previous icon Back to blog
Mar 08, 2022
6 minutes read

How to Enhance Live Experiences With Technology in the Leisure & Travel Industry

Leisure and travel is an industry like no other. As a business that revolves around live experiences, we know that – unlike other sectors – the experiences you create aren't focused on adding value to an existing product; they're the product itself. So maybe you need a solution that understands this and can help you better engage with your customers as no other sectors do? This can be achieved easily and quickly through digitalization. Read on to find out how.

Jasmijn Stenzler
Jasmijn Stenzler,
Product Marketer Ticketing

Whether that's a drink in a pub, a trip abroad, cheering on your favorite team in a football stadium or dancing at a major music festival, anticipation, an enjoyable, frictionless time, and the after-action are equally important in all of these experiences.

In fact, a recent study by PWC found that 86% of customers, generally, are willing to pay more for a service if it involves a great customer experience. Additionally, MarketingDive recently reported that - while expectations for different categories vary - consumer expectations, on average, increase by about 25% year-over-year. Now, in general, your customers' expectations are already higher, and there's no sign of this trend shifting anytime soon.

So, how do you live up to these expectations, or even better, exceed them? Indeed, surprising your customers in an industry where expectations are high already is no mean feat. But there is a way.

Main Focus On the Live Experience

While your focus might be on providing a great experience during the visit itself, a customer's encounter with your brand, and any expectations they may have, are not just limited to this moment. It starts with the first contact and extends before, during, and after. But the question is: how can you create and maintain engagement with your customers and turn them into ambassadors of your business? The answer can be found through technology, which offers great solutions to extend this customer journey and offer a smooth and seamless experience.

However, most businesses in the leisure and travel industry aren't digital native companies; their strengths lie within providing live experiences, with dealing with their customers face-to-face in real-world environments. It is therefore not easy for most of them when it comes to innovating through digitization. There's also the issue of having limited resources, such as time and funds, particularly of late thanks to the COVID pandemic which has lost the Leisure and Travel industry in 2020 alone millions in canceled flights and stays, missed reservations, canceled events, and staff shortages due to earlier layoffs and insecure perspectives. Digitalization, therefore, isn't always considered a priority, especially since most organizations see it as a costly investment.


Take, for instance, research by Deloitte that found 87% of companies think digitalization will disrupt their industry, but only 44% are prepared for potential digital disruption. At the same time, IDG's most recent State of Digital Transformation Report found that only 7% of companies have fully implemented their digital transformation strategies, likely due to complexity, time, or expense.

For example, In Skift's 2021 Digital Transformation Report, 26% of leisure and travel organizations cited "cost" when asked about the most significant barriers to employing digitalization, specifically switching more of what they do to the cloud. Another 17% mentioned a lack of experienced staff, while 14% noted potential IT or data security concerns.

Unlocking Benefits When Embracing Digitalization

However, the benefits of employing digitalization speak for themselves. According to the Digital Transformation Report by CorporateLeaders and PTC, executives say the top benefits of digital transformation are improved operational efficiency (40%), faster time to market (36%), and the ability to meet customer expectations (35%). This will have a big impact on the industry overall.

By 2025, digitalization in travel and tourism is expected to create up to $305 billion of value for the industry through increased profitability, according to the World Economic Forum report. This report also stated the sector will migrate $100 billion of value from traditional players to new competitors and generate benefits valued at $700 billion for customers and wider society. This is all thanks to digitalization through a reduced environmental footprint, improved safety and security, and cost and time savings for consumers.

Digitalization does not have to be a hurdle. It can be more straightforward if you want it to be while still creating a lot of value. It's easier than you think to create a synergy between live and online experiences and deliver the ultimate customer journey.

Two simple ways to digitally engage with your customers are as follows:

  1. By sending communications based on specific actions. For example, after purchasing a ticket, when scanning a ticket, or when specifying personal preferences. By responding to your visitors' behavior, you might pleasantly surprise them at just the right moment.
  2. By sending communication based on time-related to a specific moment, such as an hour before, during, or after an event.

There are solutions available for you no matter which area of the travel and tourism industry you're a part of. Not convinced? Here are some real-world examples:

Proactive Communication

It’s normal for people to forget things, but when it’s something essential, this can really ruin an experience. Being one step ahead of your customers and automatically sending them all the information they need before their travels or visit can mean the difference between a disaster or an excellent experience.

Any Way to Pay

Payments are an integral part of any experience, so you want to offer it in a way that suits your customer. Whether it is on your website, in a gift shop, or at the table in your bistro, being able to pay smoothly will make your customers leave with a smile.

No Need to Repeat

Your customers are expecting you to know purchases they’ve made and questions they asked in the past. By being aware of their past behavior and interactions, they don’t have to repeat themselves when they reach out to you again.

Beyond Expectations

When people buy a ticket online, they just expect it to grant them access to a venue or perhaps an airplane. Why stop at just scanning the ticket, and not also turn it into a discount voucher for during their experience or a future purchase?

There are, of course, pitfalls that any business should be aware of when interacting with their customers on a digital level. For instance, you should ensure you're only engaging with them when it's relevant and keep the frequency at an acceptable volume to avoid potential spamming. This is easily learned and avoided if you follow the right steps.

How Digital Is Your Business?

