In the news: Sabre’s creation of an AI-powered chatbot for travel, Amadeus’ new market place for APAC agents, TripAdvisor’s partnership with Deliveroo, Air New Zealand’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ inspired safety video
ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE: Sabre pilots an AI-powered chatbot for selling and buying travel
Sabre’s chatbot to provide travellers with self service options (Image credit: Weedezign/iStock)
Sabre Corporation is no stranger to chatbots as it is building, through Sabre Hospitality, a prototype allowing travellers to interact with hotels through messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, as well as voice assistants such as Amazon’s Echo (Alexa).
The travel technology company is now creating a chatbot using AI (artificial intelligence) that leverages Microsoft Bot Framework and Microsoft Cognitive Services, including Language Understanding Intelligent Service (LUIS). The latter provides simple tools to build language models that allow any application or bot to understand commands and act accordingly.
Mark McSpadden, Sabre’s vice president – emerging technology and products, said this latest venture in working with Microsoft and its agency partners is to explore how AI and chatbots can provide travellers with self-service solutions.
“Travellers want technology to deliver a more seamless experience, especially when managing on-the-go changes and disruptions,” he said adding that the new chatbot would help travel agencies provide personal service for more complex needs.
Sabre is piloting the AI-powered chatbot with Dallas-based Travel Solutions International USA and Casto Travel in San Francisco.
The two Sabre-connected travel agencies are testing a white-label version of the chatbot with travellers who can access it via Facebook Messenger using it for common services and support requests, such as changing an existing flight reservation. The chatbot diverts to a live travel agent if it is unable to fulfill a request.
During the test run Sabre and the agencies will evaluate travellers’ preferences, including how often and when they engage the chatbot and when they are likely to divert to a live agent. The results could help them gain a better understanding of the best way to engage travellers with chatbots and solve common hurdles faced in using them.
Lili Cheng, corporate vice president, AI and research at Microsoft, added that intelligent technologies, like chatbots, are augmenting the way companies interact with their customers.
“Sabre’s chatbot is another great example of how AI can be applied to help extend business capabilities and improve satisfaction of travellers.”
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY: Amadeus rolls out new marketplace for APAC travel agents
Amadeus’ new marketplace for APAC agents
Travel agents in Asia Pacific will now find it easier to plan journeys for their clients with the launch of Amadeus Destination Content, a marketplace that allows them to book tours and transportation services.
The market place was first introduced in the Philippines, and is now being rolled out in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Working through partnerships with City Discovery, TurboJET, World Airport Transfer and Jayride, Destination Content offers over 9,000 tours and activities, airport transfers for more than 1,000 airports worldwide and ferry services in Asia Pacific destinations.
According to Amadeus, agents benefit from using the marketplace as they have access to all the content they need in one marketplace; save money as prices are up to 10% lower than the retail price; have 24/5 customer support by phone and email provided by City Discovery.
TRAVEL SERVICES: Now you can order food from Deliveroo on TripAdvisor
Order food on the go or from home from Deliveroo via TripAdvisor (Image credit: AdrianHancu/iStock)
TripAdvisor has inked an a commercial agreement with British online food delivery startup, Deliveroo, to enable its users to order food from 20,000 restaurants in 12 countries and more than 140 cities
The travel site said the “terms and length of the agreement will not be disclosed” when announcing the collaboration in a statement.
The partnership sees Deliveroo’s restaurant network integrated into the TripAdvisor website and mobile app. Travellers and locals just need to click on the order button, and they will be taken to the food delivery website to place their food choice.
The service is now available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.
“Through this partnership with Deliveroo, we aim to give our restaurant listings a new way to engage with the TripAdvisor community – both at home and on-the-go,” said Bertrand Jelensperger, senior vice president of TripAdvisor Restaurants.
“TripAdvisor is already a highly effective marketing platform for restaurants, and new services like food delivery create incremental value for both businesses as well as consumers,” he added.
AVIATION: Fasten your safety belt for Air New Zealand’s ‘Fantastical Journey’
Come join us on ‘A Fantastical Journey’: Air New Zealand (Image credit: Air New Zealand)
Air New Zealand has done it again – that is coming up with yet another epic inflight safety video that is inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
Called ‘A Fantastical Journey’, it features US actors Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr and some of the country’s iconic locations – Dunedin and the Moeraki Boulders, the Conway River in Canterbury, Wellington, Mt Taranaki, Waitomo Caves, Rotorua, Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel, Tolaga Bay north of Gisborne, White Island and the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
To add more magic to the journey is Kiwi singer-songwriter, Gin Wigmore, who lends her voice with the whimsical, song, “My Little Corner of the World’.
Wigmore has also worked with Air New Zealand on its first creative safety video, the ‘Bare Essentials’ in 2009, which featured the hit ‘Under My Skin’ from her first album. She rcently recorded a version of the track ‘Tomorrow’ from the movie Annie for the airline’s ‘Where To Next?’ campaign.
Katie Holmes said it has been fun working alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and the Air New Zealand crew to produce the video.
“I was really excited to be a part of this project – the safety video is creative, magical and funny. The scenery is also beautiful and makes me want to get down to New Zealand!”
Gooding Jr. wanted to get involved in ‘A Fantastical Journey’ as he loves the airline’s safety videos for their different approaches. “They make you laugh, smile and pay a little bit more attention.”
Jodi Williams, Air New Zealand general manager of global brand and content marketing, said ‘A Fantastical Journey’ would put all eyes on New Zealand by showcasing some of the best the country has to offer.
“With the help of Hollywood stars Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr. our latest safety video takes viewers on a journey taking in New Zealand’s stunning beauty, incredible culture, friendly people and amazing flora and fauna, while also sharing the airline’s key safety messages.
The airline worked with its creative agency, True, and Auckland-based production company, Assembly, to create the special effects to help take people on a magical tour of the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’.
To date, Air New Zealand’s safety videos have collectively generated more than 108 million views online along with significant international media exposure.
‘A Fantastical Journey’ is being rolled out across the airline’s fleet from July 13. View the video below.
https://youtu.be/oA33IAf23-8
•Featured image credit: JIRAROJ PRADITCHAROENKUL/iStock
