TSA Solutions and Inturea are presenting a new roundtable discussion at the Shock Plan, addressing a crucial topic for these times. We're discussing "The Digitalization of SMEs in the Tourism Sector." And the corresponding question: "Where are we?"
The debate will take place this Thursday, April 22, at 5:00 p.m. and will be attended by:
Leonardo Llorente, Head of Product & Business Development at Roiback; Nicolò Rolle, VP of Sales Iberia & LATAM at LYBRA; Isabel Cerdeira, Head of Customer Development at Hub OS; Marc Forcadell, Country Manager Spain at RoomRaccoon. The panel will be moderated by Pablo Torres, Performance Consultant at TSA Solutions.
Palma de Mallorca, April 16, 2021 – Not so long ago, employees filled out invoices by hand, placed them in envelopes, and sent them to customers by regular mail. Those same employees also checked at the end of the month to make sure the bank statement matched the pile of supplier invoices. Thanks to technology, all that has changed, and we can dedicate more time to other tasks.
With the current health crisis, online payments, mobile invoicing, and even online bank reconciliation have been formalized (if they weren't already) in many companies to avoid direct contact between people. In terms of internal management, everything seems to be in order and under control; now it's the company's turn to implement these measures externally.
Digitalization is considered the fourth industrial revolution. And although we have been forced to accelerate its integration into the country's economic landscape, this process brings with it significant benefits in terms of optimizing processes and resources. Therefore, Spain wants to join the list of pioneering countries in this revolution and has invested to ensure that Spanish SMEs have their own resources and can carry out the digitalization of their activities.
These and many other topics will be discussed on the 22nd with expert opinions from fields as diverse as Roiback, a provider of design and technology solutions for hotels; LYBRA, with its Revenue Management system for hotels; RoomRaccoon, a reservation automation software; and Hub OS, with its automated system for improving internal performance.
TOURISM AND VIRTUAL REALITY
As we well know, the essential resource of digitalization is data, and this can open up a wide range of possibilities. Its application can be so broad that, with the help of virtual reality, they have managed to create immersive experiences thanks to recreations that teleport us to any part of the world. The great advantage of this activity is accessibility, which allows anyone, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, to experience traveling to any destination without hindrance.
However, virtual tourism has been around for years, and many companies are using it to promote their destinations, in addition to creating preview experiences where customers can choose and experience experiences before deciding on one destination or another. Searches for the term "virtual tours" skyrocketed worldwide since March 2020, as a result of the isolation and confinement of the population. People sought virtual alternatives to physical travel, which led to the rise of this type of activity since, at first glance, it was the only legal option to "leave home" and travel.
We could say that virtual tourism can go hand in hand with destination marketing. In fact, there is some speculation that virtual tourism is the tourism of the future. Currently, this activity is used in historical reenactments that mimic an environment to mitigate the state of ruin that certain archaeological sites may have or to avoid overcrowding in these places. It includes taking a mini tour of the Sydney coast, visiting up to 15 different sites in Thailand, and even the possibility of extraterrestrial tourism on the lunar or Martian surfaces.
Everything indicates that virtual tourism could continue to evolve to adapt even more to our needs, thus causing a significant increase in the number of companies offering services. This could be considered the golden age for this type of tourism.
DIGITALIZATION AND INNOVATION IN TOURISM
Who would have thought that thanks to technology, we'd be able to plan our trips from home, easily and in a matter of minutes, without having to go to the local travel agency? Not only has it improved our convenience, but it also allows us to view images or videos of the location, check the accommodation's online reputation, and even check out the most popular areas nearby.
Beyond the above, this has allowed companies to learn more about us and establish a more personalized relationship. The data collected through various tools and techniques helps companies understand our tastes and needs. It also allows them to compile information in customer files to find out what type of pillow they like or whether they can eat gluten-free foods. In this way, the company builds customer loyalty by becoming more personal and improving their experience.
There are a wide range of technology companies that allow us to streamline certain processes, and one of them is HotelManager, a software company that offers a PMS that allows us to check in without having to go to the hotel reception, directly from our mobile phone or tablet. Airlines have been offering something similar for a few years with boarding passes: having all our travel information on our mobile phones with a personal QR code. Both examples are examples of improved sustainability, while also streamlining operations and, therefore, the customer experience.
Some establishments have focused their innovation on virtual maps to improve engagement with their target audiences. A practical example is the Hotel Jardín Tecina in La Gomera, where we can see the entire resort complex. We can also see the facilities through touchpoints that allow us to view the different areas in a 360-degree manner. This way, guests can get an idea of the location without actually being there and decide whether or not they like the choice.
