Talkin’ Tribes with Owen Wild

Amadeus North America Marketing Director Owen Wild is passionate about travelers—who they are, how they travel, where they go, and what they expect from their travel experiences.

Wild recently shared his insights about Global Clans and how this important
traveler group will likely use technology and impact the travel industry in the coming decades. 

Who are Global Clans? This new segment of travelers includes people who travel internationally, either alone or with family groups, to get together with family and friends and re-connect.

Why are they important? Growth in migration is making our world a more diverse place. This will create a future where unprecedented numbers of families are scattered across different countries and continents. As more people migrate in search of better prospects and lifestyles, more people than ever before will travel to reconnect with family and friends abroad. This represents an important revenue opportunity for today’s travel agencies.

How will technology impact this group? Global Clans will rely on technologies that can help them “gather” online to share and book travel arrangements, transport high volumes of goods and luggage, and bridge language barriers. Examples include online booking portals for cost-effective group travel arrangements, dedicated aircraft for transporting goods and multilingual touch-screens in airports. These technology options will make it easier for Global Clans to move from point-to-point quickly and effortlessly.

How can we reach them? The key is to deliver tailored travel services that simplify the travel experience, making it easy for them. To reach Global Clans, travel companies must ‘humanize’ technology to facilitate the journey—from booking to baggage. And the end result for agents is greater loyalty, stronger revenue growth and long-term profitability.