Skift Trend for 2014: The Rise of Smart Design in Travel

Early this year we released our big report, “14 Global Trends That Will Define Travel in 2014,” outlining the major trends that will define travel this year.

Below is one of the trends we see as playing out over 2014 and beyond.

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The future of travel is at the intersection of user experience and design, influenced by the Apple-ification of the world. Hotels are becoming a more efficient place to work, airports are becoming more design-centric, and every sector in travel is becoming more design-meets-UX savvy.

Much of the evolution is fueled by travelers' changing expectations caused by the instantaneous gratification they experience every time they order an Uber car on demand, book a hotel with a few finger swipes, or receive flight updates sent automatically via text.

The sophistication in user design gives travelers more control over their experience so, whether they ordering room service while in a meeting or booking a flight on the way to the airport, they choose how their experience will unfold. This means travel companies must introduce infrastructure that lets travelers guide themselves and that they must be nimble in the face of rapidly changing customer demand.

Related Reads:

• Three ways mobile will change the way we travel by 2015
• How Mobile Travel Apps Have Transformed the User Experience
• The Company Re-Inventing Hostels With Smart Design and Social Media
• The 10 Tech Innovations That Influenced Travel This Year

Check out the 2014 trends below in the presentation, or download them for deeper read. Either way, share them if you like them and think others can benefit from them.