Miyuki Kokshoorn (10449688)

Travel + Technology: Our New Era of Voyage

The growing relationship between travel and technology has created new avenues for the way we travel and the way we communicate with one another.

My initial aims when approaching my topic of travel and technology was to exemplify the changes that have occurred over the years in relation to advances in technology and how this has impacted travel. Growth in technology such as the internet, software and digital cameras have changed the way we travel, starting from how we plan and book our holidays to how we stay connected with one another while travelling.

Meeting new people and facing new experiences, travel is an endeavor that both challenges and shapes people. The act of travel itself is supposed to be the most exciting part of going abroad, however nowadays documenting and sharing experiences with others is become an equally important aspect of travel. The journey doesn’t have to end when your trip ends - the travel experience can be prolonged even when you’ve returned home.

For those people who created continuous travel journals of their time abroad they can rehash their experiences by reviewing or editing their logs. Others who did not can create post-travel blogs or photo sites where they can share and review travel destinations and tips. You can partake in the cycle of connectivity and further travel by sharing your experiences with others.

Holidays and travel have long been associated with time away from your life back home-an alternate universe where real life stops and new adventures begin. People are often braver and more willing to try new things because even if they fail or make fools of themselves it is amongst strangers, not people who know them.

Before the advancements in technology that we have today, it was safe to assume that what happened overseas, stayed overseas. Not anymore. These days this would be considered a risky assumption as with the World Wide Web and all its resources, nothing is secret anymore. Holiday snaps and embarrassing videos can be now uploaded onto the internet for all to see at any point of the journey, by anyone.

With the employment of technology becoming common place, these days the tech savvy generation of travelers are changing the structure of travel. At one time tourists were considered the norm and the notion of the ‘traveler’ was afforded to only those experienced in the art of travel. Technology has blurred this distinction as now the question of what separates a tourist or a traveler has become harder to distinguish.

Traditionally we consider travelers as those who avoid the over done tourist attractions that define most countries and vacations and instead aim for the ‘local experience’. That treasured photograph taken in front of that famous attraction, which appears on every postcard, is the familiar hallmark of the tourist.

An Introduction to Travel + Technology

Travel and technology have become two words that are inextricably tied together. This growing relationship has changed the face of travel, as where we go and how we document it, has irrevocably changed. From organizing your trip to booking your flight and accommodation, everything can be done online, and often at a much more reasonable price. The days of frantic conversations and negotiations with your travel agent are slowly dwindling as more and more people embrace the new independence that the internet has allowed them.

Synopsis

In the age of heightened technology, travel has never been easier or more convenient than it is now. From organizing your itinerary and booking your trip, to documenting and sharing your experiences with others, advancements in technology have changed the face of travel.

Detail

Travel and technology have become synonymous with one another as more and more people discover the convenience and benefits of combining travel with the internet and other gadgetry that we have at our disposal. In each of my episodes I plan to present the different programs and technology that can be used from planning your trip, to staying in touch with friends and family (and often strangers too). The key focus of my blog posts will be to explore the ways in which travel has changed over the past few years and what this means for travelers and the future of travel.