The digital revolution has disrupted the way the travel industry works. Before the COVID-19 pandemic situation, travel was one of the few industries witnessing the massive growth. There was a significant rise in the in-app bookings and apps like MakeMyTrip, Yatra.com, TripAdvisor etc. were a huge hit among the travelers worldwide.

The travel app development has particularly gained attraction after studying about changed preferences and behavioural pattern of travelers worldwide. A travel app is a one-stop solution for travel & tourism agencies that allows prospective travellers to plan several activities from booking their train, bus or flight tickets to booking hotels to plan their sightseeing via their pocket size device.

If you too deal in a travel business and wondering about the current COVID situations affecting your business adversely then this article is for you! Below, we have discussed the future trends of the Travel industry and the possibilities of its growth after the pandemic. The article also enlists the top ten essential considerations for a super functional, user-friendly and growth oriented travel mobile app. 

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Travel and Tourism Industry

Travel and tourism have been severely affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Several countries have temporarily banned the movement of travelers. It is certain that the industry will soon rise again. The technology solutions will play a huge role in helping the travel and hospitality industry survive during tough times. Below, we have listed a few Travel and Tourism industry trends that you’ll witness post COVID-19 pandemic.

Contactless travel on the Rise

COVID-19 has brought many alterations on the working procedure of the travel industry. The most evident changes the travel industry will experience is- a shift to contact-less travel. Right from the airport check in to the security, and boarding to the flight, there will be totally a touch less trend you’ll witness considering the risks involved.

For this, biometrics such as fingerprint or hand scanner will be phased out. The technology for touchless data-entry such as IoT based mobile applications, and voice commands will be implemented to eliminate potential risks. The entire sector will be automated.

Introduction of Digital Identity Wallets

The use of digital identity wallets is another trend travelers would see post COVID-19 pandemic. Digital Identity Wallets would allow a traveller to access, obtain and store confidential health credentials.

Rise of Digitalisation

To regain trust, many organizations are implementing technology solutions for a complete frictionless experience. Use of smart mobile apps will help travelers seamlessly connect to any data. With digital technology solutions, travellers can manage everything from their profile to information needed to be shared.

Use of Analytics for Real-time Information

Analytics can help travel companies to gain real-time actionable insights regarding travel bookings & cancellations. This data will be useful for airlines as well as for forecasting demand for different categories such as business, leisure, family.

Travel App Development- Desirable Features Your App Must have

Automatic Itinerary creator

To make it easy for a traveler, your travel app should be able to offer a comprehensive itinerary based on the travel destination and duration of the trip. Most of the travel agencies are offering users with an ‘automatic itinerary generator’ as a feature of travel mobile apps. Based on the detail of ‘location’ entered by the user, the itinerary generator automatically prepares a travel plan for the desired number of days including all details of sightseeing and things to do.

Weather forecaster 

Weather conditions are an essential consideration to look for before a traveler plans his/her trip. Your travel app must offer travelers all weather forecasts before they plan & book their travel.

Location tracking facility 

Your app should offer GPS based location services. This feature helps travelers easily find nearby hotels, restaurants, tourist hotspots, famous shops and more.

Easy Social media integration 

This is the age of Social Media. Every one of us loves to share our travel experiences on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A good travel mobile app development company should focus on this feature and offer easy integration with all social media platforms. This feature will give your travelers a memorable experience of their trips as they can exchange their views with their friends on social media.

Traveler Reviews, Recommendations and Feedback

Ensure your app features a review section where users can share their thoughts and views about their trips and rate hotels, restaurants and local attractions. This increases the trust factor and enhances customer loyalty.

Language translation service 

Among thousands of foreign languages, it’s very difficult for travelers to understand the language of the place they are visiting. Including a language translator in your app will eliminate the language barrier your traveler can come across during his/her visit. Include features that allow users to translate visual text and voice speech easily.

In-Built Currency Convertor

Travel app development plans should include features of ‘currency convertor’ so that travelers may not face difficulty in getting the exact price of the currency while shopping during their travel. The feature will help your user know the accurate cost of the item and make a decision of whether to make the purchase.

Scheduling & Reminder Notifications 

To make your travel app the ultimate travel partner for your user, push notifications & scheduling features are something not to be missed. These features help users schedule their travel plans and get a reminder of their schedule plan accordingly via instant notifications.

Search and Filter Options

Inserting a search & filter option is an utmost priority for any Android or iOS travel app development. With in-depth filter options, travelers can search for a specific city, specific area, and specific spot and make their travel easy and convenient.

Geolocation and Navigation 

Heading towards a wrong route is completely frustrating. You can’t let this happen to your valuable users. To avoid this situation, your app must be integrated well with a navigation map feature that should work both online and offline. To make your travel app’s navigation feature even smarter you can include geolocation. This will offer your traveler an access to all the nearby hot spots, cafes, and hotels.

Does your app offer Local Commutation?

In an unknown destination, commuting can be troublesome. Though a traveler can find public commutation but again many travelers instead prefer a cab. To make them book their desired transportation medium, your app should be packed up with the feature of local commutation. As a travel agency, you can consult with the local cab service and share the revenue generated whenever a traveler book these services via the app.

Integration of Leading Payment Gateway 

A travel app should have an integration of a secured payment gateway so to allow travellers to easily make payments for flight booking or hotel stay. These features are extremely convenient for a user as he can easily search for tickets or hotel rooms as well as find the best deal for his reservations.

Customer Service On the Go

A travel app should be equipped with an option to chat with customer care executives 24×7. Most of the popular travel apps have AI powered chatbots that offer 24/7 assistance to app users. This makes the user feel connected to the brand.

Conclusion

So, now when you have got an understanding of a fabulous travel app and the future trends of the Travel industry post COVID-19 pandemic, it is high time to invest in this growth-oriented business. At QSS Technosoft, we constantly strive to create mobile apps that match the requirements of our clients with utmost perfection. Our proficient team of 150+ developers works dedicatedly to develop an app that has all significant features to the end-users. Hire travel app developers on flexible engagement models and on your country zones at budget price. Explore our rich portfolio of travel app development on our website. 

Have more queries? You can reach us with your requirements and we will get back to you with a smart quote!