We live in the age of the Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile experiences. In simple language, this translates into instant communications and connectivity.

One area that is ripe for change regarding technology innovation and disruption is the airport experience. Travelers today still face hassle, delay and inefficiency due to the gap between the increasing number of customers and the need to improve services.

Travel industry figures look good, but to make them better we need a better convergence of technology and airports.

The idea is to reduce the transit and wait time between arrivals and departures with emerging technologies like in-terminal airport beacons, smart luggage, new retail experiences and on-site applications and mobile apps. These are poised to transform the airport experience for the new generation of travelers who want less hassle and more efficiency, of course, but more than that they want a seamless communication at all times.

The key term here is "low-stress." It will apply to every customer experience in the future. For travel and hospitality, the airport will understandably play a major role in it. A new report published by Market Research Engine shows that the market for smart airports is going to be worth $19 billion by 2024, with a CAGR of over 10 percent.

According to the techies, this seamless experience will involve an app-tracked path from arriving at the airport, to self-checking in, getting coffee and right onto self-boarding the plane. This will make the manual check-ins and security redundant, and hence the delays and hassles typical to airports would eventually lessen, if not disappear.

Fantastic and futuristic as it sounds, this is perfectly possible. The use of biological and biometric data will aid in identity management and security. Laser molecular scanners, which can penetrate clothing and organic material to detect explosives and drugs, will make the security check even more efficient and precise. Better crowd management means less congestion and less time spent at the airports.

Technology, however, is expensive. Airports are already running at a loss, so to make a profit and to afford these smart technologies, individual airports need to ramp up their retail experiences as well. At present, retail brings in 62 percent of the passenger revenue, while airlines bring in just 38 percent. Clearly, a pattern is being set here.

To ensure better revenue, smart travel technology of the future needs to connect airport retail with transit passengers better. We not only need more destination airports but also digital retail therapy for travelers as they pass through these airports. Travelers are in a rush, but that should no longer stop airports from making money.

With smart technology on hand, more airports can start rethinking their entire digital experience.

Some are trying these out with Bluetooth signals to smartphones alerting travelers on special deals and offers, guiding them to the latest outlets. Others are using interactive software with QR codes that travelers can simply scan on their smartphones and buy luxury goods. Digital check-ins may free up more retail space for the in-person brand experience for travelers with more wait time between flights.

Airline travel — both global and domestic — has evolved and increased in the last few years. Matching this growth is the stiff competition between airports as well. Pleasant passenger experience is as much about fewer delays and hassle as it is about deliberate preference. Further innovation and efforts in digital technology may just tilt the balance for some airports.