Emerging technology and toursim with Zheng "Phil" Xiang

Zheng "Phil" Xiang joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the intersection of technology and tourism. He shares the significant technological shifts in the tourism industry over the past decade, including the influence of social media and artificial intelligence on trip research and the experience itself.  Xiang is a professor and the department head of the Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. His research interests include travel information search, social media marketing, and business analytics for the tourism and hospitality industries. Chapters 01:07 - Technological Shifts in the Tourism Industry 08:08 -- Evolution of the Travel Industry 10:32 -- Influence of Social Media and User Experiences 14:24 -- Unnoticed Changes Impacting Travelers 17:35 -- Enhancing the Travel Experience 19:37 -- Future of Traveling Technology