After the initial excitement about AI in travel, reality is setting in and expectations are being recalibrated.
Just in the last couple of weeks, we’ve read Timothy O’Neil-Dunne’s article on Phocuswire, calling AI to be overhyped yet relevant, with a word of caution about where and how to apply it. A subsequent article containing statements from many industry figures also carries the common sentiment that delivering real value with AI will take time. Brian Chesky from Airbnb summarizes it as follows: “I think AI is going to change the world much more than anybody realizes. I also think it’s going to take way longer than anyone realizes. This decade, things aren’t going to change as much as people think, and next decade, things are going to change a lot more.”
At this point in time, the question is not whether to use AI in travel. This question has been settled – AI-related use cases have already arrived. The question is for what, and how. After a phase where some people were running around with the proverbial hammer looking for nails, applications of AI in travel now need to provide real value. The good news is that there are plenty of good applications for it, and if you don’t know any then please feel free to pick one of the fundamental challenges in travel tech.
At Nezasa, we currently focus on two use cases that provide real value to the travel trade. The first one is enhancing the planning and booking process for agents and end customers. In this context, we have launched our Planner Copilot, which is an application that boosts the planning efficiency of travel agents. Leveraging GenAI, the Planner Copilot can take any query (also a copy/paste inquiry from an end customer) and provide a bookable itinerary that can be further adjusted by the agent and later booked and managed efficiently.
The main advantage of Planner Copilot is that it can not only recommend itineraries, but actually make them bookable and manageable in a seamless way. Watch the demo video here: https://youtu.be/LdIxHYHeVr0
Using the same APIs and infrastructure, we will also enable the best B2C-focused AI-based itinerary planners to make their recommendations bookable. Stay tuned for news on exciting partnerships on this front.
The second use case we are focusing on is the efficiency of post-booking management. We will soon launch Cockpit Copilot, which provides a natural language interface for the post-booking management of tour operators and agents. Cockpit Copilot will provide a significant boost for the operational efficiency of our customers and we will share more news about it soon.
All of these applications have one thing in common: The aim is to make our customers more efficient and to provide real value. So while I agree with the statements of the colleagues who caution that things will take longer, I am fully confident that we can provide real value with AI today. Just don’t run around looking for nails. Focus on the use cases instead.
