Out of the tech bubble: What Two Weeks in the Solomon Islands Taught Me

By Sophie Byrne, Director, Optimised Consulting

I've just returned from two weeks in the Solomon Islands. It's one of the most stunning places I have ever visited: the best diving, the clearest water and the most magical island hopping you could imagine.

But I walked away with more lessons and stark reminders than I expected. I can't fit everything I learned and felt into one article, so this is part one. Consider it a few thoughts for my fellow tourism people and travellers.

Out of the travel tech bubble

While we were in the Solomons, we didn't hear the word (or acronym?) AI once.

There were only two products available to book on the major experience OTAs. The hotels we stayed at weren't on Booking.com. We chose the Solomons based on blogs by other travellers. Once we arrived, we relied on local knowledge to figure out where to go and what to do.

I spend my working life inside travel tech. This trip pulled me out of that bubble in a big way.

Back to the adventure side of travel

It also transported me back to a time when travel was all about this side of the adventure. Where will we sleep? What will we do? How will we get there?

We talked to people. We kept our phones on airplane mode. And honestly, I've never come home from a trip more rested or more inspired, despite how active the holiday was.

Spending time reading on the history, culture and local guides

Have we taken the whimsy out of travel?

It got me thinking. Have we taken too much of the whimsy and adventure out of travel?

I genuinely questioned the point of total efficiency if it means skipping the part of travel that's all about connection, discovery and getting pushed out of your comfort zone.

On the flip side, my tourism brain couldn't switch off. There's so much opportunity outside the major travel hotspots people are prioritising right now. More on that in another article.

What they are talking about

They're not really talking about AI in the Solomon Islands.

They're talking about the severe drought, and where they'll get fresh water to drink and wash. They're talking about rebuilding after the cyclone in April, which decimated infrastructure, homes, schools and hospitals. They're talking about not having access to essential medical equipment and services.

As we race to be more efficient, offloading work to machines to boost productivity and that ever-important bottom line, it raises a question. How are these choices affecting the people who don't get a say? And is total efficiency really worth it if the planet and communities around the world suffer as a result?

Not doom and gloom, and not anti-AI

This isn't a doom and gloom article. Nor is it an anti-AI one. We use technology every day at Optimised, and it makes our work better.

It's simply a reflection on the things I learned, the people I met, and the fact that the bubbles we live in here in Australia aren't everyone's reality.

I think it's important to step out of our bubbles every now and then. To ground ourselves in what really matters, what we love about our industry and our planet, and what we count as success. It's worth pausing to consider, before it's too late.