The Great Travel Tech Revolution

What a time to travel. From booking flights to breezing through immigration, technology has transformed every step of the journey. AI now crafts personalized itineraries, biometric gates speed up airport checks, and smart luggage or contactless hotel check-ins make the process seamless. Even language barriers are fading thanks to instant translation apps. Beyond logistics, attractions worldwide are embracing AR and immersive tech to elevate the experience. Travel today is not just easier—it’s smarter.

Before You Go

By engaging with AI tools wisely you can eliminate much of the hassle of travel planning. Using prompts or questions, you can quickly draft potential itineraries tailored to your interests and save time spent researching. Most AI chatbot services offer a free trial, so if you alternate between using different ones, you can make use of these eager holiday assistants without having to spend any money.

Available via its app or website, ChatGPT is one of the most popular AI chatbot platforms, but others worth tinkering with include Claude and Perplexity. Think of them as friends that are on hand to offer you their own different sets of tips and expertise. Claude tends to give more complex and detailed recommendations, while Perplexity offers citation-backed answers. Whichever you use, these tools can be a springboard to your travel ideas, as they can help you brainstorm and structure plans. The main catch, however, is that AI can only source information from the internet. If you’re looking to check out a local roadside stall that makes the best Kanom Krok – a traditional Thai dessert with a sweet and salty taste – but it has no online presence, chances are you’re going to have to do your homework the old fashioned way: through word of mouth or by combing the real world. And make sure to double check crucial information, too, as AI does make mistakes occasionally.

Dancing Goes Digital

When live performances get a boost from high-tech wizardry, you get the best of both worlds without losing the human touch. In Melbourne, ballet looks more dazzling than ever thanks to the ongoing world tour of Sleeping Beauty by We call it Ballet. Ballerinas light up the stage with their glittering routines and glow-in-the-dark costumes that change color according to mood and tone, making this brilliant show a unique fusion of classical ballet and modern technology.

Dancing queens that want to hit the floor themselves can still catch ABBA Voyage at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park until January 2026. At this retro-futuristic concert, digital “ABBAtars” of Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Frida sing the Swedish pop group’s classics and new songs alongside a live band. Avatar shows are a future trend, it seems – rock group KISS will reunite in digital form for concerts in 2027.

Immerse Yourself

Visitors to art galleries, museums, and exhibitions are increasingly no longer passive observers. Thanks to technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), projection mapping, and motion tracking, it is often now possible to interact with the actual artwork or even walk through imagined historical settings. Multilingual guides and interest personalization are also making exhibitions more accessible and emotionally resonant for all.

At the forefront of these mind-bending developments is Singapore’s ArtScience Museum, which recently unveiled a revamp of its popular “Future World” exhibition, complete with new digital installations made in collaboration with celebrated Japan-based art collective teamLab. The immersive and interactive artworks that make up this permanent exhibition, such as a digital aquarium teeming with sea creatures, respond to visitors in real time.

If you’re feeling flowery, “Of the Oak” at Kew Gardens in London is the British botanical garden’s first outdoor digital art exhibition. Until the end of September, you can interact with the leaves of a six-meter “digital double” of Kew’s oldest oak tree as its transforms from dawn to dusk through the shifting seasons. Through guided meditation exercises offered by the exhibition portal you can even synchronize your breathing with the tree’s rhythm.

Meanwhile, history buffs can enjoy a digital dimension at the iconic Louvre Museum in Paris, where AR-enhanced guided tours for some exhibitions are now available. And there’s still time to check out the glut of cutting-edge technology and innovations from all around the world on display at Expo 2025, which runs in Osaka until October 13. Here you can explore international pavilions themed around the future of society, then watch the night sky light up with thousands of drones and rainbow fountain shows featuring lasers and fire.

Futuristic Feasts

A living art museum where you can interact with digital fish, neon forests, and crystal planets, teamLab Planet in Tokyo added some dining areas earlier this year. At Glass House, you can sip tea or sake at a small bar surrounded by hundreds of orchids in lit-up glass vessels. The rhythm of the lights changes according to how much you drink. For a full meal, try ramen in the dark at Emptiness Table, where mesmerizing calligraphy rotates by your table as you slurp on the vegan noodles and kelp broth.

If you’re in the mood to game and celebrate as well as eat, Inamo in London serves up tech-driven fun alongside sushi and other Asian favorites. Interactive tabletops allow you to seamlessly order your food, view a real-time chef camera, graffiti your table, or play retro games while you wait for your food.

For an indulgent fine-dining experience complete with sounds and animations, Le Petit Chef is just the ticket. Visit the branch at Thailand’s Banyan Tree Phuket resort for a classic French menu and a storyline inspired by Marco Polo’s travels along the Silk Road. The world’s tiniest (and cutest) chef will prepare your courses through 3D projections while you tuck in to a Bouillabaisse made with Andaman seabass.

Smarter Stays

The Henn na Hotel group in Japan holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s first robot-staffed hotel – and even has robotic dinosaurs that greet guests at reception. It sits at the wackier end of a hospitality industry that is going all out to elevate the guest experience via technology. At many hotels, conveniences such as contactless payments, mobile check-ins and AI-powered voice assistants that control the room lights and temperature are becoming the norm. Hotel chains such as Marriott and Aman have even come up with 24/7 chat platforms that offer personalized recommendations and instant translations.

Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes innovations are making a big difference at tropical getaways like InterContinental Resort Phuket. Thanks to AI, the resort’s food compost machine offers statistics on which types of food are ending up as leftovers, enabling the kitchen to manage portions accordingly and cut food waste.

Wherever you vacation, be sure to ask the hotel staff which tech-infused services are available – they will add more comfort, convenience or creativity to your stay.

Are you ready for the immersive experiences? Fly the world with Thai Airways!