Vouch expands AI-powered solutions for hotels, gains fresh funding

This approach would transform the workforce into a hotbed of innovation, with housekeepers potentially becoming AI workflow designers, and receptionists evolving into natural language processing experts. However, a paradigm shift is underway, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and a renewed focus on employee value. Long-standing challenges such as overworked staff, outdated systems, and resistance to change have left many establishments struggling to keep pace with the dynamic hospitality landscape.

The company is more focused on internal uses, like a new tool to help customer service staff access resources more quickly, Messina said. Hotels that hesitate to embrace this technology risk falling behind in an industry that’s rapidly evolving. As guest data and needs evolve, AI systems can adapt without costly infrastructure changes.

They trust new software will give insight into

the environmental and social impact of travel and provide visibility on key sustainability

indicators so consumers can make informed choices. Additionally, new AI capabilities are

providing an opportunity for hoteliers to construct personalized offers that will help enhance the guest experience and increase revenue. AI is paving the way to uncharted territories of innovation for both hotels and airlines.

This omnichannel approach enhances the convenience of booking and encourages more spontaneous travel decisions. It’s not just about surviving but thriving in an uncontested market space, where AI becomes the catalyst for innovation and growth. Let’s explore how AI will reshape the landscape in ways that are as exciting as necessary. In the context of AI, Blue Ocean Strategies provides a powerful framework for hotels to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. The Blue Ocean Strategy involves creating a new, uncontested market space that makes the competition irrelevant.

This not only improved their profit margins but also enhanced their appeal to environmentally conscious travelers. By forecasting demand with greater accuracy, hotels can optimize their inventory allocation, reducing the likelihood of overbooking or underbooking. This not only improves guest satisfaction but also ensures that hotels are maximizing their occupancy rates without risking costly booking errors. While the potential benefits of AI in hospitality are undeniable, the industry also faces challenges in adopting and implementing these technologies. The emergence of humanoid robots in some hotels, particularly in the Far East, has fueled anxieties about AI taking over human jobs. These systems utilize sensors and data analytics to monitor the performance of critical equipment, such as HVAC systems, elevators, and kitchen appliances.

IoT Integration for Smart Hotel Rooms

In the hospitality sector, automation is redefining processes by improving accuracy, speed, and cost-efficiency. As the Snowflake report suggests, the future of hospitality lies in the harmonious integration of AI and human expertise, where technology amplifies human capabilities rather than replacing them. The article from Skift highlights mixed performances in the global hotel industry, with U.S. and Middle Eastern markets exhibiting contrasting trends. Priceline is innovating by integrating OpenAI’s voice tech into its AI chatbot for hotel searches. Klook is celebrating its 10th anniversary by expanding into domestic travel and social commerce, utilizing social media to drive sales growth.

Oracle is focused on ensuring data security, scalability, and affordability before fully rolling out AI features. The company collaborates with Oracle Labs, universities, and internal innovation teams to develop new tech features and supports a growing marketplace of third-party tech vendors. “Each market offers unique challenges and opportunities that align with Myma.ai’s mission to revolutionise the hospitality ChatGPT industry through AI-driven innovation,” she added. As we look to the future, it’s clear that AI-powered CRM will play an increasingly central role in the hotel industry. Those who embrace this technology thoughtfully and strategically will be well-positioned to thrive in the evolving hospitality landscape. While the hype may overshadow AI’s real potential, there’s a quiet revolution happening beneath the surface.

In 2024,

travelers want speedy service, expanded amenities and immersive, memorable

experiences. In practice, this means that hotels must personalize their offerings to match

the individual wants and needs of the customer, while maintaining brand

identity ChatGPT App and keeping operating costs low. From

analyzing consumer behavior and creating effective digital marketing campaigns,

to providing appealing retail offerings and seamless service, technology is key

along every step of the way.

