Travel With Tech: How the Internet Can Make Travel Better
Thanks to the internet and the many gadgets that rely on it, travelling can be easier than it has been in the past. Whether it’s a practical tool to help you find your way or a new kind of entertainment, there’s no end to the support available for modern travellers. That’s why we’ve gathered some of the best modern travel tech suggestions below.
Using the Internet
Before naming any gadgets, you should remember that the internet itself is a treasure trove of information, communication, and entertainment services that make travel easier. Today, frequent flyers use it to book flights and accommodation, and all with a few swipes of their finger.
However, the internet has a lot more to offer than travel arrangements. It also allows you to communicate with friends and family back home or reach out to helpful contacts who live in your target destination. The internet is also the home to entertainment industries like on-demand streaming and iGaming, where casino games are hosted online. These businesses are well-known for offering a lot of advantages to newcomers, so players could receive a bonus when first depositing at a casino, for example. Bonus offers are a staple of digital marketing, so they’re most commonly found in business models that rely on the internet to function. Likewise, they expect their audience to have a reliable connection to check out their services.
Bring A Library
Staying with entertainment, books are a relatively small purchase that can keep you satisfied for hours. They’re great for downtime on travel trips, supplementing the sights and sounds of your destination. They can also be a great way to get informed about your destination, by reading its local stories, traditions, and history.
There are several ways you can bring a library with you on your travels. The first would be through an e-reader like Amazon’s Kindle, which allows you to download books and read them from the same convenient device. The app can also be downloaded for smartphones and handheld devices like tablets, turning any device into your favourite book.
Then there are audiobooks which have rocketed in popularity thanks to platforms like Audible and, more recently, Spotify’s new book library. With an audiobook, travellers don’t even need to worry about having an e-reader in their luggage. If there’s a downside, it’s that your narration may require a constant internet connection on certain payment plans. Often, it’s possible you can pre-load books for things like a flight, where you’ll lose internet temporarily.
Get Some AI Help
If you want to dabble on the cutting edge of modern technology, you’ll want to use generative AI. More than any other AI in the past, generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini can understand context and respond appropriately. This makes them ideal as virtual assistants and research helpers. Naturally, that makes them great at planning and even accompanying you on your travels.
OpenAI has already recognised AI’s potential in the travel industry. For the company’s DevDay event in 2023, ChatGPT’s engineers spoke about personalized tools that users could tailor to their experience. To demonstrate, they made a virtual assistant called ‘Wanderlust’ that could generate and interact with an accurate world map in real time.
Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned traveller, AI can provide some handy support from your back pocket. Since these tools scrape the internet for information, they’re capable of delivering precise, actionable assistance much like a search engine. However, AI will also remember your previous requests and conversations, so it can tailor its output to suit your travelling needs.
Never Lose the Internet
This last suggestion is best for those who travel in rural areas, or spend time hiking and camping during their journeys. If you’re an urban explorer, there’s typically a public space like a café where you can find internet access. However, that shouldn't be expected when you’re out in the wilderness.
This is where hikers should invest in a portable router or, even better, a satellite internet product. SpaceX’s Starlink is by far the most prominent satellite internet brand, where you can beam the internet down to your location from space. In 2024, Starlink unveiled its breakthrough Starlink Mini set, the smallest and most portable antennae kit they’ve ever created. While Starlink and other similar businesses have offered portable options in the past, the Starlink Mini is small enough to be carried on your person with ease.
These are some of the best ways you can level up your next journey by using the internet. While everyone travels differently, these should have most travellers covered. For example, if you’re not a big reader but love urban exploration, then you’ll want a tour guide AI assistant in your pocket instead of an audiobook library. Likewise, if your travels take you far into the wilderness, satellite internet technology means you don’t have to miss a thing while you’re out there.
