53% would be comfortable using an AI-powered digital wallet.
Always at your service
3-minute read
Bookings, maps, and bank balances are likely to be the only checking travellers are doing after checking-in for their holiday. With the smartphone as the personal concierge and through location-based services, personalised recommendations, and traveller profiles, we discover new customer benefits convenience can lead to.
The new concierge: your smartphone
In an era where convenience and personalisation take priority, the smartphone has emerged as an indispensable tool for modern travellers. No longer just a means of communication, smartphones have evolved into personal travel concierges, capable of guiding travellers through every step of their journey.
Smartphones offer unparalleled levels of convenience, flexibility, and customisation – this shift presenting both an opportunity and a challenge for travel brands. While the smartphone offers a powerful platform for customer engagement, delivering personalised experiences and fostering long-term loyalty, the rapid pace of technological change and the high expectations of travellers means that brands must adapt before the flight boards without them.
86% would be likely to use an all-in-one travel app.
Storing traveller profiles and preferences
According to our new Barclaycard Payments research, surveying over 500 travellers, more than 86% would be likely to use an all-in-one travel app that could be the ticket needed to deliver personalised experiences.1 The foundation of personalised travel experiences lies in securely storing traveller profiles and preferences to combine elements such as payments, travel details and reminders. Through this data and transaction integration, hospitality apps can create unified profiles that consolidate identity, entitlements, and payment methods.
Jamie Evans, Director of Travel, Hospitality and Leisure at Barclaycard Payments explains, “By leveraging our advanced mobile payment solutions and data-driven insights, operators can integrate booking, transactions and engagement” that can cater to individual traveller preferences. With tokenisation ensuring the safe exchange of data across global systems, streamlined transactions and tailored experiences are possible at every touchpoint.
Activating contextual location-based services
Location-based services offer significant benefits to travellers by providing highly relevant recommendations based on their surroundings. These services use location information – such as journey times – to suggest nearby services, products or points of interest that are easily accessible to the user. The success of location-based services relies on seamless integration of payments and accurate localisation.
While proper localisation and translation demonstrates a commitment to catering to the diverse needs of global travellers, a frictionless payment process can ensure that users can easily book recommended services or accommodation. When implemented effectively, location-based services can enhance the traveller’s journey. For example, a location-based recommender system could suggest alternative hotel options in nearby areas if the user’s desired hotels are unavailable due to high demand or room costs.
“Our secure technology ensures that payment processes are safe and streamlined, allowing customers to focus on enjoying their journey without the hassle of managing multiple reservations and payment cards.”
Jamie Evans, Director of Travel, Hospitality and Leisure, Barclaycard Payments
Generating recommendations through observed behaviours
Our research reveals that over half of travellers (53%) would be comfortable using an AI-powered digital wallet that analyses spending habits and cashflow to provide customised payment plans and financing options for travel purchases.1
Integrated mobile platforms provide a wealth of insights from observed traveller behaviours and by leveraging machine learning algorithms, these platforms can identify nuanced consumer patterns to deliver increasingly tailored suggestions that benefits both merchants and customers. With continuous integration of booking transaction data allowing for refinement of offers and recommendations over time, travellers’ transaction history and app engagement can help make the system smarter to create a virtuous cycle of personalisation.
The future of travel
Brands must embrace the smartphone as a central part of the travel experience, and invest in mobile technologies with innovative payment providers, such as Barclaycard Payments. The smartphone has already proved itself to be revolutionary in the travel industry, but its potential as a personal travel concierge is only beginning. We expect to see a new era of travel – one defined by unparalleled convenience, personalisation, and security.
1Barclaycard Payments consumer research conducted by Maru, February 2024.
Ready to fly into the future?
Get in touch with your Barclaycard Payments Relationship Manager, or request a call back from our payment specialists, quoting ‘travel’ in your enquiry description.
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