There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can foun additiona information about ai customer service and artificial intelligence and NLP. Participants from across Sabre’s six main offices worldwide select teams of around five people, and they’ve given free reign to develop and pitch a product within one of three categories. One of those teams developed an idea for a customer-service chatbot, and the pitch to Sabre executives went smoothly. Oracle Hospitality draws creativity from a few different avenues when looking to develop new features for its hotel tech, Calin said. Oracle Hospitality has transferred thousands of hotels to its new tech system, and there are thousands more in the pipeline. The expectation that it will provide quick fixes and instant ROI can lead to disappointment if not tempered with realistic goals and timelines.

Seventy-five percent of these delays are due to weather conditions, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). United’s new generative AI software can text updates to passengers in near real time, a task previously handled by airline staff. The airline reports that the solution frees up weather and communications staff to focus on more strategic tasks, ultimately improving overall operational efficiency.

Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill examines how the company is looking to evolve. However, hotels in the United Arab Emirates saw their revenue per available room jump 30% from 2019 levels during the first half of this year. The global hotel industry has seen some markets thrive this year while some others have struggled, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. Today’s podcast looks at the ups and downs of the global hotel industry’s year, Priceline’s new AI integration, and Klook’s plans for the next ten years. A case study of a popular beach resort showed that AI-driven inventory management helped increase their occupancy rate by 8% during off-peak seasons, translating to a significant boost in annual revenue.

Gen AI may be embedded in interfaces like your phone or voice-powered computers in your kitchen or car. Travelers may by default enjoy Gen AI’s knowledge of their history and inferences about their preferences — information suppliers like Marriott and online travel agencies like Expedia won’t have as ready access. AI’s impact on the hotel industry will be transformative, driving the need for new skill sets, enhancing customer experiences, and providing opportunities for differentiation through Blue Ocean Strategies. The integration of AI into hotels will necessitate a shift in the skills required for hotel staff. As AI and LLMs transform how hotels operate, employees will need to adapt to new roles and responsibilities. According to the Snowflake report, AI will not replace human roles but rather augment them, allowing workers to focus on more strategic and creative tasks.

A Game-Changing Perspective on AI in Hospitality

While these tools will not be physically turning wrenches, they can assist technicians in diagnosing and troubleshooting aircraft issues, offering potential solutions. Currently, aviation mechanics spend roughly 60% of their day troubleshooting, researching and preparing reports instead of performing technical work. Augmenting this paperwork with generative AI could help these mechanics become significantly more efficient at their jobs. Generative AI is making significant strides across the corporate landscape, and the travel and hospitality sectors are no exception.

• Imagine a world where your hotel doesn’t just respond to guest complaints but anticipates and resolves them before they arise.
• Infor’s mission-critical enterprise applications and services are designed to deliver sustainable operational advantages with security and faster time to value.
• Additionally, guest satisfaction scores for room features and overall experience increased by 20%.
• Furthermore, employees could be granted “AI equity” – shares in a pool that grows as the hotel’s AI capabilities expand.

Oracle is integrating the latest AI into its hotel tech and other parts of the company, but it’s a long process, Calin said. However, success with AI-powered CRM requires more than just implementing new technology. Hotels must prioritize data readiness, address trust and security concerns, and carefully navigate the challenges of AI adoption. The technology comprehends your queries in everyday business language, making the interaction with business data more intuitive. You can delve into complex business questions with confidence, receiving answers that are not only relevant but also contextually aligned with your hotel’s unique circumstances. When the volume of job applicants becomes unmanageable, hospitality companies may consider adopting AI to streamline recruitment, employing algorithms to identify promising candidates based on skills and experience.

This can lead to significant cost savings and a smoother operation that consistently meets guests’ needs. IHG has integrated “IHG Assistant,” an AI chatbot that helps the hotel chain manage customer interactions and bookings efficiently. Available 24/7, this tool quickly responds to guest inquiries and streamlines the booking process, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free customer experience. By automating routine interactions, IHG Assistant allows human staff to focus on providing more personalized service where it counts. AI-based concierge apps or software have the power to transform guest service by providing instant, accurate information and personalized recommendations. These AI systems learn from each interaction, continuously improving to offer guests dining options, local attractions, and customized hotel services.

