Three Reasons Why Travelers Should be Excited About the Future of Mobility
The car rental industry is in the midst of a remarkable technological shift in response to evolving traveler expectations. Experts in the mobility industry say the industry is prioritizing digital experiences, multimodality, sustainability, and safety to better serve today’s travelers.
Here are just 3 of the latest mobility trends to get your motor running as Amadeus works with innovative car rental companies and the industry at large to turn travel dreams into reality with technology at the forefront.
1. Thanks to a rise in strategic partnerships, travelers have more choice than ever
Hertz and Tesla. Uber and BMW. Turo and Michelin. Transportation brands are partnering up in unexpected ways to offer better service and choice to travelers and loyalty customers. Business models are also shifting the emphasis from hardware to software, and from product-centric to service-oriented and customer-centric strategies.
Travelers want options, and in some destinations, they don’t have to rely on traditional car rental companies to get around. For example, Turo lists cars available by location and allows people to rent them directly from the owner. Kyte will deliver cars directly to a traveler’s temporary address, and Lynk & Co allows people to subscribe to cars on a month-to-month basis. Light on assets and customer friendly, these car rental businesses are shaking up the status quo.
2. MaaS connectivity is changing how travelers book transportation
Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is revolutionizing the way people access transportation options.
For example, car rentals may be more of a headache than a help in a busy city. MaaS gives travelers the choice and freedom to select their preferred method of transit streamlined into a single, on-demand service. Platforms like Whim and Instant System integrate public transportation, ride-hailing, car-sharing, and bike-sharing services all on one app that a traveler can access directly from their smartphone. Users can then compare costs, schedules, and options when they need to get across town. MaaS options are bound to grow, especially in places aiming to reduce traffic and encourage more sustainable transportation.
3. Big data is enabling personalized trips
Travelers want their trips to better reflect their personal tastes and interests, and the mobility space is no different. Data-driven insights and business intelligence technology are becoming crucial for rental car companies that want to keep travelers at the center of everything they do.
Car rental companies like SIXT envision a scenario where loyalty customers can quickly book their preferred car make and model online. With access to their traveler profile, preferences like seat position, temperature, and radio stations can be programmed in advance so the rental is perfect from the moment they pick it up.
Additionally, partnerships with technology companies like Amadeus enhance the rental car industry’s ability to identify booking trends and improve overall performance.
There’s no doubt the future of mobility is an exciting one and full of opportunity. Mobility providers are expanding their offers and new players are entering the space with fresh ideas and advanced technology. Ride sharing and MaaS will continue to challenge traditional car rental models to step it up with more personalized, flexible transportation options.
To learn more about what’s on the horizon for the mobility industry in the years to come and how Amadeus is supporting industry growth, download our latest research, Catalysts for Change: Building the Hospitality Ecosystem of the Future.
About Amadeus
Amadeus powers more personalized and authentic travel experiences. Our solutions are designed to enrich every stage of the traveller journey and help hospitality providers acquire, service, and retain guests by profitably driving demand and converting them into loyal fans.
Backed by over 30 years of experience, we design open, cutting-edge software to provide the most efficient, trusted, and reliable systems for our customers. With experts in 175+ countries, we have a deep understanding of the hospitality industry and a desire to enable our hotel partners to create memorable guest experiences.
To find out more about Amadeus, visit www.amadeus-hospitality.com.
