The Escalating Demand for Information in the Digital Age

Every minute, the world generates more data than entire civilizations once collected in centuries. Yet executives often complain they still don’t have the right information to make confident decisions. This paradox sits at the heart of why the demand for information has never been greater, and why understanding its origins helps us appreciate where we stand today.

From clay tablets to cloud servers: a brief history 🔗

The need to record and process information is almost as old as civilization itself. Long before spreadsheets and dashboards, people relied on physical artefacts to keep track of what they owned and owed. Archaeological evidence suggests that humanity’s earliest forays into data processing began with simple counting methods around 19,000 BC, with artefacts like the Ishango bone showing tally marks for tracking quantities.

As communities grew into states, so did the complexity of what they needed to record. Ancient Sumerians, who lived in what is now modern-day Iraq, kept written records of harvests and taxes on clay tablets over 5,000 years ago. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans followed suit, using writing to log census figures, scientific observations, and major events. The Roman census, in particular, became a sophisticated tool of governance that helped administer a vast empire.

The industrial revolution and the rise of records 🔗

For centuries, record-keeping primarily served two masters: the temple and the throne. That changed with the industrial revolution. As factories, railroads, and trading houses scaled up, ledger books became business-critical. According to one historical overview, factories, railroads, and businesses required ledgers and records to track production, labour, and finances, marking a significant shift in data management.

The 18th and 19th centuries also saw governments expand their record-keeping capabilities to handle larger populations and more complex administration. Civil registration systems for births, marriages, and deaths became standard, while regular census-taking emerged as a tool for collecting demographic data. The introduction of typewriters and filing systems further improved the efficiency of documentation.

Why modern organisations need so much information 🔗

If the industrial era expanded the demand for record-keeping, the service economy turbocharged it. Marketing, transportation, banking, hospitality, and tourism all rely on the rapid exchange of information between providers, partners, and customers. A travel company today does not just book a ticket; it tracks customer preferences, monitors fare fluctuations, integrates with global distribution systems, and reports financials to regulators and investors.

This explosion of information needs comes from three intertwined pressures.

Internal complexity 🔗

Modern organisations are larger and more layered than at any time in history. Decisions made on the ground floor of a five-star hotel can affect quarterly performance reported to international shareholders. Coordinating people, processes, and finances across departments and locations requires reliable data flowing in real time. Cross-functional collaboration has become essential, with the combination of data science, design, and human science underscoring why working across silos matters in modern enterprises.

External accountability 🔗

Investors, regulators, and customers expect transparency. Listed companies must disclose detailed financials. Tour operators must report on safety, sustainability, and compliance. Even small businesses face GST filings and audit trails. Compliance with data protection regulations such as the GDPR has become essential for maintaining customer trust and avoiding legal penalties, requiring organisations to implement privacy policies and ensure data is collected and used responsibly.

Customer expectations 🔗

Today’s customers compare every business to the smoothest digital experience they have ever had. As McKinsey researchers note, customers increasingly expect companies to respond swiftly to inquiries, customise products and services seamlessly, and provide easy access to the information they need, when they need it. A traveller booking a Goa holiday wants instant fare comparisons, real-time hotel availability, and personalised recommendations. None of this is possible without robust information systems behind the scenes.

The data deluge and the information drought 🔗

Here lies the great paradox of our age: we are drowning in data and yet thirsty for information. The world’s technological capacity to store information grew dramatically, expanding from 2.6 optimally compressed exabytes in 1986 to over 295 exabytes by 2007, with growth rates that have only accelerated since.

That sounds like good news, until you realise that global data volume is estimated to reach 394 zettabytes in 2028, compared to 149 zettabytes in 2024, and that 76% of the global workforce reports information overload causing daily stress and anxiety. The same source notes that employees spend roughly 2.5 hours each day simply looking for the right information.

