It’s hard to look anywhere in the news these days – media, conferences, webinars – without seeing something about data. But is “big data” really transformational or just hype? For sure, big data has impacted many industries and is fundamentally affecting consumers’ lives. Big data has the potential to significantly shape the future of the travel industry, which historically has had access to plenty of data – such as loyalty programs and price optimization analytics. However, big data is not just about volume but also about the variety, relevance and speed of data. Can companies turn this data into practical and powerful applications for business? What are the challenges? What’s next? Amadeus recently released a study written by Tom Davenport, visiting professor at Harvard Business School, which examines the potential big data has for the travel industry – new products and services for customers, improved customer relationships, better decision support and cheaper, faster data processing. Learn about: the history of data in the travel industry technical and operational challenges associated with big data improving business operations enhancing travel consumer experience Panelists for the webinar: Tom Davenport, visiting professor, Harvard Business School Thomas Cauthen, vice president of travel intelligence sales, Amadeus Kevin May, editor and moderator, Tnooz Gene Quinn, CEO and producer, Tnooz

1. Can Big Data really
transform travel?
Webinar
September 5 2013

2. K
Kevin May
Editor & Moderator
Gene Quinn
CEO & Producer
Your hosts

3. K
Tom Davenport
Visiting Professor
Harvard Business
School
Your panelists
Tom Cauthen
VP, Business Intelligence
Amadeus

4. What is big data, and how can it
be used to drive transformation
across the global travel industry?

5. Key report findings
The industry is at a “big data
crossroads”
 increasing volumes of new,
unstructured data
 need to make passenger
experience more targeted
and distinct
 understand what early
adopters are doing

6. 1. Act now
Now is the time for travel
companies to “act”
Out of all the companies interviewed and
researched, “none contradicted the
hypothesis that big data has the potential
to dramatically reshape the industry.”
Key action points
Research big data
Strategize about big data
Don’t just explore the
technology
Start assembling necessary
skills
Work with partners

7. 2. Big data offers major opportunities
Opportunities for travel
companies include:
Better decision support
New products and services for
customers
Improved customer relationships
Cheaper, faster data processing
1. New customer offers
 Flight price forecasting
 Consistency with
airline sites
2. Internal operations
 Randomized testing
 Increased efficiencies

8. 3. Pockets of innovation are present today
Big data is being used by
early adopters to:
Optimize revenue management
Customize travel distribution
Transform corporate travel
Enhance internal operations
Boost financial performance

9. 4. Emerging technologies will be key
Emerging technologies
will be key to big data
evolution:
Open source software,
new database types,
emerging languages will
need to be part of the new
big data vocabulary
Big data
Scale out
infrastructure
Massively distributed
Linear scalability
Commodity hardware
Large datasets
Unstructured or semi-
structured datasets
Continuously streaming
information
Volumes in multiple tera and
peta bytes range
Intelligent software
Machine learning
Natural language processing
A/B testing

10. 5. The challenges to adoption
Effective deployment is not
without challenges:
Creating an integrated data
source
Hybrid technology environment
Data skills shortage
Managing data responsibly

11. Conclusion and recommendations
 Now is the time for the travel industry to unlock big
data’s transformative potential
 Key recommendations for travel companies:
 Research big data – lead, rather than follow
 Strategize about big data – your business needs a
plan of action
 Don't just explore big data technology – look at
changes to business and operational processes too
 Start assembling big data skills – a scarce resource
 Work with partners for a seamless customer
experience

12. A Look Forward …
Implications & opportunities for the
travel industry
Tom Cauthen
VP, Business Intelligence

13. A Look Forward…
Implications & opportunities for the travel industry
 Cheaper, faster data management
 Faster recovery from irregular disruptions
 Better relationships with air passengers
Airlines

14. A Look Forward…
Implications & opportunities for the travel industry
 Enhanced revenue
management
 More timely and proactive
product offerings
 Better relationships with hotel
guests
Hotels

15. A Look Forward…
Implications & opportunities for the travel industry
 New products and
services based on
big data
 Better relationships
with customers
 Enhanced corporate
travel programs
Travel Agencies

16. A Look Forward…
Implications & opportunities for the travel industry
Consumers
 More relevant search and
booking options
 More personalized travel
packages
 More consistent customer
service

17. A Look Forward…
Implications & opportunities for the travel industry
Technology
 Early adopters have many
initiatives underway
 Open systems – that scale
to manage all data
 Can operate in hybrid
technological environments

18. A Look Forward…
Implications & opportunities for the travel industry
Business
 Predictive analytics to
guide the business
 More timely and
relevant data for
decision-making

19. Learn more
To download a free copy of the report,
“At The Big Data Crossroads: turning
towards a smarter travel experience”:
www.amadeus.com/bigdata

20. K
Thank You!
Replay and presentation from today’s webinar will be
available at www.tnooz.com
Please send your questions to kevin@tnooz.com