Blockchain Technology in Tourism: Applications and Possibilities

The tourism industry is increasingly considered a critical part of the economy of many nations‚ contributing to economic development‚ employment‚ and personal well-being. To sustain the activities of the tourism industry‚ the use of ICT and new technologies gives rise to a connected generation of smart tourists. Remarkably‚ tourism has been technologically-driven since the use of the Internet as a means to support all the phases of the travel process‚ from pre-trip decision making to the post-trip recollection. Despite propelling a paradigm shift‚ existing technologies and legacy systems present several challenges that need be addressed in order to benefit tourism developments and ensure an immersive travel experience. In this paper‚ we study the emergence of Blockchain technology and its possibilities in the tourism industry. This foundational paradigm raises high expectations because it empowers trust-building and promotes more disintermediation‚ secure travel-related transactions‚ creative loyalty programs‚ traceable tourism products and activities‚ and reliable online travel reviews.