How Generative AI Tools Can Evolve and Increase Direct Hotel Bookings

Priceline Releases New AI Platform and ‘Penny’ the Chatbot

Another motivation for Accor is to guide users to its direct booking channels, the company said. But there were also developments from a wide range of travel companies, including Accor Hotels and Cathay Pacific Airways, and Booking.com. The Hilton company relinquishment of an AI robot serves as a fitting illustration of this.

But what this really means is that Bard, being a Google baby, has the ability to tap into all your connected services under Google’s roof. The hotel giant plans to release the tool in the second half of the year as a feature within its One Rewards mobile app, which the company has been upgrading regularly since relaunching it almost two years ago. Powered by its proprietary AI across the full guest journey, HiJiffy allows hoteliers to increase revenue from direct bookings and upselling while automating repetitive tasks to reduce operating costs and mitigate staff shortages. HiJiffy was founded in 2016 with the mission of developing the most advanced conversational AI for hospitality.

Romie can offer customized itineraries and adjust to changes driven by weather or other disruptions, according to Expedia’s May 14 announcement. The product is starting with an alpha, or test, version on its EG Labs website for experimental products. Ransomware attacks against significant hospitality companies have already occurred, and we will likely see a new focus on cybersecurity in 2024. Training staff must be a critical focus of hospitality in the future. The risks of AI include inaccuracy, cybersecurity and intellectual property infringement, according to an April 2023 survey done by McKinsey & Co. Looking specifically at generative AI’s predicted impact on jobs, service operations are the only function in which most survey respondents expect a decrease in workforce size.

Amadeus launches AI chatbot for hotel business insights

We always believed “show us the data” because digital commerce is really one of the greatest experimental bench tables you could ever play with. And we’ve been very fortunate, and that’s really how we came from, really nothing, to be the size that we are — by continuing to look at what is actual real in terms of data versus just what is somebody’s opinion. Well, first of all, a lot of people call us an online travel agent. But the truth is that the human travel agent has been a declining population for a very long time.

For instance, an AI chatbot added to your Facebook Messenger can answer guests’ questions and take basic information and add it to your database. That can then be used to personalize further interactions with the guest. You might make special offers that speak to their unique needs, such as child-friendly rooms, all-inclusive ChatGPT stays, or experiences that include a room at the hotel, but also tickets to events or shows in the surrounding area. As part of its recently-signed memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Tourism Authority, the hotel company said it would be running campaigns to promote various destinations within the country.

The amalgamation of IoT and artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry will help in enhancing the overall comfort without guest intervention. Advanced systems powered by AI in hotels can monitor real-time video feeds to detect and alert staff about suspicious activities or security breaches within hotel premises. This technology enhances the security of guests and staff by enabling faster responses to potential threats. It is one of the most vital use cases of AI in hospitality that also adds a layer of proactive monitoring that can help prevent incidents before they escalate, thereby maintaining a safe and secure environment. Software powered by Artificial intelligence for hospitality can help adjust room environments like the climate, lighting, and multimedia settings to individual guest preferences, which are learned from past stays or specified during booking. This personalization helps activate preferred settings automatically upon check-in, ensuring that guests are welcomed into a room tailored exactly to their liking, thereby enhancing the overall guest experience and satisfaction.

Still, he acknowledged, the technology is moving quickly and companies need to react. Tata Crocombe, a hotel owner who also helps hospitality companies leverage the latest AI tech, said during a session at HITEC last month that the lower barrier of entry that ChatGPT and Google Bard provides will likely have an effect everywhere. TUI Group’s effort is one of the first examples of a company aiming to use generative AI to help customers search its own stock of products. This is the company’s first consumer-facing generative AI chatbot, one of several pilots to explore new ways that consumers can search and book TUI products, according to Pieter Jordaan, chief information officer for TUI Group. TUI Group released a ChatGPT-powered chatbot on its UK app, the first of what is expected to be a wave of rollouts that incorporates generative AI into the company’s tech.

For now, the voice interaction is available for queries about hotels and destinations, but Priceline said it will be expanded to flights, car rentals and vacation packages soon. You can foun additiona information about ai customer service and artificial intelligence and NLP. The addition of a “Google it” feature ensures users can double-check Bard’s responses more conveniently. By clicking on the “G” icon, users can verify information provided by Bard against web-based sources. Moreover, users can now extend their conversations initiated by others. When a Bard chat is shared via a public link, recipients can continue the discussion, seek additional information, or use it as a starting point for their own inquiries. A recent study shows these requests account for guests’ most commonly asked questions, making them a frequent source of repetition among hotel workers.