Digitalization can provide you with the tools you need to effortlessly gather data, unearth intuitive insights and send personalized communication, all of which can help enhance your customers' experiences while providing a smooth and frictionless journey.


If you'd like to find out to what extent your business can benefit from digitalization, download the CM.com Digital Experience Checklist below, which will help you discover how tech-driven your experience already is and offer you advice on the next steps in your digital transformation.

We'd love to hear more about your current customer experience strategy and discuss further how this can be improved with digital tools, so please get in touch.

Download the CM.com Digital Experience Checklist and get in touch!

Was this article interesting?
Share it!
Jasmijn Stenzler
Jasmijn Stenzler,
Product Marketer Ticketing
logo linkedin icon

As a product marketer, it is important to understand the market, competition, trends, and (potential) customers as well as possible in order to help the product, marketing, and sales team in providing the best possible product and message to the (potential) customers.

Latest Articles

digitalizacion-administracion-publica-y-educacion
Dec 18, 2023 • Customer Experience

Elevating Experiences: Customer Engagement Technology Trends in 2024

As we approach 2024, the ever-evolving landscape of technology continues to shape how customers connect, consume and communicate with businesses. Forrester even predicts customer experience (CX) will improve for the first time in three years, meaning 2024 will be a pivotal year for engagement with every touchpoint becoming a make-or-break opportunity in the customer journey.

Jouw festival als eyecatcher
Aug 27, 2023 • Customer Experience

Your event as a showstopper: 7 futureproof trends to jump on

In the overcrowded event industry, it's getting tougher to keep your ticket sales going strong. The competition is huge, and everyone's targeting the same audiences. Chances are that a festival with empty lineups and expensive tickets won't survive five years from now. Invest in your brand, innovate, and stand out – that's the only way to build a solid foundation for the future. We've got 7 trends for you to hop onto and make sure you're ready for what's to come.

customer-service-kpis
Aug 22, 2023 • Mobile Service Cloud

Measurable Success: 8 Customer Service KPIs That Matter To Your Business

Great customer service results in a positive customer experience. The impression your customers have, affects how they see you as a brand. Ultimately, this impacts business performance and revenue. No wonder you want to improve your customer service. To make an impact on your business, you need to generate data and insights from your customers and your customer service team. What are the actual customer needs and preferences? And how is the team currently performing?

dutch-grand-prix-marketing
Jun 30, 2023 • Marketing

How to Boost Fan Engagement - A Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix Use Case

What’s so great about sports is that it connects all kinds of people. On the other hand, knowing no two sports fans are alike makes it challenging for sports organizations to address different fan segments. The organization behind the Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix acknowledged this challenge and didn’t just pack the CM.com Circuit Zandvoort with their best fans. Instead, they’ve managed to enhance their fan experience right at their first racing event in 35 years. What’s more, they keep improving fan engagement year on year. Curious to know how? We’ll share five insider tips on how the Dutch Grand Prix enhanced its fan engagement before, during, and after the race.

dutch-grand-prix-service
Jun 30, 2023 • CM.com

Fast Event Visitor Support at Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix

When you go to any event, questions might arise. How do you get there? Where can you find your tickets? And where will you stay? For some questions, you prefer instant support from the organization. Swift and smooth. In this article, we’ll show how the Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix will always help you in the best way possible.

dutch-grand-prix-payments
Jun 29, 2023 • Payments

Smooth Payments for the Ultimate Dutch Grand Prix Experience

What is needed for the best Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix experience? A good, fair race of course. Racers who are on top of their game? Good food and a nice cold beer? All the above are true. But there are also unseen factors that contribute to a great day at the Dutch Grand Prix. Payments during an event are seen as a given, a necessary evil perhaps, but they can truly make or break the experience for a visitor. Learn more about our Payments solutions at the Dutch Grand Prix and how they contributed to this awesome event.

ticketing-blog-featured-instagram-messaging-en
Jun 06, 2023 • Live

Unleashing the Power of Instagram: Your Ticket to Winning Fans and Boosting Ticket Sales

In today's lightning-fast world, the quest to capture fans' attention and inspire lasting loyalty remains a key challenge for ambitious event organizers. Developing tactics to boost ticket sales and cut through the noise in this increasingly crowded industry can feel like an uphill battle. But what if we told you there's a game-changing secret to success? Prepare to breathe new life into your social media channels as you embark on a journey to connect with your fans like never before. Read on to discover how Instagram Marketing Messages can revolutionize your event strategy and help you get a competitive edge.

customerservice-channels-blogimage
May 05, 2023 • Mobile Service Cloud

What are the most effective customer service channels?

Do you recognize the feeling? Imagine you want to change your address, send a message, and await a reply. And you wait. And wait some more. Do you feel annoyed? Or will you try to get the job done via another channel? Now, back to your business. How easily can your customers reach you via their preferred channel?

chatbot-examples-industries
Apr 18, 2023 • Chatbots

Six Chatbot Examples For Great Customer Experiences

People use chatbots for various reasons, with “productivity” as the key motivational factor. But what kind of bot do you need? They come in many forms and sizes, and to be successful, you need to think about where to apply a bot, and which kind. What do you want to achieve with the bot? In this guide, we’ll walk you through some of the most successful chatbot examples of our global customers and show you how you can use them to improve customer experience.

Is this region a better fit for you?
Go
close icon