Marriott recently teamed up with Amazon to offer a hospitality version of the e-commerce giant’s Echo devices in select hotel rooms. Now, when guests want to order room service or housekeeping, they can simply ask Alexa, the voice of their disembodied personal concierge. Travelers with an Alexa device at home can book a car rental or hotel through Expedia and Kayak. Similarly, Google Assistant, which can be used via Google Home devices, smartphones, or smartwatches, can track flight prices and status, suggest nearby restaurants, convert currency, give directions, and provide same-day updates on traffic to airports. People can even book flights through voice-enabled Google Search.
How Smart Speakers Are Poised to Reinvent the Travel Industry
As AI-powered smart speakers like Amazon Echo and the Google Assistant become ever more prevalent, the travel planning industry has begun to experience some major disruptions. However, as with all new technologies, these new tools also offer huge opportunities if leveraged effectively. In this piece, the authors offer three strategies for travel companies looking to stay relevant in the age of automated assistants: First, be openminded about partnerships with companies like Google and Alexa. Next, use loyalty programs — and the troves of invaluable customer data they contain — as leverage. Finally, adapt your content and product offerings to work with these new automated services. We’re only at the beginning of the voice-enabled travel planning era. How effectively established companies take advantage of these new technologies early on will determine their success going forward.