tourism
Tui IT boss: “AI will change travel planning and booking”
In Great Britain, the travel group Tui uses ChatGPT in its app. photo
© Moritz Frankenberg/dpa
According to experts, developments in artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT could shake up entire industries. How is the travel industry reacting and what are the consequences for holidaymakers?
In the future, employees in travel agencies could use AI themselves to advise customers, explains Jordaan. “Generative AI will very quickly replace tasks, but not jobs,” says the industry leader. The so-called generative AI, which also includes text robots such as ChatGPT, is able to create new content based on existing information and user specifications.
Tui uses ChatGPT in its UK app. About every second user can access ChatGPT in the app in a test, for example to receive personalized suggestions for excursions. In Germany, the offer should be available by the end of the year.
Specialists will also be essential in the future
According to the opinion of the tour operator Schauinsland-Reisen, qualified specialists will remain essential in the future. The Duisburg-based company is currently using ChatGPT as a test. The software helps, for example, with the creation of customer newsletters. “However, AI cannot replace the experience and expertise of our specialists, but only serve as support,” says a Schauinsland spokesman.
An AI like ChatGPT could simplify and automate individual time-consuming work processes in the long term. “The human gut feeling when putting together our products cannot be replaced by AI,” says the spokesman. A fully automated use of ChatGPT is not an option for Schauinsland in the future either.
The industry association DRV also assumes that travel professionals will not become superfluous: the experts in the travel agencies know the wishes and preferences of their customers well and make tailor-made offers. “Today, the AI cannot offer this content – which is not freely available online – with all the expert tips.”
Opportunities in the fight against skills shortages
DER Touristik top manager Mark Tantz (COO Central Europe) sees opportunities to cushion the shortage of skilled workers. Automation – whether simple or artificial – is a way of relieving employees of simple tasks so that they can concentrate on more interesting activities, for example. “This is a relevant issue, especially when there is a shortage of skilled workers,” says Tantz.
In his view, the connection between personal advice and support and support from AI will be the key to success in the future. The industry second is currently using AI in customer contact, among other things. “This enables us to send customers the right offer at the right time.”
Tui, DER Touristik and Co. do not want to rely on the results of AI without being checked. The employees are required not only to strictly comply with data protection regulations, “but also to always check the results for plausibility, security and correctness before they are used further,” says Tantz, for example.
Personal customer contact remains important
The special travel provider Chamäleon Reisen, which has been using ChatGPT for accommodation descriptions on its homepage since this year, continues to attach great importance to direct contact with customers. “We continue to consciously rely on direct contact with our customers. They should also be able to reach those responsible for the individual destinations directly in the future,” reports Ingo Lies, founder of the organizer for sustainable travel.
The travel group Alltours sees it in a similar way: “Personal contact with our customers remains important for us, and AI cannot replace it.”