Jonathan SARPAUX

Marjorie GARCON

Tourism and events industry is moving very fast. It’s a challenge for their actors to find always innovative tools, new ideas etc. to develop the sector. Our first article is about the Artificial Intelligence (A.I) which is nowadays no more a stammering technology, but something which is going to be more and more generalized. In fact its integration in different online mechanics and online tools will certainly change the customer experience.

We know that a lot of tourism apps can now perform what travel agents usually provide, such as booking rooms or planning trips. But some tourists which encounter difficulties during or before their holidays still want to rely on social interactions. Chatbots is a great way to fill this need.

Based on complex and sophisticated human reactions, these artificial little helpers can answer questions more accurately than traditional Q&A sections, and also improve the business potential by proposing relative bookings and relevant suggestions, direct people to websites or mobile apps.

Several companies already implemented this system such as Expedia.com or Kayak or Hyatt Hotels on Facebook Messenger: The potential customer just has to search for a destination, a date or a budget to receive a customized answer within seconds. A recent study proves that questions are drastically increasing and a general positive impression is resulting from it.

The expansion of bots could finally reach other chains of the tourist experience (flight companies, local activities,…) and new functionalities (in-flight services, welcoming guests, room information)

This technology is a serious improvement in digital tool for the tourism sector :

•     It is a reliable service available 24/7 accessible in various language, with the possibility to keep track of the different needs and collect data’s in order to use more efficient customer’s paths.
•         Higher booking rates can result from it.
•           Several devices supported (mobile, desktop, tablets).
•           Repetitive queries for physical agents are lessened, without losing the social and direct experience. It is a gain of        money for the companies.
•         It is a self-service which enhances the feeling of being free and pro-active in the reservation process for customers.

The customer service is one of the first domain to benefit from the travel bot technology. This is a necessary change which requires attention from the stakeholders since the tailored service is a pretty serious trend. In the next 2-3 years the professional sector could have observed if the application of this technological progress is relevant and sustainable.

Inspired from:

[1]E-tourism solutions. “New Mind | tellUs”. www.newmind.co.uk/

[2]Siya Carla. “Top 10 Benefits of Using Chat Bots in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector”. LinkedIn. May, 27th 2016.

[3] Lex. “How Chatbots can impact the travel industry”. Chatbotnewdaily.com. Oct 14, 2016.