Tourism of tomorrow
will be rewired

For most travellers, high-tech tourism begins and ends with scanning a QR code or unlocking a hotel room with a phone. But the vision unveiled this past week by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group tears down those limits. Their joint report, Technology Game Changers: Future Trends in Travel & Tourism, maps out 16 technologies across digital infrastructure, financial systems, mobility platforms and breakthrough innovations that could change how the world travels.

The report, based on concrete case studies, industry surveys and real-world deployments, shows how these technologies are already being tested, rolled out and, in some cases, scaled globally. 

It begins with a premise that will startle the casual traveller: Artificial intelligence (AI) will soon be involved in nearly every travel decision, transaction and experience.

Trip.com says it has put this into practice with its TripGenie virtual assistant, which uses large language models to create real-time, personalised itineraries, taking into account traveller behaviour, location and preferences. The result? A 200% spike in user sessions and doubled browsing time.

The report places AI at the heart of a technological cascade. It predicts the rise of Agentic AI – systems that act on behalf of users, from booking trips to managing customer complaints and interfacing with real-world services like airport transfers. 

To support this, edge computing and 5G connectivity will need to become the new norm. And they are. Qatar Airways recently launched a Boeing 777 equipped with Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation, providing ultra-fast Wi-Fi from gate to gate. United Airlines is following in its path. Frankfurt Airport has begun deploying Europe’s largest private 5G network, while the EU is standardising digital wallets for borderless identity verification and boarding.

These innovations converge on what the WTTC calls the era of hyper-personalised, frictionless travel. But they also come with demands: for robust digital infrastructure, regulatory reform, and significant skills development. The report outlines not only what is possible, but also what must be done.

The standout technologies span four categories: Digital Technologies (AI, immersive tech, 5G/6G, super apps), Financial Technologies (BNPL, CBDCs, open banking, digital credentials), Mobility (driverless vehicles, Mobility-as-a-Service, supersonic flights, AAM), and Breakthrough Innovations (quantum computing, smart cities, space tourism, nuclear fusion).

Many read like science fiction. Nuclear fusion to power sustainable aviation? Space tourism from the Bahamas? Digital twins that let you walk through your hotel before booking? Yet each is illustrated with either a current pilot or a near-future use case.

The immersive tech section, for example, describes how Radisson Hotels offer 3D tours that can be navigated in VR headsets or on phones, resulting in a 35% increase in event queries and a 12% boost in bookings. For blind travellers, Hilton has teamed up with Be My Eyes to provide AI-powered navigation and description services via smartphone camera.

In the mobility category, Dubai has begun constructing the first vertiport for air taxis, with 10-minute hops expected to cut 45-minute ground journeys. BMW has rolled out Level 3 driverless tech in its 7 Series, allowing hands-off driving in controlled environments. Supersonic commercial flights, grounded since Concorde’s retirement, are scheduled to return via Boom’s Overture jet by 2029.

These developments won’t all arrive overnight. The report offers realistic timelines, suggesting 1-10 years for mainstream adoption of most current innovations, and a decade or more for fusion energy and orbital tourism. But it argues that Travel & Tourism players must begin adapting now.

There are powerful incentives to do so. According to Amadeus, 91% of travel companies plan to increase technology investment. Meanwhile, 97% of consumers told Accenture they want a super app for travel. In South Africa, where visa delays, paper processes and bandwidth constraints remain common, this shift could either widen the gap or offer a chance to leapfrog.

Trip.com’s CEO Jane Sun makes the case for transformation over hesitation: “Digitalisation is not optional. It is the core of future competitiveness.”

The WTTC adds a sobering caveat: the travel industry must not treat innovation as a luxury. Without inclusive design and infrastructure, these technologies could deepen the digital divide. That means investing in broadband, digital literacy and public-private partnerships. And it means not just importing tools from the East or West, but adapting them to local realities.

The South African context presents both obstacles and opportunities. The tourism sector here contributed 6.4% to GDP in 2023, according to Stats SA, yet remains constrained by ageing systems and limited tech adoption. A coordinated approach involving government, business and academia could help bridge that gap – not with grandiose visions, but with tangible steps.

That includes piloting digital IDs in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Digital Travel Credential (DTC), a digital version of a passport designed to enable secure and efficient identity verification for air travel. It also requires expanding digital wallet compatibility, and exploring use cases for AI chatbots in local languages. Even modest innovations – like smart routing for minibus taxis or AR overlays for heritage tours – can lay foundations for more advanced solutions.

Ultimately, the report invites the travel sector to rethink assumptions and rewire travel of tomorrow before it gets left behind. As Julia Simpson, CEO of the WTTC, put it: “Standing still means falling behind.”

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky on @art2gee.bsky.social.