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The modern traveller expects personalization, safety, conscious travel practises novel experiences, convenience and high value. They have great expectations right from the word go – from the planning and booking process to the travel and hospitality experience, to the type of engagement, customisation and cost-plus time efficiencies they can avail.

The tourism service provider, also, is expecting to offer quick access to information, a plethora of choices to suit the individual needs of the demanding traveller and a greater degree of convenience at every step of the way.

From tracking devices in your luggage to pre-booking of heritage sites and other tourist attractions, the post-pandemic tourist wants to travel more often and with greater ease. He demands curated services, a choice of experiences and greater control over his travel experience – all at a much better price.

And the industry is gearing up to serve these needs, knowing fully well that the world needs to rethink tourism – and set it back on its feet. Recalibrating its offerings requires innovations in travel, hospitality, waste management, mobility, sustainability and so many areas that impact local ecosystems as well as global environments. How the world chooses to travel and experience novel destinations, will undergo a tremendous change in the next 10 years. Innovation, led by technology, will be the smartest way forward.

Tourism is an industry that will impact the world – economically, ecologically and socially. And as the experts come together to revive the industry, technology will play the lead role in reorganising it for the better – where sustainability goals take centre stage alongside customer experiences.

From powerful global organisations like the UN World Tourism Organisation and the World Trade & Tourism Council to tourism departments of major tourist destinations to global summits like the Tourism Innovation Summit and Global Youth Tourism Summit, the agenda will be to strengthen global tourism with technological innovations.

It is therefore the right time for tech startups to rise and shine – to offer sharp solutions that the world traveller is demanding. To offer efficient solutions that travel and hospitality providers as well as, local governments and global environmental bodies are needing.

Flight Integration & Payment Gateways, AI Chatbots, Automated Travel News, Video Tours of destinations and local attractions, Instant Auto quotes for various destinations, exceptional real-life experiences curated by experts, last-minute discounts and cash backs, discounted tickets to theme parks and luxury camping experiences, hinterland tourism and responsible tourism – the list is endless. And tech entrepreneurs are designing and developing with the aim of fulfilling every current and future need of the industry.

The one big beacon in this landscape is incubation centres that help early-stage startups to develop and test their ideas – supporting their tourism tech innovations with knowledge, funding and access to the market to test their product. As a TourismTech Accelerator and incubator, we at FiiRE, are based in the tourist destination of Goa, India. With our focus on boosting tech innovations in the tourism industry, we help startups build their enterprises with access to mentors, market and funding. Strong collaborations with organisations like BBRi – Big Blue Road (India) Pvt. Ltd. – a leading provider of consultancy services for the tourism, analytics, and technology sectors., helps us offer a solid foundation of know-how in the industry. When applied to the tourism tech arena, the FiiRE-BBRi alliance brings together rich and significant experience in technology development and deployment., supports and mentors entrepreneurs that have solutions in the areas of sustainability, clean tech, customer engagement, and loyalty, among others. The work being done by FiiRE is enhanced by BBRi’s comprehension of the complex tourism landscape, tourism technology, data, and analytics, as well as its deep industry expertise and flexible, collaborative approach.

Similarly, partnerships with the Tourism Innovation Summit, a global summit with its aim of transforming the tourism sector through innovation, technology and sustainability, make FiiRE a powerful enabler in the tourism revival agenda.

Statista.com projects that the tourism sector’s revenue will expand by 8.46% per year (CAGR 2022-2026), with a market value of US$ 992.10 billion by 2026 as a result. The future does look promising for tourism in India and at a global level.

Goa’s forward-looking tourism policy as a tourism-led state also brings in the right support for tech startups to test their products and innovations, in an ecosystem that offers 360-degree support

Its cornerstone principles are:

  1. Create and market tourism infrastructure in a way that is environmentally and ecologically sound.
  2. Provide a wholesome and memorable experience for tourists by showcasing the unique historic, ethnic, natural, and cultural locations and attractions of Goa
  3. Make Goa among the tourist destinations with the highest levels of safety.
  4. To be able to provide reliable, affordable, and comfortable travel, transport and support services
  5. Make Goa a diverse tourism destination that offers culture, ecotourism, heritage, nature, and coastal-based attractions for domestic and international tourists.

While this is just the beginning of the journey and there are miles to go, the pandemic has necessitated change – not only in our technological solutions but in the manner of their implementation. Where sustainability objectives will need to be met, and where conscious and responsible travel solutions will need to be given a place of prominence.

FiiRE Goa nurtures a vibrant startup community in its 25000 sqm space that houses a co-working space, besides a design centre and prototyping lab. Startup entrepreneurs can reach out to our Incubation Manager and Community Manager to know more about the facilities, as well as services, available to startups as part of the incubation ecosystem, to better manage operations, research, MVP testing, and more. For business owners who are inventing this quickly rebounding industry, a tourism tech accelerator located in one of the well-known tourist sites in the country is the perfect option.