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Beginning with the pattern identification of rulings and affiliated answers, the discussion was carried on. Through the use of natural language processing (NLP), it transforms into a chatbot that is simpler for consumers to use as it learns from AI. AI is playing an increasingly important role in hospitality management, primarily because of its ability to carry out human functions at any time of the day.

Members of the group chat can tag Romie in a message to get suggestions based on their conversation. The technology can also summarize the conversation into a user’s Expedia shopping experience. Red Sea Global, a company fully owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is exploring the possibility of a public market offering, with plans to launch as early as 2026. The company is currently examining various options for a public market event, including an initial public offering or the establishment of a real estate investment trust (REIT), CEO of Red Sea Global, John Pagano, stated in an interview with Bloomberg. Even as he did not provide specifics on advisers, banks, or valuation, Pagano said the company is currently holding preliminary discussions with banks and stakeholders. He said the company plans to go public by 2026 or 2027, after the hotels have been in operation for around two years, with a proven record of occupancy, cash flow, and profitability.

This summer, customers of each airline will be able to purchase a single ticket to fly into either Dubai or Abu Dhabi, with a seamless return via the other airport. The new agreement also provides travelers planning to explore the United Arab Emirates with the flexibility of one-stop ticketing for their full journey and convenient baggage check-in. In the initial stages, each carrier will focus on attracting visitors to the country by developing inbound interline traffic from select points in Europe and China.

Priceline adds voice capabilities from OpenAI to « Penny » chatbot

So, here’s the thing, while we certainly were not pleased with being called a gatekeeper in what is one of the most competitive industries in the world, the idea that we have such, as the regulators alleged, a dominant position. And I’m like, “Well, do you feel that you don’t have another way to travel? So, we have to follow the rules, and we are following the rules, and we are doing all the things necessary for that. But I do see on principle, it’s unfortunately going to something that I’ve said several times. I don’t think this was the optimal solution they were searching for.

Radisson Rewards offers exceptional loyalty benefits for guests, meeting planners, travel agents, and business partners. Leveraging these cost reductions without compromising service quality, we’re forecasting more hotels and more vacation rentals in currently lesser-known locales. Whether for business or leisure, the travel process isn’t always easy. Approximately 77% of travelers have run into some type of problem while traveling, according to a Bankrate survey, including long waits, plan disruptions and poor customer service.

From Chatbots to Smart Rooms: How AI is Personalizing and Transforming Your Next Hotel Stay

It’s about creating a future where technology handles the routine, allowing human creativity and emotional intelligence to soar. In this future, hotels will become more than just places to stay – they become hubs of innovation, incubators of ideas, and showcases of what’s possible when human potential is unleashed through technology. In this new era, the most successful hotels will be those that view every employee as a potential tech innovator, every guest interaction as a data point for improvement, and every AI implementation as a step towards more meaningful human connections. By investing in both cutting-edge technology and the boundless creativity of their workforce, these pioneers will create a new blueprint for hospitality – one that is more efficient, more personalized, and more rewarding for all stakeholders. Artificial Intelligence is not just another technological trend; it represents a fundamental shift in how hotels can operate, serve guests, and empower employees.

AS with every new technology, there are also potential drawbacks, such as the possibility of errors or unintended consequences. Among the benefits of applying Gen AI is its ability to collect insights to speed up complex data analysis and generate strategic business decisions. Whether hotel revenue managers are looking for information on their average daily rate (ADR), room nights, or revenue pipeline, the process is streamlined and removes the need for manual searches. Today’s chatbots can already provide guests with a hotel’s Wi-Fi password, confirm opening hours for hotel services, and request reminders or wake-up calls.

• User feedback will help determine how the tool evolves, whether that’s focused more on hotel information and insights, or more on local events and attractions and entertainment.
• A chatbot is an artificial program that simulates textbooks or voice dispatches used in one-on-one exchanges.
• Integrating new AI technologies with existing hotel management systems can be complex and may disrupt current operations.
• Artificial Intelligence is not just another technological trend; it represents a fundamental shift in how hotels can operate, serve guests, and empower employees.

This episode is pure Decoder bait all the way through — from Booking’s structure to competition with hotels and airlines increasingly going direct to consumer, even to how European regulation affects competition with Google. Glenn really got into it with me — there’s a lot going on in this space, and it’s interesting because there are so many players and so much competition across so many of the layers. “Each market offers unique challenges and opportunities that align with Myma.ai’s mission to revolutionise the hospitality industry through AI-driven innovation,” she added.

