Creating, Communicating, and Connecting: Technology in Adventure Travel

Technology no longer supports only one or two areas of the travel business; rather it touches all of them at varying levels, and often in a semi-integrated way. Technology needs today can no longer be filled with one piece of software to support the needs of the adventure travel industry. Each software solution or software-as-a-service platform has its own area of expertise and likely falls short in other areas.

This has resulted in the need for a collection of technology solutions that can work together in an integrated way either directly or through third-party platforms to realize the greatest benefit. Since many adventure travel companies may not have the ability to add all these components at one time due to the costs involved, their overall technology strategy will help determine which components are important now and others that will be important in the future.The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has therefore partnered with Flywire, a strong supporter of our industry that focuses on reducing payment costs and improving guest experience, to identify a broad set of insights that can help provide the basis for starting or enhancing your travel company’s technology strategic plan.

Selected key findings from the report include:

• Technological tools can make the jobs of adventure travel company staff easier, by automating marketing, communication, booking, payments, and other parts of the sales process.
• Most adventure businesses can’t afford to leverage all of the technology options available today. Therefore, we often recommend that owners and their teams take time regularly to discuss their technology strategy in the same way they discuss marketing, finance, human resources, and other key business functions.
• With platform integration in mind, adventure travel companies can grow or change their technology solutions in an effective and affordable way as their business grows and changes.
• Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers are looking for more online shopping options, digital communications, and contactless solutions.
• Technology in the adventure travel industry is no longer only a ‘nice to have.’ We see this through survey results and in our interactions with businesses in the industry.

Learn more about ATTA and Flywire’s partnership and how Flywire can help with your payment needs.