The Ritz-Carlton Yachts enhance their luxury guest experiences with an AI system designed to customize the yacht environment. It adjusts various settings such as lighting, climate, and service offerings based on the personal preferences of guests, which the system learns over time. This personalized approach ensures that each guest’s experience is unique and luxurious, reflecting the high standards of the Ritz-Carlton brand. If you are a business that is still curious about how impactful AI is in the hospitality sector, don’t worry; we have got you covered in our next section.

Stay Smart, Keep Current

Future plans include expanding the tool’s availability, introducing AI-generated review summaries, and enhancing trip management capabilities. The long-term vision is that the chatbot will be able to answer general and specific questions, and there could be integrations from third-party travel companies for products like events and attractions bookings. The airline industry is currently facing a shortage of skilled aircraft mechanics and maintenance engineers. A recent study indicated that about one-fifth of aviation maintenance technician jobs may go unfilled by 2033.

The impetus behind developing AI for the workforce was to improve pattern recognition within business intelligence tools and increase a business’ competitive standing. Hotels with a unified tech stack can use AI to gather data across multiple departments and support hotelier decision-making through forecasts, suggestions, and alerts. The hotel PMS can serve as a natural nexus for digital decision-making, the driver’s seat for on-property AI. The AI revolution in hospitality is not about replacing the human heart of the industry; it’s about empowering it to beat stronger than ever before. It’s about creating a future where technology handles the routine, allowing human creativity and emotional intelligence to soar.

How Hotels Are Thinking About Gen AI

Here, we will dive into detailed examples from around the globe, showcasing how leading hospitality businesses are effectively using AI to enhance guest services and streamline their operations. These real-world examples will demonstrate AI’s practical benefits in improving the overall business efficiency from behind the scenes. By witnessing AI in action in their operations, you can better understand its transformative potential and how it’s becoming an essential tool in modernizing your industry. This simplifies the booking experience and also optimizes occupancy rates and revenue by dynamically adjusting offers and promotions in real-time to fill rooms more efficiently. In addition to this, AI-driven analytics can predict peak booking times to help hotels prepare for high-demand periods, ensuring a smooth operation and enhancing guest satisfaction. AI in predictive maintenance can help in forecasting potential issues before they occur by analyzing data from hotel equipment and infrastructure.

These hotel tech execs all believe there are big opportunities for AI, but they also believe that marketers are promoting it in ways that don’t make sense. To mark this milestone, Vouch is offering a free trial of its AI-powered solutions throughout October. By involving all stakeholders in an open, transparent discussion, where critical questions about digital transformation and AI are encouraged, hotels can confront these doubts constructively.

As hotels amass and collect an ever-growing volume of data, traditional data management, BI and analytics methods fall short. AI is poised to revolutionize the entire lifecycle of data and analytics within the hospitality industry. With AI, you move beyond merely understanding past events and their causes; you can analyze drivers, predict future trends, and derive actionable strategies to enhance guest experiences and boost operational efficiency. In today’s fast-paced world, AI has emerged as a game-changer for hotels, optimizing everything from guest services to operations while amplifying the most critical element of hospitality—the human touch. Whether it’s enhancing customer service through chatbots, refining pricing strategies with dynamic algorithms, or delivering unforgettable personalized experiences with AI-driven concierge services, the benefits are undeniable. Automation can create seamless guest experiences (e.g., automated check-ins and smart room controls), while Augmentation ensures that human staff can focus on high-value interactions.

Hospitality firms must strike a balance between the growing user demand for this technology and its current limitations. This could soon change, however, as airlines explore how to leverage this technology in technical, back-end functionalities. To dispense accurate, hotel-specific information, the LLM’s knowledge base must be supplemented with contextual information from an external data source like the hotel’s guest directory, PMS, or CRM. The solution is being employed by Sabre’s customer care and delivery team in the first instance to help them with hotel customer contact. User feedback will help determine how the tool evolves, whether that’s focused more on hotel information and insights, or more on local events and attractions and entertainment. The vision is that the chatbot will be able to answer general and specific questions based on Google’s swath of information paired with IHG’s data.

