Jun 19, 2024 • 8 min read
Expedia, Kayak, HomeToGo: The AI Race For Booking Platforms
31.05.2024 - 07:01 / skift.com / Justin Dawes / Generative Ai / Matthias Keller
Many of the travel booking platforms that experimented with generative AI tools early are now releasing second or third versions of that tech.
That’s been the case for Expedia, Kayak, and HomeToGo, all of which have announced upgrades or new AI tools in recent months.
Based on the tests that Skift has been able to do so far, none of the tools are as sharp as users would like — but those companies likely are farther ahead than those that have not started at all.
Some of the projects highlighted below will be part of the discussion next week at the Skift Data + AI Summit in New York City. Kayak chief scientist Matthias Keller and Expedia chief architect Rajesh Naidu are slated to speak, among others.
Expedia earlier this month said that it would be adding multiple AI tools for various parts of a trip, including inspiration, planning, booking, customer service, and more.
The main tool is Romie, an AI-powered travel agent and assistant. Users can access the chatbot individually or in groups on Whatsapp, text message, or the Expedia app.
A quick test in WhatsApp shows that Romie can answer questions about destinations and provide options with links for flights, hotels, and activities. Clicking on a link opens that product in the Expedia app.
(Expect a full test soon detailing how these multiple features work.)
Romie is able to proactively suggest alternatives if there is an unexpected event that could cause a travel disruption, like poor weather or a flight delay, according to the app.
The Expedia app is also getting an itinerary builder and a tool for users to compare destinations. The online customer help center has been updated with AI to resolve problems more quickly, the company said, and guests can now view AI-generated review summaries for at the top of each individual hotel’s review page.
HomeToGo, the Germany-based metasearch engine and booking site for vacation rentals, last week shared its vision for an AI assistant that helps users with search, booking, and post-booking support.
Completion of a “Super AI Sunny” chatbot is the goal, but the company is building it in steps.
HomeToGo is testing one of those building blocks in a new customer service chatbot called AI Sunny, which repurposed the previous traditional chatbot. The company said that so far, AI Sunny has reduced the transfer of customers to human agents by about 40%.
AI Sunny is in addition to an AI-powered search tool, called AI Mode, which Skift tested after it was released last year.
HomeToGo plans to eventually merge the AI Sunny and AI Mode products to create the foundation of Super AI Sunny for three uses:
HomeToGo also said last week that it’s using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI to build various products as part of a goal
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