Technologies like virtual reality (VR), automation and interpretation can help companies in the travel and tourism sector address problems created by staff shortages, a new report outlines.
GlobalData’s The Future of Work in Travel and Tourism report outlines that staff shortages have become an increasing issue for companies in all areas of travel and tourism around the world, particularly following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw many skilled workers leave the sector. It notes that low-level roles in particular are proving difficult to fill as they often entail a poor work-life balance, financial instability and a lack of career progression.
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Short of being able to find new workers to continue filling such roles, which are not only not attracting enough candidates but have high turnover rates, GlobalData suggests that travel and tourism companies can turn to technology for help.
“Visualisation technologies like VR can play a crucial role in alleviating staff shortage issues by enhancing operational efficiency and improving recruitment and training processes,” its report says. “Technologies like automation, connectivity and interpretation can bolster experiences for customers, who are increasingly expecting services tailored to their individual needs and preferences.”
Although such technologies can go some way to alleviating problems caused by staff shortages, the report acknowledges that they “can struggle to recreate the human touch that is essential for a truly personalised service.”
As such, it says that striking the right balance between automated services and personal engagement is crucial for enhancing customer experiences, adding that automated systems are best used for repetitive and routine tasks, giving staff “more time to focus on the human side of service.
The report also notes that artificial intelligence (AI) will enhance future of work technologies like those mentioned. It gives the examples of generative AI being able to produce responses to inquiries, draft prose and glean patterns and themes from data, as well as AI service robots being able to lighten the load of some tasks for workers in the travel and tourism sector.
