Multimodality: A roadmap for the recovery of travel & tourism

July 23, 2020

Last updated: October 22, 2020

3 min read

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The last few months have been tough for everyone, especially the travel industry. COVID-19 has resulted in uncertainty and change throughout the world and has led to passenger numbers plummeting to record lows. While we cannot predict when travel will return to its previous state, we look at the horizon and see optimism as many countries flatten the curve and lift their lockdowns.

In this article, Juan Jesus Garcia, Head of Industry Affairs EU, explains how, amid unprecedented challenge, the European transport and tourism sector is placing its hopes upon multimodality in order to strengthen competitiveness, facilitate mobility, and reduce carbon emissions. In order to effectively deploy a real multimodal framework in Europe, data will have to flow across transport operators, services and transport modes so that customers have all travel information at their fingertips.

What is Multimodality?

Multimodal travel refers to the combination of several transport options (from air to train, to public transport) in the same journey. It entails connecting the existing, mode-specific transport networks and allows travelers to plan, book and ticket their trip door to door through any mode of transport.

Imagine travel restrictions have been lifted in the UK and you need to travel to a non-airport destination 100 miles from Barcelona, Spain. Though a simple flight from London to Barcelona would be ideal, you are puzzled about how best to make it to your final destination. With multimodality, you can buy your trip to the end destination with guarantees of connection.

How can it help bring back travel confidence and revive the sector?

For travelers, multimodality is not just another option for a unique and personalized experience. It also ensures that the whole process, from planning, to booking, to paying, to the actual trip and return home is straightforward. For governments, multimodal solutions have been identified as a response to making transport greener and more accessible to all.

Multimodal solutions also allow travellers to adopt the less polluting modes of transport whenever possible, fostering a more sustainable journey. They also help uncover new, less-crowded destinations, thanks to their wider networks which in turn improves regional connectivity and economic growth.

How are we helping accelerate the creation of a multimodal system?

One of the most exciting aspects of multimodality is that it is perfectly realistic and executable. Current technology already allows travelers to book different travel options under one PNR, providing consumers with a complete view of their door-to-door trip. The Amadeus Travel Platform, for instance, allows travel agencies to book all relevant content on air, accommodation, rail, mobility, insurance and destination from any source on a single platform. 

In Europe, Amadeus and other technology and travel providers are calling for an accelerated deployment of a safe and seamless multimodal transport system, as the lockdown is lifted. In fact, Amadeus has been at the forefront of industry efforts for many years. Amadeus led All Ways Travelling (AWT), an industry consortium selected by the European Commission to develop and successfully deliver a proof-of-concept for a multimodal booking, ticketing and payment digital system in a selected European corridor.

In summary, we face an incredible opportunity to revolutionize travel, ensuring that the industry not only bounces back, but recovers quickly. It is time now to make multimodality a reality: we have the technology, we have the consumer and industry appetite and we have an integrated transport infrastructure that could be better exploited.

Multimodal digital solutions can help accelerate recovery, making sure that the consumer is at the center of our proposition, as well as a space that is digital, green and fit for the future.

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