Travel Forward Day One: Artificial intelligence is real

Travel Forward Day One: Artificial intelligence is real.
Travel Forward Day One: Artificial intelligence is real.
Avatar of Harry Johnson
Written by Harry Johnson

AI only works when the data, and the platform hosting it, is fit for the purpose of using AI to build better experiences for travelers.

  • The opening day of Travel Forward began with a session dedicated to AI in travel.
  • The tools are there for mass personalization – but mindsets need to change. Segmentation is not personalization.
  • If you share data, the algorithms can work across sources, personalization can become collaborative, a partnership.

Senior technology executives from across the travel industry believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will play a pivotal role driving the recovery of travel so long as mind sets and attitudes towards data sharing change.

The opening day of Travel Forward began with a session dedicated to AI in travel.

Andy Owen-Jones, CEO and co-founder of AI-early-adopter bd4travel, said that AI and machine learning is the only way for travel companies to “infer” what their travelers want.

However, to get beyond “averages” and into “personalization”, AI specialists need access to data

“The tools are there for mass personalization – but mindsets need to change. Segmentation is not personalization.”

Sundar Narasimhan from Sabre Labs noted that this distinction is reflected in how enterprise applications for AI and machine learning in travel are now engineered and optimized towards improving the experience for travelers and away from optimizing yield for suppliers.

He also advocated new mindsets in terms of data sharing.

“If you share data, the algorithms can work across sources, personalization can become collaborative, a partnership.” He outlined a future use case where AI can provide a trip experience where the flight and accommodation have both been personalized.

Mindsets, new paradigms and fresh thinking were a theme throughout other sessions as well. Jospeh Ling from Vouch explained how his business is having to change mindsets in the hotel industry.

“We have to convince hoteliers that human interactions are not equal across all touchpoints. Our product helps hoteliers to automate many tasks where the human touch is not needed, which frees up hotel staff to focus on tasks which materially impact the guest experience,” he said.

Another industry where mindsets need changing is aviation. A panel discussion in the afternoon was unequivocal in its view that improving the data sharing between airlines, airport operators and air traffic control can improve aircraft and routing efficiencies, with the immediate benefit of lower emissions through reduced fuel burn.

Yann Cabaret from SITA told the packed room that “modern technology supports collaboration – with the data we have we can apply machine learning to optimize aircraft movements, in the sky or the airport.”

However, commercial considerations prevent many private sector operators sharing data with each other, a situation incompatible with fighting the climate emergency. “Industry efforts can only work if everyone is in,” he said.

The volume of structured and unstructured data within the travel industry creates the perfect environment for artificial intelligence to generate new products, better experiences for travelers and more revenues for travel companies. However, the consequence of this is that the volume of data means that firms should think about validating the data before using it.

Manual Hilty from multi-day trip planning tech specialist Nezasa said that his business has been developing its platform so that it can support data analytics and AI at scale and apply the insights on a personal level.

“Planning, booking and fulfilling multi-day tours has many, many touchpoints each of which its own layers of complexity,” he said. “We know that AI only works when the data, and the platform hosting it, is fit for the purpose of using AI to build better experiences for travelers”.

About the author

Avatar of Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson has been the assignment editor for eTurboNews for mroe than 20 years. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is originally from Europe. He enjoys writing and covering the news.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
Share to...