Opposite: Airport security is becoming more streamlined; left: Expedia’s Trip Match converts Instagram Reels into bookable travel itineraries
TRAVEL TECH BY THE NUMBERS
$40bn Potential additional value from modern airline retailing by 2030 60%+ Airports planning biometric identity management implementation by end-2026 230% Year-on-year rise in UK travel spending via open banking, January 2025 $10.7bn Global travel technology market value in 2024 $18.6bn Projected market value by 2033 Billions Estimated efficiency gains from modernised identity and passenger processing
includes ICT readiness as a core pillar – recognising that connectivity, data infrastructure and border efficiency shape a destination’s performance as much as marketing does. Similarly, the IMD World Competitiveness Centre ranks Switzerland, the US and Singapore as the most digitally savvy nations in 2025. “Infrastructure, talent, and innovation ecosystems are still standing them in good stead,” it says in the IMD 2025 Digital Competitiveness Ranking report. For travel businesses, the scale of investment tells its own story. The global travel technology market – spanning booking platforms, mobile apps, analytics and AI systems – was valued at about $10.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around $18.6 billion by 2033. Airlines alone spend tens of billions annually on IT, upgrading revenue
systems, operations and digital identity infrastructure. Contactless payments, predictive pricing engines, cloud platforms and mobile-first interfaces have become the operating foundations of modern travel. Post-pandemic behaviour has reinforced the importance of this digital-first approach, with travellers favouring tech-powered services that are intuitive and responsive. At industry gatherings such as ITB Berlin, technology now underpins key discussions about sustainable growth, capacity and competitiveness across the entire travel ecosystem. What matters now is not who adopts the most tools, but who connects them effectively, linking identity, payment, pricing and service into a travel technology experience that feels seamless from start to finish.
Sources: McKinsey, SITA, Trustly, IATA
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