TORONTO — “Work smarter, not harder.”

Ask just about any travel advisor about their professional goals and that’s what you’ll hear.

Especially in these days of record-breaking demand for travel, as agents put in more time and effort with their clients than ever.

Making sure travel advisors have time to do what they do best – crafting customized itineraries, offering unparalleled customer service, making travel dreams come true – means keeping schedules clear of routine tasks that can use up more time than they’re worth.

No wonder many think the time has come for Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to gain traction in the retail travel industry.

If there’s any doubt, think of the biggest technological advances in retail travel, and what workflow would be without them.

Without the CRS and the GDS, airline res agents would still be sitting around a giant lazy Susan, keeping track of booked seats using a system of slotted index cards and relaying the information by phone to travel agents, a process that could take upwards of an hour per booking.

E-ticketing streamlined things even more, and made bookings virtually paperless.

And as for email and the Internet … well, it’s just about impossible to remember what selling travel was like before email and the Internet.

In Canada, AI use is growing. According to a recent Leger poll, 30% of Canadians are using AI tools these days. That’s up from 25% a year ago.

As Travelweek, in partnership with TravelBrands, rolls out a new slate of initiatives aimed at propelling travel agents and suppliers into the dynamic realm of AI, we wanted to hear what some of the most forward-thinking companies in the Canadian travel industry have to say about AI.

TravelBrands

Nathalie Tanious

President & CEO

Travelweek: Why partner with Travelweek on this new AI venture?

Tanious: “Our shared objective is to elevate the operational efficiency of travel agents and open new horizons for growth. The synergy inherent in our partnership with Travelweek, renowned for its expansive reach, not only strengthens our message but also propels the entire travel industry towards a future defined by technological innovation and excellence.”

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Travelweek: Why is AI an essential tool for travel agents?

Tanious: “AI is a game-changer for travel agents, providing them with invaluable insights and streamlining complex processes. It allows them to personalize recommendations based on customer preferences, creating tailored experiences. With AI handling routine tasks, travel agents can focus on building meaningful connections with clients, offering a more human touch to the travel planning process.”

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Travelweek: What has TravelBrands done to keep their technology as current as possible?

Tanious: ”At TravelBrands, staying at the forefront of technology is a priority. The launch of Access+ and GIGI are a true testament of our commitment to invest in research and development to ensure our reservation platforms are cutting-edge. Continuous training programs for our team ensure they are well-versed in the latest advancements. We also actively seek partnerships with tech innovators to integrate their solutions into our platform.”

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Direct Travel

Darryl Hoover

Chief Technology Officer

Travelweek: The travel industry isn’t known as an early adopter when it comes to technology. Why is it important for us to get familiar with the power of AI as quickly as possible?

Hoover: “Today’s travellers seek personalized, efficient, and seamless experiences, which AI can deliver more effectively than traditional methods. AI enables us to analyze vast amounts of data to understand customer preferences, predict trends, and make informed decisions. By adopting AI, we can enhance customer satisfaction, optimize operational efficiency, and stay competitive in a market that is increasingly driven by technological innovation.”

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Travelweek: What are some of the ways you can see AI changing how front-line travel agents do their jobs?

Hoover: “AI can automate routine tasks, allowing agents to focus on more complex and personalized customer service tasks. AI-driven analytics can also provide agents with insights into customer preferences and behaviours, enabling them to offer highly tailored travel recommendations and experiences. Chatbots and virtual assistants can handle initial customer inquiries, freeing agents to handle more nuanced and complex issues. Moreover, AI can enhance decision-making with predictive analytics, helping agents anticipate travel disruptions and provide proactive solutions.”

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Travelweek: What AI tools is Direct Travel developing?

Hoover: “Direct Travel has been actively engaging in incorporating AI and advanced tools to equip its travel advisors. This includes training programs to familiarize agents with AI technologies and their applications in travel planning and customer service. Direct Travel is also exploring partnerships with tech companies to integrate AI-powered tools into our systems, such as CRM platforms with predictive analytics and AI-based chat support.”

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Trevello Travel Group

Zeina Gedeon

President & CEO

Travelweek: Why should travel advisors get onboard with AI?

Gedeon: “Embracing AI swiftly is crucial for staying relevant and competitive. AI is not just another technology; it’s a transformative force that allows us to achieve more with less, streamline operations, and deliver hyper-personalized experiences to our clients. By adopting AI, we can process vast amounts of data for actionable insights, predict travel trends, and tailor our services to the unique needs and preferences of each traveller. Harnessing the power of AI is not an option but a necessity.”

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Travelweek: Does Trevello have AI tools in the works?

Gedeon: “The beauty of AI and GenAI tools is their inherent simplicity to operate. The key is the availability and the accessibility of the data. This is what Travello is investing in.

“Our travel advisors are digital natives these days and by arming them with the right data and tools we are embarking on an unprecedented journey to ensure our advisors can provide an insights-based, trusted and reliable experience for our client. My vision is to ensure the curation of data and insights is at their fingertips so they can provide a personalized experience that will save the client time and money, and be trusted in terms of recommendations.

“We recently launched an AI itinerary builder; this tool normalizes all the information on the web and instantly produces an itinerary personalized to client preferences for any destination in the world, for any length of stay. If you aren’t a destination expert, you can write or talk to our AI destination expert in a few clicks, mobile or desktop.

“We’ve also introduced an AI support help agent, a sophisticated tool that encapsulates all of Trevello’s contractual data and how-to articles. This AI agent acts as a reservoir of Trevello’s collective knowledge, readily available at a prompt, ensuring that our advisors have immediate 24/7 access to a wealth of information and guidance.

“These AI tools aim to help and make our advisors more productive and empower them to work smarter not harder.”

This story is in the Feb. 15, 2024 issue of Travelweek. For more information on Travelweek’s A.I. initiatives, click here. For the A.I. manual, click here. And to register for the March 13, 2024 A.I webinar, click here.