Cloud Computing in Travel and Tourism - Thematic Intelligence

Cloud Computing in Travel and Tourism - Thematic Intelligence

Summary

Cloud investment by travel and leisure companies will reach $18 billion in 2026, up from $8.6 billion in 2021. Cloud computing speeds up product delivery, reducing time to market. It is also scalable, meaning companies can pay for the exact storage and computing power they need per use.

Enterprise cloud spending falls into three main categories. The first of these, cloud infrastructure, includes the hardware used to build, operate, and manage a cloud environment, whether it is public, private, or hybrid. Enterprises invest in infrastructure for building and operating a private cloud for various reasons, including data compliance obligations, data privacy, and maintaining guaranteed performance levels. Some enterprises build their own private cloud, while others invest in a turnkey private cloud solution.

The second broad category of enterprise cloud spending is that of cloud services. Cloud services include infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) offerings for IT resources such as compute, storage, and backup and disaster recovery; platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offerings, which allow application developers to create, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining their application development environments; and software as a service (SaaS) offerings, which allow IT software to be purchased and consumed on a subscription basis.

The third broad category of enterprise cloud spending is cloud professional services. These services support the procurement, deployment, and ongoing management of diverse cloud-based resources. Cloud professional services include cloud brokerage, cloud integration and advisory services, and managed cloud services that include managed databases, managed middleware, managed cloud security, and managed business applications.

This thematic report takes an in-depth look at look at how important cloud is in the travel and tourism sector. Firstly, the value chain section summarizes an in-depth description of each of the segments of cloud technology stack, looking at software as a service, platform as a service, infrastructure as a service, cloud brokerage, cloud integration, and managed cloud services. The value chain outlines the specialist vendors and leading adopters of cloud in the travel and tourism sector. The challenges section outlines the key challenges being faced by the travel and tourism sector. This is followed by an impact assessment detailing the areas in cloud computing where travel and tourism companies should focus and outlines how these challenges faced by the industry have accelerated the adoption and need for cloud computing. A case study section is then provided, which shows leading examples of investment in cloud computing within the travel and tourism sector. A data analysis section provides market size and growth forecasts, followed by mergers and acquisition activity, a cloud computing timeline, and insight into company filings, hiring, and patent trends. Next, the report highlights companies making their mark within the theme, and finally, the relative position of these companies within the airlines, rail and road transport, and lodging sectors is summarized.

“The travel and tourism industry has undergone a sea change in the last 10 to 15 years, moving from bricks-and-mortar travel agents towards online travel. GlobalData predicts online travel sales will reach $1.8 trillion by 2025. Cloud technologies are the bedrock enabling this change.

Geopolitical disruptions, dynamic pricing, and personalization require companies to invest in new technologies. Companies with strong cloud architectures can adapt to changing circumstances seamlessly, scaling back operations when demand is low, and developing new products quickly for new market opportunities. Disruptive travel trends are likely to continue and will increase investment in the cloud.”

GlobalData predicts online travel sales will reach $1.8 trillion by 2025. Cloud technologies are the bedrock enabling this change.

Investment in the cloud technology stack depends on company size and business requirements. Software as a service (SaaS) is the biggest investment area for travel and tourism companies, followed by platform-as-a-service (PaaS). Many applications used for day-to-day operations, both customer-facing and business-to-business (B2B), are now mostly cloud-based. AWS is the leading public cloud provider for travel companies with clients including Trip.com, Hilton, Expedia, Delta Air Lines, and Airbnb.

Due to the travel disruptions caused by COVID-19 restrictions, seamless travel experiences with multiple touch points and personalized features are going to be an important investment area for travel and tourism companies. Eventually, cloud computing technologies will enable a seamless experience across the traveler journey, inside and outside the airport.

Leading lodging companies with strong cloud strategies are Hilton, Princess Cruises, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, and Radisson Hotel Group.

Leading airlines and airports with strong cloud strategies are Changi Airport Group, Dubai Airports, Delta Air Lines, and Etihad Airways.

Leading travel intermediaries with strong cloud strategies are Skyscanner (Trip.com), Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia Group.

Scope

• This report provides an overview of cloud in travel and tourism.
• This report explains why cloud will continue to grow in importance for the travel and tourism industry.
• This report outlines how the correct cloud strategy can enhance the traveler experience and contribute to operational efficiency and scalability, highlighting different cloud strategies and architectures used by industry players.
• This report provides examples of what companies and organizations in the travel and tourism industry are doing in reaction to this theme, and how they create differentiation.
• We highlight travel and tourism companies that are leading in this theme.

• To access market size and grown forecasts of the cloud in travel and leisure market
• To identify cloud leaders and laggards across lodging and cruises, airlines, and airports
• To understand the key challenges facing the travel and tourism industry, and how these challenges increase the need for cloud computing
• To access primary research case study examples of cloud vendors and investment in the travel and tourism industry.
• To understand cloud computing adoption using alternative datasets and analysis showing M&A activity, mentions of cloud technologies in company filings, and cloud hiring trends in the travel and tourism sector
• GlobalData’s thematic research ecosystem is a single, integrated global research platform that provides an easy-to-use framework for tracking all themes across all companies in all sectors. It has a proven track record of identifying the important themes early, enabling companies to make the right investments ahead of the competition, and secure that all-important competitive advantage.