For years technologists have hyped the potential of 5G, the fifth-generation mobile network. Fully realized, it promises lightning-fast data speeds, self-driving cars, smart cities, seamless mixed reality and more. In the travel industry, it could power a smoother traveler journey, improve airport efficiency, enhance personalization for hotel guests and support immersive in-destination experiences via virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR).



The power of 5G lies in the technologies it enables. As 5G applications roll out, best-in-class offerings from both within and outside the travel industry will become the new standard against which customer experiences are measured. Travel companies should take action now, recognizing that every small step forward marks progress toward the 5G future that technologists have long been buzzing about.

Here are 7 ways 5G can impact the travel industry:

1. Paired with other technologies, 5G could supercharge the dreaming stage.
2. 5G could innovate air shopping to increase accuracy and reduce complexity and latency.
3. In the airport, 5G-connected sensors can power optimization of everything from baggage handling to airport navigation, replacing long security lines with free-flowing movement.
4. For hotels, 5G creates opportunities to enhance the guest experience and drive operational efficiencies.
5. Combined with AI and robotics, 5G can supercharge personalization and enhance customer service touchpoints via smart robots (and reduce potentially virus-spreading interactions).
6. 5G also creates significant potential for improving the in-destination experience via mixed-reality applications that bring the destination to life.
7. 5G will also make travel sharing richer than ever, even in high-density entertainment venues.