In June of this year, The New York Times reported that Airbnb had grown to a million rooms. The hotel industry now considers the lodging service a serious threat to revenue. It’s a much more personal, customized experience for travelers to be able to search through hundreds of options for lodging rather than book at some chain hotel.
With transportation services such as Lyft and Uber, you don’t even have to worry about getting around on vacation. Just hail a car with your smartphone. Get hungry during your travels? OpenTable and Yelp’s peer reviews will let one find the best dining options anywhere.
Technology even helps us have better “staycations.” You don’t have to travel far for a new experience. Events.com is a site that focuses on “hyper-local events,” says Spillane. “You can see live music acts that are happening, food and wine tastings, or [additional locations] if you are looking to do something active with your family.”
Yonder is another app that allows users to share and track experiences, discover new places, and plan trips. Users can search for just about any activity, including running, hiking, biking, surfing, skiing, and camping.
From vacations to staycations, whether gaming, communicating or even dating, technology is a major factor in how we have fun.