Technology dominates every aspect of our lives, consciously or not, transforming the way we live, work, and interact with one another. From the proliferation of smartphones to the development of artificial intelligence, tech moves are often so relentlessly fast that you can’t be prepared for what’s coming – it can feel like there are new innovations every day. Technology is slowly but surely seeping into travel in a way that most people find tremendously helpful. As technology continues to evolve, our trips will only get better.
Whether it’s your favorite flight app or travel management software to track and report your spending, technology makes all the difference, no matter if you’re adventuring solo or traveling with a group. Please continue reading to find out how you can take advantage of technology to make your trips smoother, more enjoyable, and better organized:
Discover Your Perfect Vacation Destination Effortlessly
Sure, planning can give you anxiety, but all you need is a bit of inspiration to spark your enthusiasm. The question now is: What’s your dream vacation? Maybe you want to get to know a new city or reconnect to nature (and yourself). Perhaps you want to enjoy specific activities like snorkeling or hiking. Whatever you fancy, there’s a destination for you, but how do you make the best decision when there are so many options?
Here’s how to make that all-important decision on where to go on your next trip:
- Look for inspiration on social media: According to Statista, more than 75% of travelers use social networking platforms as a source of inspiration for travel, with TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram as the go-to sites for discovering hidden gems and unique experiences. Travel agents, guidebooks, and brochures aren’t the only resources available. If you come across something you like, add it to your bucket list.
- Use search engines to compare and contrast different destinations. Learn everything there is to know about each destination’s unique features, historical and cultural significance, and natural beauty. Use more than one search engine and try different queries to enjoy the diversity of the results. To unlock wanderlust, a search with the words last-minute travel or vacation packages will return a bunch of results.
Stay Connected with Your Loved Ones
It’s important to keep in touch with those you love, both platonic and non-platonic, to let them know you’re okay.
Regrettably, we take our relationships for granted, which often leads to the assumption that no further effort must be invested. Communication tends to fall by the wayside when you’re roaming around the world, meaning it’s not intentional whatsoever. Life gets in the way. Still, it’s not an excuse because we’ve got smartphones, so explore your SIM card options before you arrive in a new place to use your device overseas.
Suppose you’re traveling to Japan. In that case, using your regular SIM card can lead to high data roaming charges; most carriers have international coverage, but there are a few gaps and exceptions. Get unlimited data eSIM for Japan so you can roam freely. If you’re using Skype, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, you need an active Internet connection to make calls or send messages, so ensure your phone meets the basic requirements for operation to enjoy an uninterrupted chat experience.
Get Into Your Hotel Room Even If the Door Is Locked
Checking into a hotel is a relatively straightforward process: you book your room online or call in advance, arrive at check-in time, book confirmation, and pay by debit or credit card. Many keys are electronic today, so you’ll receive a device, typically a card or a key, to access the room in the hotel. Even better, you can use your smartphone or smartwatch as digital keys to unlock your hotel room. Digital keys eliminate plastic keycards, therefore saving energy and natural resources. Once your room is ready, you’ll receive a push notification on your device that the key has been delivered, which you can use via the app to check in.
Do you ever feel lost in translation during your travels? Even if you have the world at your fingertips, language barriers and niggling anxiety makes it difficult, if not impossible, to make the most of your trips, as you hesitate to embrace new and different things.
You can try to make yourself understood with hand gestures, facial expressions, or cross-cultural charades, but it won’t get you too far. Use an app to avoid lost-in-translation moments – your phone becomes a portable device for managing translations from one language into another. It can be as basic as a dictionary app with a built-in translator or an AI-powered chatbot that can hold conversations.
Even if you’ve been practicing a new language for months, don’t ditch the translation app while you’re out and about. You can form genuine connections with the locals, read signs in foreign languages so you don’t end up in hidden alleys, and decipher restaurant menus. Use Google Translate with caution because it doesn’t pick up on nuances like gender agreement, jokes, or metaphors. You can use Microsoft Translator, which supports voice translations within a group of people and lets you download the dictionary for use offline. Still, there’s no substitute for learning a couple of phrases and communicating face-to-face.
The Takeaway
Novel interventions make travel more efficient, and the only downside is that you can’t turn off your phone while on vacation and get lost in the moment. Use technology to find out more about your destination before you go, stay connected to friends and family, unlock your hotel room, and leap over language barriers. If your main use is consumption – reading multiple novels by the pool or watching movies – choose a device with plenty of storage, either built-in or via a micro-SD card. Like smartphones, tablets can connect to the internet via WiFi, but you’ll be charged global roaming rates if you use your device abroad. The most cost-effective approach is to use your phone.
