Episode 3

According to the World Tourism Organization, in 2019 more than 1.4 billion people traveled around the world. An impressive figure that leaves out of any doubt the fact that, for many people, traveling is much more than that and that is that there are more and more people who make travel a lifestyle.

How has traveling evolved over the years?

Since traveling has ceased to be something exclusive to the richest, many families, groups of friends, couples and more and more solo travelers have turned this activity into their favorite hobby, allocating several thousand euros from their economy to this end annually. In addition, traveling has become a social phenomenon with a lot of impact to which many positive connotations are associated: enrichment, entertainment, social status, discovery, sense of living life, etc. In fact, these connotations have been magnified thanks to the internet and social networks such as Instagram, platforms where reflecting the different moments and experiences of traveling has become a kind of “obsession with exhibition”. In this sense, many people are turning travel into an activity that in many cases is carried out to “accumulate destinations” and be present in more places than anyone else.

On the other hand, the restrictions established during the Covid-19 pandemic, and especially during the lockdown, have dealt a serious blow to the sector. However, these events have done nothing more than increase the desire of citizens to travel, discover new places and disconnect from their daily lives, giving rise to a new figure, the Post-Covid traveler. And what is clear is that The tourism sector moves very quickly and is changing thanks to innovations and to a deeper understanding of the traveler's needs.

The Traveltech concept in the tourism sector

In fact, it seems that the tourism sector has all the elements to become the next major industry to suffer a unprecedented digital disruption. In this sense, there is a trend that has a lot to say, and that is Traveltech.

Traveltech is the concept that represents the application of new technologies to the travel and tourism sector, generating great changes and encouraging digital transformation and innovation Of the sector. In this sense, we are experimenting with an omnipresent technology, where The tourist is permanently connected Thanks to the smartphone for all your trip management, from buying and using your tickets to booking excursions, restaurants or any other activity. As a result, a environment strongly marked by digitalization and the collaborative economy in which the role of tourism professionals will be fundamental to humanize new technologies.

Invited to talk about Traveltech

Today, to shed some light on the challenges that arise in the area of tourism and Traveltech, we have with us two people who are experts in this field.

Fran Romero

He is currently Director at Amadeus IT Group, working as Head of Open Innovation Programs. In addition, he is a Senior Telecommunications Engineer (University of Seville), an International MBA (Barcelona, New York), and a post-graduate degree in Innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management (Boston). He has 17 years of extensive professional experience (10 working in Europe and 7 in Asia Pacific), focused on consulting, business development and innovation.

David Martínez

Commercial and Marketing Director of Coverontrip, the Amazon of travel insurance. Marketing, Communication and Commercial Specialist with experience in global sales, corporate communication and digital marketing. With experience in different consulting firms and multinationals, now focused on global omnichannel strategy. Its mission is to promote the strategy to keep Coverontrip always up to date, create disruptive innovations, achieve profitable results, establish great alliances and develop an impeccable reputation.