During his speech at ITB Berlin 2024, Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, expressed strong support for the implementation of artificial intelligence. At the Convention’s Future Tracks section, he presented his vision for leveraging artificial intelligence in the tourism industry, titled Leadership, Innovation, and the Future of Travel. Fogel highlighted the past practice of individuals visiting travel agencies, where their preferences were already known and suitable offers could be presented. Additionally, the travel agency served as a point of contact in case of any issues during the journey. This level of personalized service, Fogel noted, is precisely what GenAI (generative artificial intelligence) can offer, but on a more comprehensive scale due to the larger amount of available data.
GenAI offers customers superior advice compared to that provided by humans. By leveraging smart payment systems for travel, GenAI and its group of companies are well-positioned to navigate the future. The initial step in this direction is the integration of an AI-powered travel planner on GenAI’s booking.com platform. This travel planner utilizes artificial intelligence and builds upon the existing machine learning models of Booking.com, which daily recommends destinations and accommodations to millions of travelers. Open AI’s ChatGPT provides the necessary technological support. According to Glenn Fogel, these advancements in generative AI enhance their ongoing efforts in machine learning, allowing for continuous development and enhancement of the customer experience on their platform.
With this new tool, travelers have the ability to not only ask general travel-related questions, but also make more specific inquiries. As stated by Booking, travelers can engage in real-time conversations with the AI Trip Planner, providing information about their specific requirements, asking questions, and refining their searches. Within seconds, the tool can provide new suggestions. For instance, the planner can offer information and ideas about potential destinations, accommodations, and even generate itineraries for cities, countries, or regions. The goal is to create a single platform that encompasses the entire travel experience, incorporating travel options, payment systems, and more intelligent solutions.
SOURCE: ITB Berlin 2024: GenAI is Now an Integral Part of Tourism BY: eTurboNews | eTN