Low-cost carrier IndiGo has introduced a new hotel booking option on its website and app. The airline said the aim of the integrated service is to allow passengers the convenience of a one-step solution.
24.05.2024 - 11:07 / skift.com / Dennis Schaal / Rashaad Jorden / Peden Doma Bhutia / Jose Marmolejos / Pieter Elbers / Indigo Airlines
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, May 24. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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OpenAI, Google and Meta have big plans for AI chatbots that can serve as personal assistants for travelers. Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes provides takeaways after reviewing the latest updates.
OpenAI is releasing new voice translation capabilities in the near future that can understand non-verbal cues and recognize different voices in group conversations. Dawes notes OpenAI’s voicebot could break down language barriers that could keep travelers from visiting certain destinations. OpenAI and Meta are also promoting their tech’s visual translation capabilities, which help travelers, for example, figure out a menu not in their native language.
While Dawes notes OpenAI is the furthest along in creating a virtual personal assistant that can be a tour guide, he writes Google is the furthest along in developing trip planning tools integrated with booking options.
Next, Chase Travel saw its sales grow as fast as Booking Holdings’ last year. But Chase said it faces some headwinds, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.
Chase Travel reported it grew its gross bookings 25% year-over-year in 2023, just ahead of Booking Holdings at 24%. Meanwhile, Expedia Group registered only 10% growth. Chase Travel executives have said they’re looking to gain share from competitors such as Booking Holdings and Expedia that have been around for decades.
Chase Travel did report at its recent annual investor day that “macro travel headwinds” were impacting its profit margins. One Chase Travel executive told investors that the company saw lower growth in spending by luxury travelers.
Finally, India’s largest airline IndiGo is launching a business-class product by the end of this year, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
CEO Pieter Elbers said the new product is part of IndiGo’s plans to adapt to India’s changing travel landscape, adding the carrier has seen a greater demand for premium travel. He also expressed confidence that the new offering would cater to corporate travelers’ needs. Elbers indicated IndiGo would unveil information about news routes in August.
Producer/Presenter: Jose Marmolejos
Low-cost carrier IndiGo has introduced a new hotel booking option on its website and app. The airline said the aim of the integrated service is to allow passengers the convenience of a one-step solution.
Have you been to Amsterdam? If so, there’s a good chance you’ve flown on a plane without knowing it. The company, better known by its catchier acronym KLM, is the flag carrier of the Netherlands and the world’s oldest airline operating under its original name.
British Airways has long been the largest European carrier serving the U.S., and now, the airline wants to make itself even more relevant to your travel plans.
India’s clout in travel is booming, especially as the country’s growing middle class is poised to play a major role in the industry’s growth. India is also the world’s largest emerging outbound tourism market.
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts looks to make a significant entry into the public market, seeking a valuation of approximately $2.5 billion in its upcoming initial public offering (IPO), as reported by Mint.
Budget airline Air India Express has announced that it will be commencing operations from the Hindon airport in the national capital region (NCR), in addition to its ongoing operations from the Delhi airport. With this, it has become the first airline to operate from two airports in the NCR.
Oyo is expanding the footprint of its premium vacation home rental brand, Belvilla: On Tuesday, it announced the launch of Belvilla by Oyo in the UK.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, June 4. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Wyndham’s top boss wants to shed his hotel group’s reputation for focusing on economy hotels in the U.S. through a strategy to expand worldwide and offer brands that range from economy to luxury.
“India is a country we’re very interested in,” Sebastien Bazin, the group chairman and CEO of Accor, said during the company’s earnings call Friday.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers told Skift that the airline’s new business class product would stay faithful to the IndiGo brand and that it’s the right time for an “IndiGo-like product” to serve the next wave of Indian air travelers.
In an effort to attract more tourists and remote workers, the Thai cabinet this week rolled out a series of new visa promotions, including visa-free and visa-on-arrival schemes, extended stays for students, and reduced compulsory health insurance for retirees.