David J. Danto

Travel thoughts in my own, personal opinion

eMail: ddanto@IMCCA.org Follow Industry News: @NJDavidD on

The Best Travel Technology June 2026

I often write about technology – whether it’s the tools we travelers have thrust upon us by airlines and hotels, or the ones we choose to carry. (And I will have a new Travelers’ Toolbox article in the next few weeks.) But regardless of whatever version of technology we happen to be interacting with, one truth comes through.

The best technology is the technology you never notice. In fact, when travel technology is doing its job properly, nobody thinks about it at all.

Over the years I've visited cruise ships, resorts, casinos, museums, theme parks, sports venues, and attractions around the world. Guests notice the giant video wall. They notice the show. They notice the attraction. They notice the immersive experience.

What they rarely notice is the enormous amount of technology operating behind the scenes to make those experiences possible.

Every display, every digital sign, every video feed, every piece of content shown throughout a property has to get from somewhere to somewhere else. It has to arrive at exactly the right place, at exactly the right time, often without interruption, twenty-four hours a day.

Unlike the technology in a typical conference room or office building, these environments don't get to reboot in the middle of the day. They don't get to fail gracefully, or “go use the other room” during an outage. If something goes wrong on a cruise ship, at a resort, or at a major attraction, guests notice immediately.

That's why the technology infrastructure behind many travel destinations is often far more sophisticated than most people realize.

The thought crossed my mind recently while reading about a new product announcement from Q-SYS, a company whose technology is widely used in these large venues around the world. The company recently launched its NVM Series network endpoints, designed to distribute and manage video across large facilities. On the surface, it sounds like a highly technical announcement aimed at AV professionals.

But it also serves as a reminder of what modern hospitality and entertainment venues increasingly require.

Imagine a cruise ship with digital signage, entertainment systems, theater displays, information screens, restaurants, lounges, and operational areas spread across multiple decks. Or a casino resort with hundreds of screens distributed throughout gaming areas, restaurants, convention centers, theaters, and hotel spaces. Or a theme park with attractions, queue management systems, live entertainment, and guest information displays operating simultaneously.

None of those experiences happen by accident.

Behind every memorable attraction is an infrastructure layer that guests never see. Thousands of decisions have been made about reliability, scalability, management, redundancy, and quality long before the first visitor arrives. These systems may not be as life-and-death critical as the jet engines on your flight or the lifeboats on your cruise ship, but they do carry a unique built-in irony.

The better these systems perform, the less anyone notices them.

No traveler walks away from a cruise saying, "The video distribution architecture was excellent."

They talk about the glacier they saw from their balcony.

They talk about the show.

They talk about the attraction.

They talk about the memories.

And that's exactly how it should be.

The next time you're enjoying a cruise, visiting a resort, exploring a theme park, or attending a live event, take a moment to appreciate that an enormous amount of engineering is quietly working in the background. The goal isn't to impress you with the technology itself. The goal is to make the experience feel effortless.

Ironically, creating an experience that feels effortless requires an incredible amount of effort. It takes talented people, thoughtful design, and technology that can perform reliably day after day, year after year, without drawing attention to itself.

When it all works properly, the technology disappears, and the experience takes center stage.

That's when everybody wins.

After decades of candid travel commentary – from loyalty program “magic tricks” to hotel check-in roulette – I’ve decided to turn some of that honesty into apparel. These aren’t novelty shirts; they’re the exact truths every road warrior wishes they could say out loud. Whether you’re quietly muttering “My loyalty points devalued while you read this shirt” or admitting “If delays build character then I’m the whole movie’s cast” you’ll find plenty of familiar sentiments… and more. Everything is produced by a reputable outfit, with black tees that work under a sport jacket plus hoodies and wicking travel gear for life on the road. The site also has my honest and snarky takes on technology trade shows. Take a look at Tinyurl.com/TechAndTravelWear. Even if you’re not buying they’re fun to read and commiserate – and if you do buy something, maybe I’ll break even. If you want a style you don’t see, just email me and I’ll add it.

This article was written by David Danto and contains solely his own, personal opinions.

All image and links provided above as reference under prevailing fair use statutes.

Copyright 2026 David Danto

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As always, feel free to write and comment, question or disagree. Hearing from the traveling community is always a highlight for me. Thanks!