This assessment should be led with transparency and collaboration, using the principles of Blue Ocean Strategy’s Fair Process. When hotel leaders engage their teams in this assessment, inviting open dialogue and honest feedback, the buy-in for AI integration becomes far stronger. Your employees aren’t just bystanders in this process—they are active participants shaping the future of the business. AI systems in hospitality often rely on large amounts of customer data, raising questions about how this information is stored and used. Lastly, there’s the issue of cost and implementation – integrating AI into existing hospitality systems can be expensive and may require significant changes to infrastructure and processes. It is very much here and now, with many common examples of AI already changing our daily lives.

There, it transforms customer interactions and provides instant, around-the-clock assistance to guests. At the same time, it’s freeing hotel staff to spend more of their time on the little details that delight customers and make them smile. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants provide 24/7 customer support, resolving queries quickly, and offering tailored recommendations based on user interactions. This not only speeds up the travel planning process but also significantly improves customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The question has shifted from “if” AI will become a cornerstone of hotel operations to “when” it will be fully integrated. Each implemented idea would earn the employee not just a one-time bonus, but ongoing royalties based on the AI’s performance and cost savings. Furthermore, employees could be granted “AI equity” – shares in a pool that grows as the hotel’s AI capabilities expand.

This is why Google Cloud has become an integral part of many hotel AI implementations. The hospitality industry, like many others, stands at the threshold of a significant transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s becoming a reality that hotels must embrace to stay competitive. By tying employee compensation directly to AI advancement, hotels could unleash a tidal wave of grassroots innovation, rapidly outpacing competitors while creating a workforce of empowered, tech-savvy hospitality futurists.

AI is transforming industries at a speed that none of us have experienced before, reshaping the way we live, work, and interact. This rapid pace is exactly why AI represents such a revolutionary paradigm shift, one that hotels cannot afford to wait for. A recent study shows these requests account for guests’ most commonly asked questions, making them a frequent source of repetition among hotel workers. The future of hospitality is here, and it’s more human – and more revolutionary – than we ever imagined.

The Trip Boutique and Turneo highlight how startups are also at the forefront of this AI revolution, offering hyper-personalized travel experiences and digitalizing hotel services to enhance guest engagement and satisfaction. Generative AI is revolutionizing the travel and hospitality sectors by offering innovative solutions that enhance guest experiences and streamline operations. From customer service to personalized marketing to operational efficiency, this technology is transforming multiple facets of the industry. A. Artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry refers to the use of artificial intelligence technologies to enhance the guest experience and improve operational efficiencies within the hospitality sector. A 2023 global survey of hotel chains indicates that artificial intelligence is expected to lead innovation in the industry over the next two years.

It is one of the most vital use cases of AI in hospitality that also adds a layer of proactive monitoring that can help prevent incidents before they escalate, thereby maintaining a safe and secure environment. AI-driven solutions allow hotels to predict guest preferences, personalize communications, and manage in-house services more effectively, all of which contribute to a superior guest experience and increased operational productivity. Investing in AI for PMS is not just about keeping up with technology trends; it’s about redefining the guest experience. Hotels that successfully integrate AI into their PMS can offer a seamless blend of efficiency and personalization. This doesn’t mean sacrificing the human touch but enhancing it with the precision and power of AI.

The integration of AI into CRM systems represents a significant opportunity for the hotel industry. By leveraging AI-powered CRM, hotels can enhance guest experiences, streamline operations, and gain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital marketplace. It’s no longer enough chatbot for hotel to know your guest’s name; today, it’s about anticipating their needs before they even check in. AI-powered tools analyze guest preferences, behaviors, and feedback in real time, allowing your hotel to offer personalized experiences that feel bespoke, not cookie-cutter.

Since the initiation of the partnership, the solution has evolved to become the hotel’s preferred method of guest communication. Vouch’s mindful innovation has allowed it to attract a fresh funding round of US$2.5 million. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, adopt a mindset of excitement and opportunity, recognizing that AI’s rapid evolution is a gateway to innovation and a brighter future. One such tool, the Guest Experience Platform tool Duve, is already being used by over 1’000 brands in 60 countries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries at an unprecedented pace, and the hospitality sector is no exception. It’s Thursday, October 3, 2024 and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.