It has been several years since the concept of Big Data
emerged from computing circles into the mainstream. While Big Data technologies
and techniques had been brewing for years, it was not until 2012 that the
business world collectively grasped its potential, triggering a frenzy of
excitement. Big Data was suddenly everywhere,
and it promised to foster unprecedented intelligence, power real-time
personalization and transform our daily lives.
As with many significant technological developments, it is
easy to imagine the possibilities, but much more difficult to actualize them. While
the term “Big Data” may indeed be overused and overhyped, the ability to
analyze and leverage the growing quantities of digital data surrounding us will
play a fundamental role in shaping the future. Travel companies theoretically
have access to a wealth of customer information, from clickstream and loyalty
data to PNRs, customer service/CRM databases, traveler reviews, social media
content and more. The challenge is to bring the most important customer data
together and leverage it in meaningful ways.
This article surveys the current state of Big Data in travel,
and explores the related technologies that are likely to drive the most
impactful data-driven applications in the years to come. The article provides
an overview of Big Data adoption and use cases within travel, highlighting
examples of how startups and established travel companies are employing Big
Data.
- Introduction
- Background and Adoption
- What is Big Data?
- Big Data Landscape and Adoption
- Big Data + Travel
- Conclusion