Digital tools for the development of the hospitality and tourism industry in the context of a digitized economy

Abstract

Digital technologies are an important part of the hotel and tourism industry, which are driving its rapid development. The aim of this article is to investigate the main trends in the use of digital tools in the development of the hotel and tourism digital industry. The results demonstrate several key trends in the use of digital tools for the development of the hospitality and tourism digital industry. A key trend of the hospitality industry is self-booking and travel arrangements made by tourists, in particular through online agencies. Thus the needs of consumers in the hospitality and travel industry have contributed to the development of new technological solutions. This has led to increased digitalisation of the travel and hospitality industry as a component of the digital economy. The next important trend is the growth of the online travel market (e-commerce sites and sightseeing sites). Among the key areas of digital tools for the hospitality and travel industry are: digital marketing in the travel industry; digital presence of companies through travel websites; digital presence of consumers through online travel search, online booking and travel planning technologies; social media. Cloud computing and big data, blockchain and travel apps are among the most used technologies in the hospitality and travel industry. It is these digital tools that allow users to book travel services themselves (hotel reservations, travel bookings, ticket purchases, short-term rentals, etc.).