iBeacon- the new buzzword

BEACON technology
is a way of providing
proximity and context
information to mobile
devices. Beacon devices
transmit a signal using
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
When a BLE-enabled device,
such as a smartphone,
moves within range of the
iBeacon’s signal it can
trigger an action, such as
displaying a message on the
phone.
How is it used in the
travel industry?
iBeacons provide a
proximity-based alerting
system that can trigger an
app on a smartphone at a
great distance, for example,
displaying a boarding pass
stored in a mobile wallet
like Passbook.
Airlines have used
iBeacons to simplify and
improve the passenger
experience with check-in
and boarding. Virgin Atlantic
has carried out tests at
Heathrow using iBeacons
to trigger the boarding pass
to appear on the device
automatically.
Norm Rose, senior
technology and corporate
market analyst of
PhocusWright, says Beacon
technology in general,
will have a significant
impact on the in-transit
and in-destination
communication with
travellers.
He says iBeacons can
provide travellers with
airport directions, including
gate changes, and
marketing messages for
airport shops. iBeacons can
also be used for marketing
hotel shops, restaurants
and potentially surrounding
activities. It is also possible
for restaurants and
activities or attractions to
send out iBeacon messages
with special offers.
What does this mean
for agents?
Norm says it is unlikely
travel agents will be
implementing iBeacons
themselves unless they
are an all-inclusive tour
operator. He says travel
agents need to start
investigating how iBeacons
are being implemented in
cities and by suppliers to
see if they can piggyback
on Beacon technology. “The
bottom line is that travel
agents will need to work
with suppliers to access
iBeacons in transit and
in-destination.”
What are the pitfalls?
Norm says the main concern
with iBeacon is that it will
turn into a ‘bombardment
of unwanted messages’. He
says, generally speaking,
people don’t like the idea
of companies tracking their
location, nor their phones
automatically activating
various sensors just
because they happen to
be in the general vicinity of
another device’s sensors.
“As iBeacon is applied to
travel, we need to have the
necessary opt-in capabilities
to enable control by the
traveller.”