Tag Archives: Artificial Intelligence

Deepak Narula, MD, GRNconnect, said the company will expand its offerings following key discussions at ATM. “There is a demand for more products,” he noted. GRNconnect also aims to adopt new technologies based on emerging trends. “Artificial intelligence is becoming visible, and it’s time to incorporate the same into our system,” he added, highlighting the company’s strategic tech focus.

Highlighting that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming the go-to tool for Indians, Mohit Joshi, Travel & Destinations Expert, Skyscanner, said, “A remarkable 84% of Indian travellers feel confident using AI tools for planning and booking their travels, with 52% using them for destination research, 50% for flight bookings, 48% for comparing flight and hotel options, and 46% seeking destination inspiration.”

Artificial Intelligence is making itineraries smarter and deeply personal. Users are using AI tools to ensure that travel is as enriching for them as it is for the environment. Santosh Kumar, Country Manager- India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia, Booking.com, notes, “Technology will push travellers and the industry to rethink how we engage with the world.”

Speaking at FITUR in Madrid, Julia Simpson President & CEO, WTTC, said, “AI is a strategic tool that can drive sustainable improvements, and create real time pricing models.” The latest WTTC report also highlighted AI will revolutionize the tourism sector creating real time pricing models.

Lt.Colonel Dr. Ghalib Abdullah Hassan Al Majed Al Marri, Director of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence reiterated, “The new visa issuance application which process all the entry permits through AI solutions within 3 to 10 minutes with this new system. Travel agents apply through the smart portal, the main AI system  is comparison of pictures which is a new solution which expedite the process.

Global travel marketplace Skyscanner has launched a new search discovery and inspiration tool, powered by generative AI Dream and discover, with AI, the tool is initially launching in beta in Australia, India, and Singapore to test traveller behaviour when it comes to using AI for trip planning, with other markets set to follow.  Powered by Open AI’s Chat GPT technology, travellers can ask open ended statements and questions such as “Best cities for cultural tours” or “What are some hidden gems in Europe?”. It also includes a variety of prompts ranging from “Short flights next weekend” to “Foodie city breaks”. The tool will then generate travel ideas and recommendations as well as three destination suggestions with links to the best flight options for each.  Piero Sierra, Chief Product Officer at Skyscanner commented, “Generative AI is such an exciting technology that we as a travel industry are only just beginning to apply. 56% of travellers are coming to Skyscanner for inspiration so with this beta launch we are looking to understand how it might help travellers in the discovery phases of the travel planning journey, and importantly how they engage with the technology versus existing tools. This one of many experiments we are running to see how generative AI can be incorporated into the core Skyscanner proposition helping travellers plan and book their trip with ease and confidence in the future.”    

Speaking on the impact of AI & ChatGPT on travel industry at the PATA India Chapter’s webinar, Matt Gibson, CEO, UPTHINK said, “AI is no replacement for travel professionals, as it cannot offer the personalisation that tour operators/ travel agents can give.”    

FCM is leveraging disruptive technologies to reshape multi-national service of customer base that stretching over 100 countries. Marcus Eklund, Global Managing Director, FCM told how travel industry is responding to AI revolution and how FCM will take advantage of its potential to fuel transformation and boost productivity. He said, “The age of AI presents us with immense possibilities that we are considering across the whole of our business”. John Morhous, CEO, Flight Centre Travel Group & Architect, FCM declared that  as early user of AI, we are well placed to adopt the newest technologies to transform our business, empower our people and engage with our customers in a brand-new way. “AI has the power to enhance intelligence and creativity while deepening our expertise and insight, ” he added. The company also revealed it is successfully piloting a solution to accelerate hotel data analysis using OpenAI to standardize data for deeper analytics by pulling in additional information like hotel quality and population density across more than 100 markets. This project is already providing valuable insights, and its scope is expected to be widened soon as FCM can now build these capabilities quicker than ever before.  

PM Narendra Modi said we should use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and argumented reality to drive innovation. “Collaboration among governments, entrepreneurs, and investors, can boost technology implementation in tourism, ” he added.

PATA India chapter is organizing an exclusive webinar on Artificial Intelligence (AI) & ChatGPT on 4 August 2023 at 11:00 AM (IST). The speaker of the event will be Matt Gibson, CEO – UpThink, a digital agency specializing in content, SEO, influencer marketing, and AI integration for the travel industry.