2006 The Year Wireless Travel Finally Takes Off??

In late 2003 I wrote a research report entitled Emerging Trends in Wireless Technology and The Global Travel Industry. In this study I reviewed current trends in wireless technology, specific wireless travel applications and ideas for future wireless apps. Much to my dismay, many of my predications have not yet materialized (certainly not in the US). The failure of my predictions are a function of timing rather than accuracy. With 3G (third generation) networks now standard in Europe and rapidly emerging in the US, and cities such as San Francisco and Philadelphia building Wi-Fi networks, 2006 may finally signal the explosion of travel oriented wireless applications. There are three key points I addressed in the study that still apply, travel apps must be: 1) Location based - the app should reflect the specific location of the user 2) Situational based- the app must apply to the particular need of the user (e.g. searching for restaurant's in NYC) and 3) Opt-in- any message received promoting a service or product must be on an opt-in basis (permission based marketing). If you have or are developing any travel oriented wireless applications, I'd love to learn about it. Please contact me at norm@traveltechnology.com