are looking forward to advancements in areas such as touchless technology, digital health and sustainable travel. Now is the time to listen even more closely to travelers’ needs so we can rebuild our industry in a way that is more traveler focused, resilient and sustainable.”