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      Skift Global Forum:
      Inspiring the Travel Brand Experience

      October 10, 2014  | Written by Jessica Sammut
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      Skift hosted their inaugural edition of Skift Global Forum yesterday at the Times Center in New York. The day featured a stellar lineup of 25 speakers from all facets of the travel industry and top influencers from travel sector giants such as TripAdvisor, Airbnb, JetBlue, and Lonely Planet. Each speaker took the stage in 15-minute sessions with a variety of topics set out to inspire travel professionals.

      Technology As a Tool

      There’s no question that when you talk the future of travel much of the discussion will revolve around technology. Terry Jones, founding chairman at kayak.com, discussed the potential of “cognitive computing,” adaptive searches that offer users advice based on syntax and Lonely Planet CEO, Daniel Houghton, was half joking when he said a guide book on “Space Tourism” was on the radar for the world’s largest travel publisher.

      “The future of travel is about helping our audiences share, play, participate in ways they have never done so before,”

      says Phil McAveety chief brand officer at Starwood Hotels. But although travelers have come to expect technology as an integral part of the travel experience, it is not the focus of successful business models. “Technology is not going to win the hearts and minds of guests long term,” says McAveety.

      Sam Shank, co-founder and CEO of HotelTonight, pointed out the importance of curation and that the future of travel is “about building a brand and building an emotional connection.”

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      Tell a Story, Create an Experience

       Nick Gray, founder of MuseumHack and who presented on passion-based entrepreneurship at Skift Forum, is a prime example of how brands, both big and small, can grow by creating memorable experiences for customers and thinking outside the box. “We don’t hire tour guides. That’s because, in my experience, they come with bad habits and scripts. Storytelling comes first for museum tours and we hire that,” explains Gray.

      Chris Nurko, global chairman of FutureBrand Worldwide, sees the future of travel as human-centric. “Smart travel brands will create a brand ‘experience’ in the hand, heart and mind of the user,” shares Nurko.

      It’s All About People

       If technology is simply a tool to engage users, and a story the medium to do so, then the ultimate goal is to connect and inspire people. Airbnb, although a complete digital experience when booking, has human engagement at the core of their business model. “When you have 78% of your users submitting reviews, you’re building a community,” states Chip Conley, head of global hospitality.

      At Vimeo, they use real people to curate their videos. The “Staff Picks” section on their website includes hand-picked videos by employees. “Human curation of videos has always been important to our business,” Dae Mellencamp, President, explained.

      And if brands can connect with people, chances are those people will talk about it. Remember Nick Gray from MuseumHack? He walked into Skift Forum with a story, connected with his audience, created a memorable experience and, as a result, he was all anyone could talk about on Twitter at lunch-break.

      https://twitter.com/SFCMO/status/520257885901963264