Report on World Tourism Economy Trends (2018) Excerpt -10 Human-computer interaction techniques will influence development of tourism industry in six aspects

1. Characteristics

The human-computer interaction techniques (HCI) mean combining the human body and the computer with input and output equipment through touch control technology, wearable equipment, motion sensing or noninvasive neural interface technology to realize the manipulation and dialog between the human and the computer. HCI technologies include wearable computer, stealth technology, augmented reality-based touch screen technology, movement identification technology of immersed gaming, haptic interaction technology, voice identification technology, soundless voice identification and brain wave-based human-machine interface technology.

Figure 3.7 HCI Industrial Chain

Data Source: Jg.com.cn (http://bbs.pinggu.org/thread-2617283-1-1.html)

(1) Human-computer interaction will break limits of humans

Human-computer interaction can realize human augmentation and enable humans to realize the control of hardware, perception of information and upgrade of experience through technical equipment. The HCI technology will guide humans to break the limit of human potential and even limit of organisms. In particular, human-computer interaction systems combined with the Internet of things will push information to our sensory organs in a real-time fashion, and help humans realize the perception level organisms can’t reach. The human augmentation assisting facilities will strengthen the body and will of humans and reach a new level of capacity organisms can’t reach. Thought wheelchair, embedded contact lens, implanted hearing aid, brain wave helmet and other facilities will enlarge our physical strength and thinking ability and change our learning, perception and experience ability. At present the HCI equipment with the largest shipment worldwide is “wearing equipment”.

Table 3.2 Major Intelligent Voice Human-computer Interaction Technology Companies at Home and Abroad

Data Source: Gold678.com, 2017

(2) HCI equipment market embodies a vast space and size

Ascent's IVR research report shows that the HCI equipment market was sized at USD 100 billion in 2014. In 2015, about 80 million wearable devices were shipped, while this figure rose 44.4% to 110 million in 2016. The shipment is expected to reach 214.6 million in 2019. Smart watches will drive the growth of global shipment, says International Data Corporation. Of different industries, the industry with the highest value of investment is smart TV, which was sized at USD 40-70 billion at the end of 2014. The potential size is USD 20 billion for gaming equipment, USD 3 billion for the medical wearable equipment market and USD 12 billion for the 3D printing. In particular, it is worth attention that the smart interactive automotive equipment will create a market with an annual size of more than USD 100 billion based on the vast global vehicle possession.

Figure 3.8 Global Shipment of Wearable Equipment

Data Source: International Data Corporation (IDC), 2016

2. Application to tourism industry

(1) HCI technology will enhance tourists’ perceptive ability

An important motive of tourism is to obtain unique experience. The HCI wearable equipment, such as the EEG flight application and equipment designed by Saber Lab, allows a tourist to complete training by wearing the EEG headband and watching beach and mountain images to build a baseline brain wave. Later, the user can imagine a destination (mountain or beach) and then search a theme flight he wants. These technologies will greatly enlarge tourist experience and change tourism behaviors under general scenarios. People will select tourism products with new experience created by HCI.

(2) HCI technology can reshape the tourism process

Before a travel, a tourist can use the wearable equipment to experience the tourism in advance and feel the destination. During the tourism, the tourist can use the HCI equipment to obtain the unique experience that he is hard to get from general lines and tourism experiences. He can extend or shorten some journeys, switch scenarios and angles and strengthen the memory as he likes.

(3) HCI will benefit disabled persons and tourists with limited physical strength

General tourism behaviors involve adequate physical ability as the support. However, the HCI technology allows people to talk with and control the equipment, and the human augmentation technology can satisfy the tourism wish of different groups and provide the tourism chance for the general public. Tourism will become a general behavior of all people.

(4) HCI technology will expedite the appearance of new tourism products and equipment

For example, we can use the AR technology to design a series of personalized tourism postcards presenting scenic spots, history and culture, and tourists can download corresponding mobile phone application free of charge, use the application to scan the postcards and then present the 3D model and animated video rendering the scenic spot on the mobile phone. The HCI can interpret the actual view. When traveling in the scenic spot with the mobile terminal (such as mobile phone and iPad), a tourist can appreciate views from the camera of his terminal, which will display the text and digital information of the view he shoots with the camera as well as the virtual guide and vocal multimedia interpretation.

(5) HCI technology will make cultural tourism products more attractive and impressive

We can use the HCI technology to strengthen the interaction, fun and experience of cultural tourism products, and display the AR scene on the terminal screen. This mode involves a low technical threshold, low price and easy penetration. Tourists also can watch the realistic interpretation in cultural relic and site museums.

3. Influence on Global Tourism Industry

(1) HCI technology will promote the expansion of tourist groups

The HCI technology will greatly enlarge tourist groups, make tourism become a general behavior of vast groups and terminate the physical and financial constraints of tourism, so that tourism will be the behavior of everybody. This will be revolutionary for both connotation and denotation of tourism itself.

(2) HCI technology will influence global tourist flow

The HCI technology will also reshape the tourism process, thereby influencing the global tourist flow. The technology will change the definition of popular tourism destinations and unpopular ones, and good tourism facilities will bring a good tourist experience. This traditional advantage will be replaced by the perceptual experience of the HCI technology and deliver a significant impact on development strategies and resource paths of tourism destinations.