Booking.com is probably about 90 percent, approximately, rounding off of the total amount of profits coming out of Booking, and people are surprised. They say, “Wait a minute, you mean OpenTable, Priceline, Kayak, altogether, and then, the other ones are about 10 percent? ” And [I]say, “Yeah.” But it is a very big company, so even companies like Priceline, Kayak, and OpenTable are very big companies, too. Ensuring AI is used ethically to avoid biases in automated decision-making, which could negatively impact guest services. Implementing strong cybersecurity measures and adhering to data protection laws are critical.

Born on February 19, 2020, Xiao Xi, Hilton’s first AI customer service chatbot, provides Hilton Honors members and all guests with a quick and convenient one-stop source for travel advisory services. Honors members and guests can ask Xiao Xi various travel-related questions such as hotel information, local weather, Hilton Honors checking and promotion details. Xiao Xi is able to provide additional advice on travel and will even entertain guests throughout ChatGPT App their journeys by continuously offering smart suggestions and tips through intensive trainings. As AI becomes more integrated into both customer service and internal operations, it’s clear that Penny represents just the beginning of a broader transformation at Priceline. The company’s heavy investment in AI, alongside its collaboration with OpenAI, signals that AI-powered travel planning is not a far-off dream but a reality unfolding now.

Karaburun, of NYU, said he recently turned to ChatGPT for some tips for a trip to a work conference in Italy. After adjusting his prompts to be more specific, he said he found the restaurant recommendations useful. But the company has broader plans, including creating the « ultimate concierge, » ai hotel chatbot Chesky told analysts. In November, Airbnb paid a reported $200 million to acquire the startup Gameplanner.AI. A survey of more than 1,000 U.S. travelers by stock analysts at Bank of America in March found that 44% of respondents either had or planned to use ChatGPT for travel planning.

The Future of AI in Hospitality: A Glimpse into Enhanced Personalization

Customers will also have the option of multi-city flights’ with the choice to travel from one city on both carriers’ networks and a convenient return to another point served by either Emirates or Etihad. This is the second time the airlines have announced a collaboration. In 2018, Emirates Group Security and Etihad Aviation Group signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen aviation security, including the sharing of information and intelligence in operational areas both within and outside the UAE. Last year, Emirates had signed an agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi to boost tourist numbers to the capital from key source markets across the airline’s global network. Sabre’s internal hackathon led to the creation of SynXis Concierge.AI, a generative AI chatbot designed to improve customer service for hotel operators by answering questions about Sabre’s products.

However, this shift necessitates training and adaptation to new technologies. Hotels must manage this transition carefully to ensure that technology complements human skills rather than replaces them. At Wynn Las Vegas, AI-enhanced HVAC systems adjust the room environment based on real-time data like occupancy and individual guest preferences. This not only ensures optimal comfort for guests but also contributes to significant energy savings. The options for hotels are offered through small modules within the chat, and users can click through each one.

The expansion to other services is expected in the coming months. However, the additional AI tools are site-wide and cover every service. It also takes time for hotels to develop an AI strategy, research and vet AI solutions, and analyze the impact on the labor force.

For AI to be effective in this manner, it must draw on vast stores of data sourced from all hotel departments. Many independent operators today have isolated departments, limiting the data and capabilities hotels can access. It’s not enough to present data between departments during meetings or discussions. Information must be accessible under one unified PMS designed to connect revenue management, room management, and operations systems to flourish, let alone leverage AI.

This involves fine-tuning the technology to better serve guests’ needs and operational requirements. Data collected by AI systems can provide invaluable insights into guest behavior, preferences, and operational bottlenecks. By analyzing this data, hotels can make informed decisions to enhance service delivery, streamline operations, and improve overall guest satisfaction. « After six months of expert, on-the-job training, Penny is ready to deliver an even more cohesive and personalized booking experience that saves people time and hassle, » Priceline CEO Brett Keller said in a release. Expedia’s Romie launch came as the company announced a slew of product updates — and revealed a new travel media network for advertisers.

It also recently unveiled its hotel chatbot powered by GPT-4 to help properties manage guest inquiries and requests. It also wants to launch a new product and increase its current headcount from 30 to approximately 50 across various functions including sales, marketing and product. HiJiffy, an AI-powered chabot service for hotels, has raised €3.8M in funding. Addressing the challenges with the related solutions results in great success. The findings are based on the HiJiffy data available in the Guest Communication Hub as well as insights and observations provided by Leonardo Hotels for this case study. By adopting HiJiffy’s innovative solution, Leonardo Hotels set out to accomplish these objectives and elevate its guest experience to new levels.