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NZ Herald
12-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
How travel is innovating, from passport free to eco-friendly planes
Instead of checking in for a flight, travellers would receive a 'journey pass' on their phones that automatically updates when details change, and people would be able to use their faces to pass through security gates - with airlines being alerted when people arrive at the airport for a flight. Speaking to Lorna Riley on the NZ Herald 's travel podcast Trip Notes, Air New Zealand's chief transformation and alliances officer Mike Williams said a lot of those proposed changes are already here. 'Different airports around the world have moved at different speeds on this, but already many ports that we fly to, there's facial recognition for boarding. 'It's a much nicer customer experience. It's faster. I think it's easier as well, you know, especially if you've got kids who you're travelling with or elderly parents or things like this. You don't need to make sure that you've got every passport and every boarding pass open at the photo page and things.' It's not just the airport experience where technology is evolving. Williams said artificial intelligence is set to be a major disruptor in the travel industry, particularly when it comes to planning holidays. 'I went to Mangawhai recently, just north of Auckland and said, 'look, I'm gonna be there for three days, I'm going with the kids and my wife, and we are kind of keen on doing some hiking or some slightly adventurous thing. What could we do?' 'And it gave a three-day itinerary. Basically morning, afternoon, evening, do this. I did it basically, exactly as it was said, and it was perfect. " Every time we travel, especially overseas, there's the amount of time that we spend planning, and then there's the amount of time that we spend experiencing and enjoying, and I think we'll decrease the amount of time that we need to put into the logistics." Ensure your travel insurance covers tech disruptions and new innovations like biometric boarding and AI-driven services. AA Travel Insurance tip of the week. Always consider the policy wording. Innovation is also evident with the planes themselves. Eco-friendly designs have been pitched over the years to reduce the impact on the environment, including new fuselage shapes and different types of fuel like hydrogen. Williams said Air New Zealand has been advocating strongly in that area, but it takes decades of development to get these changes right. What will happen sooner, though, is changes to the interior. Williams said Air New Zealand's SkyNests are due to be installed next year. In terms of other designs - such as double-decker seats - Williams said he likes the fact people are testing and experimenting different ideas. However... " I don't think that's something that Air New Zealand will be pushing." Trip Notes is an NZ Herald podcast hosted by Lorna Riley, a keen travel writer and enthusiast and host of Coast Days. New episodes are available every Tuesday.
NZ Herald
28-04-2025
- NZ Herald
Overtourism in Europe: What you need to know and where to go instead
Brett Mitchell, managing director Australia New Zealand for Intrepid Travel, told Lorna Riley on the NZ Herald' s travel podcast, Trip Notes, that a lot of these issues come down to the number of tourists visiting some of these centres and the impact that's having on things like housing supply. 'Some of these local people have lived for generations in these historic towns and are being pushed out because of the cost, as an example. 'Sheer volume does just put stress on infrastructure. It raises the prices to be able to live in these local cities. It just makes life a lot harder for locals.' He said that it is an important conversation to have about more responsible tourism. However, it doesn't mean that you have to avoid this hotspots entirely. 'They're overcrowded for a reason. They are amazing cities or towns, so I think you're entitled to go. 'Certainly some of the trends that we are seeing in travel is that people attending to try to pick the times as to when they go to these destinations, either more shoulder season, or if they do go and see some of these amazing historic towns, you get up early and try and do it off some of the peak times.' Mitchell said that you can spread the love a bit more and look at other local towns rather than focusing on just one spot. There are also non-traditional countries that are growing as tourist destinations as people look for other places to visit. Mitchell said two countries that are seeing 'amazing growth' with an 'incredible culture' are Georgia and Albania. 'I think people are getting there and seeing it before it does change - as you know with overtourism, it can change the sort of overall authenticity and authenticity of a local nation. 'Georgia and Albania still has that. And again, great value for money and great experiences to be had.' Ensure your policy covers you for any potential cancellations (flight and/or itinerary) or loss of deposits you could experience. AA Travel Insurance tip of the week. Always consider the policy wording. Other trends with Kiwi tourists at the moment are spending more time in the countryside in Europe rather than the main city centres, and rail tourism is helping ease those big trends. For many people, there is also an increase in shoulder season travel away from the busiest summer seasons. 'We're absolutely seeing this where our numbers for peak season Southern Europe in areas like Italy, Spain, Portugal is absolutely dropping off. 'It's been made up and increased on the shoulder seasons and even the off seasons. In Europe, you've got some incredible things like the Christmas markets and a whole bunch of different things that you could go to in the winter months and experience in a different way, so it's just a different, different way to see a country, isn't it?' Trip Notes is an NZ Herald podcast hosted by Lorna Riley, a keen travel writer and enthusiast and host of Coast Days. New episodes are available every Tuesday.
