Travel Industry Shifts Gears With New AI Tools

Travel companies are introducing a range of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools, signaling a change in how business trips are booked and managed.

Altour, United Airlines, AMGiNE and Serko have all unveiled new AI technologies aimed at enhancing travel experiences, from personalized booking interfaces to real-time weather updates and automated itinerary planning.

Altour Rolls Out AI Travel Management Suite

Altour, a travel management company, unveiled a new AI platform on Monday (July 22). The platform, dubbed Altour Intelligence, aims to streamline corporate travel planning and cut costs. The suite includes five AI-powered tools for booking, disruption prediction, customer support, policy compliance and travel insights.

The new platform’s AI Book component, powered by ‘ello, offers a conversational interface for personalized travel booking. AI Predict, utilizing Lumo technology, provides proactive alerts for potential travel disruptions. AI Respond delivers rapid support for travelers, while AI Transform facilitates easier global travel policy deployment through video content creation. AI Insights acts as a virtual assistant, offering natural language access to travel information.

“At ALTOUR, we believe good business starts with a great journey,” Gabe Rizzi, president of Altour, said in a news release, emphasizing the platform’s ability to meet the demand for efficient, personalized travel solutions.

United Airlines Offers AI-Powered Radar Maps

United Airlines is rolling out new technology in an attempt to keep passengers better informed during weather-related flight delays. The carrier now sends text messages with links to local, live radar maps, allowing travelers to visualize weather patterns affecting their flights.

This initiative is part of United’s broader strategy to provide real-time information to customers, especially during travel disruptions. The airline has deployed specialized customer service teams in its network operations center, utilizing generative AI to craft detailed messages about flight changes.

“… We wanted to give our customers an easier way to stay connected to real-time information about their flight,” Jason Birnbaum, United’s chief information officer, said in a news release. “By combining innovative technology-enabled tools with people power, we can give more people even more in-the-moment details about their flight.”

United claims to be the first U.S. airline to offer such specific messaging to customers.

New AI Platform Enters Business Travel Booking Market

AMGiNE, a travel technology company, has unveiled a new AI-powered platform aimed at streamlining corporate travel booking. The AMGiNE Automated Booking Tool (ABT) claims to simplify the often complex process of arranging business trips by using AI to interpret traveler requests and generate itinerary options.

The platform allows travelers to submit text-based requests through various channels, including email and Slack, departing from traditional systems that require users to navigate multiple platforms. AMGiNE claims its tool is the first to offer a unified platform for both travel agents and corporate travelers.

“We’re addressing a significant pain point in the industry by automating the servicing of diverse travel requests in one platform,” Greg Apple, CEO of AMGiNE, said in a Tuesday (July 23) news release.

The system purportedly boosts agent productivity by automating itinerary generation and eliminating the need for specialized booking commands. For travelers, it offers personalized recommendations that comply with corporate travel policies.

Travel Inc., an early adopter, reports efficiency improvements of up to 160% for their team and customers. Eric Almond, head of product at Travel Inc., described the platform as transformative for their workflow and booking processes.

The launch comes as the business travel sector recovers from pandemic-related disruptions, with companies seeking ways to manage travel more efficiently and cost-effectively. AMGiNE’s offering enters a competitive market where established players and startups are vying to capture a share of the corporate travel technology space.

AI-Powered Travel Agent Debuts

A new AI-powered digital travel agent, Zena, uses natural language processing and generative AI to interact with travelers. The virtual agent was developed by travel technology firm Serko in collaboration with UneeQ.

“Travel is emotive. People need time to discuss and explore their options,” Simon Grieve, senior vice president of customer success at UneeQ, said in a Monday news release. “As a digital human, Zena engages customers in a natural conversation to understand their travel needs before making recommendations that are tailored specifically for them.”

The system aims to provide real-time pricing and availability while tailoring recommendations to individual traveler preferences. It offers 24/7 support and integrates with ChatGPT for more complex interactions.