• TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
WEARABLES: YOUR TRAVEL PA
DESTINATIONS: SMARTER CITY, SMARTER DATA
Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses Snap 12MP photos, get turn- by-turn directions, translate street signs and even identify landmarks, hands free. With live captions and voice control, these new designer glasses are quietly becoming the ultimate city-break companion.
Sweden’s open tourism API Sweden has launched the world’s
first national open tourism database, with 14,000-plus
bookable experiences, stays and events accessible via a free API. For travellers, that means better, more accurate apps and less fragmented information. Tokyo’s AI itineraries In Japan, AI-powered city apps are curating hyper-personalised itineraries in real time, surfacing hidden jazz bars, under-the-radar galleries or ramen spots aligned with your interests. AlUla’s conservation tracker AlUla has adopted EarthRanger tech to monitor wildlife and conservation data in real time, blending tourism with environmental intelligence and transparency. Qatar Airways’ Qverse Island (in Fortnite) destination inside Fortnite. Qverse Island lets users explore branded spaces, take on challenges and interact with the airline in a virtual world that brings together gaming, marketing and destination storytelling. This immersive world- building is aimed squarely at next- gen travellers. Qatar Airways has launched its first fully playable digital
Accessible tech goes mainstream From Hypershell’s powered exoskeleton (boosting leg strength for hikes and ski trips) to WeWALK’s smart cane with obstacle detection and GPS, wearable tech is not only making travel more inclusive, but more ambitious.
Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses are a new travel essential
AirPods with live translation Apple’s latest AirPods now offer near- instant live translation (even offline). Your iPhone listens, translates and whispers it back in your ear. It’s just like travelling with a personal interpreter.
New Apple iPods offer instant translation
From scroll to stay The scroll-to-book-to-stay timeline is tightening. TikTok is testing direct hotel booking integrations, turning viral stays into instant conversions. If inspiration and transaction become live in the same feed, that changes distribution fast.
76 | ATM YEARBOOK 2026
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