OTAs must remain agile amid rapid change
While AI helps OTAs roll out features faster, errors in travel bookings or customer service can cause major customer stress
Speaking at WiT Singapore, Adrienne Enggist, senior director of product, customer experience, and platforms at Booking.com, emphasized the importance of continuous learning and adaptability, noting that challenges deemed "unsolvable" today could be solved tomorrow as AI models and tools evolve.
Key takeaways
- AI is revolutionizing the way OTAs understand and respond to customer intent. Adrienne Enggist notes that traditional approaches to product development fall short when faced with the rapid, multidirectional flow of intent data-what customers are looking for and how they are searching;
- By analyzing vast amounts of user data, AI helps OTAs uncover not only travelers' preferences, but also the emotions and motivations behind their searches. This enables more personalized and relevant experiences, increasing customer engagement and satisfaction;
- In practical terms, AI can process user preferences and browsing behavior to recommend customized travel options, minimizing decision fatigue. For example, tools like ChatGPT can quickly create complex, multi-city itineraries, reducing the fear of missing out that often complicates travel planning.
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