AI and Itinerary Planning - is AI about to disrupt the tourism industry?

If you don't have a connected Booking System, now is the time to get one before it's too late!

With the launch of ChatGPT, we have witnessed an explosion of new tools available. Of course, this includes travel.

Here at Bookable Tourism, we have been a strong advocate on getting tourism products online supported by robust, connected booking systems. This is to enable products, regions and destinations the best opportunity to market and convert bookings into actual sales. With the latest advancement in AI, we are witnessing the next phase in traveller purchase behaviour and it's expectations, and ways to further streamline booking operations within business (thanks to TourConnect and their booking automation tool).

While this is exciting to see, this also posses a problem on whether we, as an industry, are ready to take on this new change and meet the predicted level of expectation from our customers.

The Gap

There is still a significant gap in tourism product, on the ground that do not have a modern booking system installed. Without product, this inhibits regions to potentially convert bookings, and travellers to depart with either gaps in their itineraries, or to fill these gaps where there is bookable product.

To give context on how this works - there is already a itinerary tool called tripnotes.ai - when you go through the search and enter in an itinerary request, currently you are presented with options for dining, bars and shopping. There are few iconic attractions shown and the user is pushed to the attractions website to book.

Now, think about if you are the Expedia Group or Tripadvisor, who has basically been handed the tools to crack itinerary planning AND they are connected into most booking systems, or third parties who are connected into booking systems. Soon, we predict, they will be able to generate full itineraries WITH live, bookable product.

These of course won't be the only companies offering this, but think about how B2B wholesalers such as Livn, with will likely develop these tools for their travel agency networks and affiliates. It can go a lot further than you think.

With the popular uptake of ChatGPT and the tools that have developed since its launch, once the itinerary planning tools are developed and launched then this will catapult product reach significantly. However as these tools are currently in production, you as a tourism business, have a small window of time to ensure that you have a booking system in place and contracted and connected with the right distribution partners.

So, it is not too late to start looking for a booking system that is best for your business and kickstart the process of future proofing your business to be ready, for when the inevitable comes.

Need help finding a Booking System, you can do our online, on-demand "How to Choose a Booking System" course, or message me if you want to arrange a 1:1 coaching call.