Data is not information 🔗

The distinction matters more than ever. Data consists of raw, unprocessed facts, while information is data that has been organised and contextualised to make it meaningful. A spreadsheet listing every check-in time at a chain of hotels is data. A weekly report showing peak arrival hours by city, which staffing decisions can be built upon, is information.

This is precisely where many organisations fall short. As one industry analysis explains, data is often abundant and readily available, but it can be overwhelming without interpretation, while curated and usable information offers strategic insights to guide business decisions. Without that translation step, even the largest data warehouse becomes a liability rather than an asset.

Why executives still struggle to decide 🔗

You might assume that with so many tools available, decision-making has become easier. Survey results suggest otherwise. A BI-Survey publication found that 58% of companies surveyed said they base at least half of their regular business decisions on gut feeling or experience rather than data and information, and on average, organisations use only about 50% of the information available to them when making decisions.

The challenge is not just volume but quality, timeliness, and trust. Executives need information that is clean, current, and connected to the question they are actually asking. As Harvard Business School Online reports, a PwC survey of more than 1,000 senior executives found that highly data-driven organisations are three times more likely to report significant improvements in decision-making compared to those who rely less on data.

The cost of getting it wrong 🔗

Poor information management is not a minor inconvenience. The same theEMPLOYEEapp report notes that companies with disengaged employees, often a result of frustrating information environments, contribute to global productivity losses estimated at $8.8 trillion. Decisions delayed by missing data can mean lost contracts, missed seasons in the tourism trade, or stranded inventory.

Implications for the tourism and hospitality sector 🔗

Few industries feel the pressure as acutely as travel and hospitality. A single guest journey may involve a search engine, an online travel agency, a payment gateway, an airline reservation system, a hotel property management system, a ground transport partner, and a feedback platform. Every touchpoint creates data, and every decision-maker needs information that synthesises those touchpoints quickly.

For example, a hotel revenue manager must reconcile occupancy forecasts, competitor rates, local event calendars, and historical booking curves to set prices that move daily. A destination marketing organisation tracks arrival numbers, social media sentiment, sustainability metrics, and visitor spending patterns to plan campaigns. None of this works without disciplined information systems.

From data collection to actionable insight 🔗

The opportunity is enormous. Companies are increasingly using big data to analyse internal processes, predict market trends, and anticipate customer needs, with the Internet of Things further transforming how data is collected, stored, and analysed. For tourism businesses willing to invest in proper information management, the result is sharper pricing, better guest experiences, and more resilient operations.

The future demand for information 🔗

The trajectory is clear. Information needs will continue to grow as artificial intelligence, IoT sensors, and connected services generate ever more data. The winners will not necessarily be those who collect the most, but those who turn collection into curation, and curation into clarity.

Building this capability requires three commitments. First, treat information as a strategic asset, not a by-product of operations. Second, invest in the systems and skills needed to convert raw data into context-rich insight. Third, build a culture in which decisions are routinely tested against evidence, not just intuition or hierarchy.

What do you think? If your workplace suddenly had access to every piece of information it could possibly want, would your daily decisions actually change, or would the same gut instincts still rule the room? And how might a tourism business in your city use better information today to compete with global online travel platforms tomorrow?

References

1. https://cyrion.au/the-history-of-data-processing/
2. https://www.rudderstack.com/learn/data-collection/data-collection-history/
3. https://www.dataculturehivemind.com/post/the-story-of-data-a-journey-before-the-age-of-information-technology
4. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/culture-for-a-digital-age
5. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377474772_BUSINESS_DEVELOPMENT_IN_THE_DIGITAL_AGE
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Age
7. https://theemployeeapp.com/blog/information-overloading-causes-consequences-and-solutions/
8. https://www.getguru.com/reference/what-is-data-vs-information
9. https://bloomfire.com/blog/data-vs-information/
10. https://www.rib-software.com/en/blogs/data-driven-decision-making-in-businesses
11. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/data-driven-decision-making
12. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370793249_Drivers_of_Digital_Transformation_and_their_Impact_on_Organizational_Management