Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than just a buzzword – it’s a new era of technology that is changing the way we experience the world.
Ever since the 2022 debut of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a natural language chatbot that assists users with tasks like writing emails, essays, code (and even sonnets) in a human-like way, AI has been disrupting industries in never-before-seen ways.
Travel and tourism included. AI-powered tools can now take requests for flights, hotels, dinner reservations, and activities and automatically turn them into customized itineraries.
(Although, as PAX has previously argued, it’s no match for the personalization and service that a human travel advisor provides).
Still, it’s a realm of computer science that cannot be ignored, and one that is evolving at breakneck speed.
Since last year, a universe of AI-powered applications has exploded, paving the way for a new breed of tools that are reshaping the way people do business.
Some in the travel industry have been quick to adapt generative technologies.
Tannis Dyrland – Tisson Travel Group
“AI has had an incredible impact on the travel industry,” says Tannis Dyrland, owner and CEO of Tisson Travel Group, a community for Alberta-based travel advisors.
“It has become a product of daily use in our office,” she says. “It's revolutionizing the way we work, allowing our valuable time to go into building business and relationships with clients and suppliers.”
One tool Dyrland swears by is Otter.ai, which transcribes meetings in real time, while recording audio, capturing slides and extracting action items.
The tool is a helpful assistant during important meetings.
“While we're paying attention, the system handles the notetaking and transcription,” Dyrland says. “It will transcribe your entire meeting, and at the end, lay out all of the information that was discussed in an easy-to-read document.”
Meanwhile, each agency at Tisson Travel Group, which launched last year, has an AI tool built directly into their website.
This assists clients in doing what they love – search for travel, Dyrland says.
“But it also assists the agent,” she explains. “It takes information and data and builds itineraries based on the clients wants and needs without having to go back and forth multiple times.”
AI-powered dictation software, such as Gleen, is also allowing the Tisson team to automatically write emails, letters and notices to clients and industry personnel.
“Artificial intelligence has given us back what we all wanted…time,” Dyrland says. “Time to run our business and be efficient in our day-to-day tasks.”
