Ten technology changes that will transform your next holiday

Next big things in travel: Tech trends

As we traverse the globe, our experiences can now be enhanced by the latest tech, from personalised jet-lag kits to drone lifeguards and much more. Travel just stepped into the future.

AI-powered itineraries

Expedia’s conversational trip planner can produce a detailed five-day itinerary for Seoul.Credit: iStock

We are living in an AI gold rush, and travel companies have been quick to start experimenting with machine learning. Expedia has introduced AI-generated summaries of real guest reviews, virtual agents who can attend to travellers’ questions around the clock, and a conversational trip planner that can produce a detailed five-day itinerary for Seoul. Meanwhile, Melbourne-based operator Nexus DMC is giving human travel agents digital AI assistants that can produce itineraries more quickly. Once you’re on the ground, TripAdvisor and Yelp use AI to suggest local dining and music experiences tailored to your interests. See expedia.com.au; nexusdmc.com; tripadvisor.com.au; yelp.com

Biohacking jet lag

FlyKitt generates a bodyclock-shifting schedule, supported by dietary supplements and blue-light filtering glasses.Credit:

Using scientific insights to make incremental improvements to your physical or mental wellbeing, or biohacking, isn’t new. People have been trying to “hack” their sleep, diet and exercise routines for decades, but now companies are on a mission to hack every traveller’s pet hate: jet lag. Enter key details, including your coffee preferences, into Timeshifter and it will produce a personalised schedule for you to follow in before and during your flight to minimise jet lag. FlyKitt also creates a personalised schedule, but it takes the concept further by adding dietary supplements and blue-light filtering glasses. See timeshifter.com; flykitt.com

Smarter suitcases

Gone are the days when savvy travellers would place a tracker Tile in their suitcase in case it went AWOL. Smart suitcases have come a long way, with luggage from Samsonite and Away now kitted with built-in GPS tracking. New features to explore include built-in scales (saving travellers the anxious wait before they weigh their bags at check-in), and USB ports for charging devices on the go. Horizn Studios’ Model M features a removable battery, so the suitcase can be checked-in rather than carried on. See horizn-studios.com

Travel for good

Guests at Ritz-Carlton Maldives can aid turtle conservationists by piloting drones.Credit:

By collecting valuable research data, citizen science is a hands-on way for travellers to help give back to the destinations they visit. Not too long ago, expensive hardware made researchers reluctant to hand over the controls to inexperienced travellers, but advances and cheaper technology are opening new opportunities. Guests at Ritz-Carlton Maldives can aid turtle conservationists by piloting drones (after completing simulation training) to detect harmful ocean plastic and ghost nets, and at Tanzania’s Usangu Expedition Camp they can help set up camera traps to monitor big cat activity. The iNaturalist app has also gamified conservation tourism by helping travellers collect wildlife sightings, much like Pokemon. Antarctic cruise operator HX encourages travellers to download the app once onboard to help document whale, seal and penguin sightings on a voyage to the White Continent. See ritzcarlton.com; inaturalist.org; travelhx.com

GPS self-guided tours

UTracks’ GPS-enabled app.Credit:

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has ambitious plans to launch thousands of satellites into orbit, with a record number of satellites launched in 2024. More satellites armed with next-gen technology will lead to stronger GPS systems, which is making independent travel more accessible. Australia-based European adventure company UTracks now provides hikers with a GPS-enabled app designed to help them navigate the trail and alert them if they go off-course. Closer to home, Australian Cycle Tours has developed a similar app that gives cyclists turn-by-turn instructions and statistics, such as distance covered, while suggesting local sights, cafes and restaurants for a pitstop. See utracks.com; australiancycletours.com.au

Hotel service goes digital

One legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it forced companies, such as Hilton Hotels, to adopt socially distanced digital room keys that can be downloaded to your phone. That innovation has since diverted hundreds of tonnes of plastic cards, so expect it to become more widespread as hotels increasingly go green. Also on the rise are AI-powered concierges such as Jean, the digital butler recently introduced at Park Regis by Prince Singapore. Jean can be called on for room service or to help decide how to spend your day in Singapore. Marriott Hotels has also created Renai, which merges staff insights with ChatGPT and other open-source data to create local recommendations. See seibuprince.com; marriott.com

Smart gate tech rolls out

Brisbane Airport’s Gen 3 technology SmartGate systems helps cut wait times in customs.Credit:

Last year, Sydney’s International Airport joined the rollout of SmartGate systems across Australia, joining Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth in the move to the new Gen 3 technology, reducing the time it takes to clear customs (in theory, at least). While biometric technology has been in airports for a while now, a push for frictionless travel will see automated electronic gates introduced at border crossings and ports. Testing is already under way in Malaysia, Singapore, Bhutan, India and Zimbabwe, with updated algorithms that can adapt to a growing problem with deepfakes and spoofing, such as fake fingerprints and facial masks.

Power banks tighten up

In April, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and other Asian carriers tightened their rules on carrying lithium-ion power bank battery packs due to the fire risk posed by overheating. Battery packs can still be taken onboard along with other carry-on items, but travellers won’t be allowed to use it, charge it using seat-back power outlets, or place it in overhead lockers. South Korea has indicated it will also require battery packs to be stored in a plastic bag. Virgin Australia and Qantas now allow power banks to be used or charged onboard and don’t plan to change their policies, though Qantas advises against using power banks during flights.

Drones take flight

Wintjiri Wiru uses 1200 drones, along with laser and light projections, to tell part of the Anangu chapter of the Mala ancestral story.Credit: Getty Images

Aided by AI and armed with specialist accessories, drones are now being deployed to do more than just capture sweeping beach panoramas. Case in point: New Zealand, Spain, France and the United States are trialling lifeguard drones to patrol tourist beaches and deliver life vests to struggling swimmers. Drones armed with bacteria-destroying ultraviolet light are being used to clean airports and aircraft cabins, while cities such as Dubai, Shanghai and Miami are embracing environmentally friendly drone light-shows instead of fireworks. Australia has joined in on the aerial entertainment with Wintjiri Wiru, a light show at Uluru that brings Aboriginal storytelling to life using 1200 drones. See northernterritory.com

Emissions-free flights

With the International Air Transport Association aiming to achieve net zero by 2050, the race is on to decarbonise Australia’s aviation industry, which produces about 5 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions. Smaller Australian aviation companies are already retrofitting existing aircraft with green propulsion systems, such as Kite Magnetics in Victoria and Stralis in Queensland. But fleet manufacturers such as Boeing will need more time to adapt, transitioning to blended fuels made from waste by-products before switching entirely to electric. Perth-based FlyOnE is expecting to offer fully electric commercial flights later this year, with cheaper emissions-free air travel to be more widespread in the next five years. See stralis.aero; flyone.com.au