A complex report, commissioned by Amadeus in a bid to steer its strategy in the right direction, has been published today.
The technology giant hopes the study will not only help to guide its future development but also to give insight to its travel partners.
Carried out by consultants A.T. Kearney, the findings and conclusions are based on a series of industry workshops and interviews from across the technology and travel industries.
Researchers then devised four possible future scenarios for the travel industry, based on internal and external influences.
Call ‘What if? Imagining the future of the travel industry’, the report identifies personalisation and seamless travel as key trends in the next five to seven years.
It also warns the travel industry that the emergence of protectionism and populism could hinder future commercial opportunities across the industry.
Releasing the report today, Alex Luzarraga, vice president corporate strategy of Amadeus IT Group, said that while more ‘sophisticated players’ or ‘trend setters’ are preparing themselves for an increasingly uncertain environment, others in the industry are failing to adapt.
"There is a lot of noise affecting the travel industry,’ he said.
"There is widespread mistrust and populism. Things we used to take for granted, such as the right to travel across Europe without passports for example, may be less likely in the future.
"Companies will have to be clear on their niche or market, the needs of that market, identify their clear competitive advantage, and be consistent with that, but also flexible and agile so they can adapt as a situation evolves."
