Travel planning tips

Google has released an updated version of the Bard generative AI chatbot that includes extensions with real-time travel data for flights and hotels. 

Expedia has released the first version of a travel planning chatbot powered by ChatGPT on its mobile app. 

I have known Brian Harniman, the head of strategy at digital transformation agency From since the early days of Skift — he was amongst the first online travel veterans to latch onto the potential of what we were building. Harniman is a serial entrepreneur with over 25 years experience leading innovation in travel companies. He was on the founding team of Priceline.com and held executive positions at Kayak, Hickory Global Partners, Open List, Where I’ve Been, and more. He and I have talked about travel startups informally on and off for years.

Google announced on Wednesday several features powered by generative AI, including a few relevant to the travel sector. The news was shared at Google I/O, the company’s annual developer conference, presented by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other company executives.

In a new Skift Research report, entitled Understanding the Chinese Traveler Post-Covid: ​Survey Findings and Trends​, we explore various stages of the Chinese travel journey, decode their spending habits, and offer key takeaways for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and travel suppliers.

When OpenAI released ChatGPT last November, there were a few companies that released tools right away or even shared plans to do so.  

The world of generative AI in travel is starting to get more interesting. 

Trip.com was among the first large online travel agencies to release a simple chatbot powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

You probably use Instagram to dream about travel, but did you know you can use it to make those whimsical images your reality? One of the best travel planning tools you’re not using is probably already on your phone.

Want to follow your friends, family, and favorite travel experts’ vacation planning, just like you follow them on Instagram? TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) is making it possible later this year by adding to the platform a social network where users can go beyond posting reviews, to share travel tips and itineraries with their followers.