Travellers increasingly rely on smart digital apps and services to plan, book and organize their travel, according to the findings of new research conducted by Cisco AppDynamics across the EMEA region.

The study questioned 4,000 people from EMEA region and discovered that most of those polled now preferred a digital experience by using apps for most if not all of their travel needs. Almost every aspect of the travel experience is now assisted or improved by using digital solutions from researching and planning potential destinations, managing bookings, purchasing tickets to Covid vaccination status updates as well as checking the weather forecast and even selecting holiday clothing.

With 83 percent of people from the region looking forward to a vacation this year, apps and digital solutions are now playing a central role in the travel experience for 71 percent of those questioned.

Apps for everything

According to the findings of the research consumers on average will use 25 different digital services and applications to help with planning, booking, and traveling for their next holiday break. Meanwhile, 55 percent of people questioned said they do not intend to carry any paper-based tickets with them on their next vacation, instead relying entirely on airline and travel apps, digital wallet, and email for the duration of their trip. 

The post-pandemic world has created new realities for travellers so it is unsurprising that 80 percent of people said they will use apps to prove their Covid-19 or vaccination status. Hence, the impact of poorly performing applications is felt particularly strongly:  70 percent of people said their vacation would be disrupted if the app such as those used for airline, rail, or hotel booking, were to fail. Forty-one percent went further by saying it could potentially ruin the entire trip. When experiencing problems with an app while organizing travel, 37 percent said they would immediately switch to an alternative.  However, only 6 percent of those polled said they would contact the company behind a poorly performing digital service.

As the findings of this research clearly reveal, app and digital solution providers must work to ensure seamless digital experiences as customers travel for their holiday breaks. Poorly performing apps will be quickly discarded for better alternatives, which is why developers must manage and optimize IT performance effectively across ever more complex and fragmented IT systems. This requires access to a single, unified view of IT performance and availability across the entire IT environment.

By linking IT performance data with real-time business metrics, developers can quickly identify and resolve pain points without disrupting the end user experience. Consumers today demand seamless digital experiences at all times, no matter the platform.  Businesses that deliver on this will build a loyal customer base while driving up revenue and improving their bottom line.

-Ends-

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your data, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and inclusive future. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

Media Contact
Yasmine Kayal
Account Executive
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
yasmine.kayal@hkstrategies.com