TOWARDS SMARTER TRAVEL: PASSENGER PREFERENCES AND FUTURE EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS DIGITAL TRANSPORTATION TICKET BOOKING

Abstract

The study "Towards Smarter Travel: Passenger Preferences and Future Expectations Towards Digital Transportation Ticket Booking" examines passengers' preferences, future expectations, and privacy and security concerns regarding digital transportation ticket booking services in Thoothukudi District. The study adopted a descriptive research design and collected primary data from 295 respondents using a structured questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale, while secondary data were obtained from journals, books, websites, and published reports. The collected data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics with statistical tools including Percentage Analysis, One-Way ANOVA, Independent Samples t-test, Mann–Whitney U Test, and Kruskal–Wallis H Test. The findings reveal that age significantly influences several future expectations and privacy and security concerns, whereas gender does not significantly influence passengers' preferences or perceptions of privacy and security. The study concludes that passengers increasingly expect advanced digital features such as AI-based recommendations, biometric authentication, secure payment systems, and efficient customer services. The results suggest that transportation service providers should strengthen digital security, improve user-friendly interfaces, and adopt innovative technologies to enhance passenger satisfaction and encourage wider adoption of digital transportation ticket booking services.