Are chat bots the new way to book accom online?
Following news of Kayak’s new Facebook messenger booking app, will chat bots become the next big thing for hospitality booking engines?
We have seen the likes of TripAdvisor and Amazon try, with varying success, to offer price comparisons that use meta-search capabilities to build upon the OTA model but the main issue with these comparisons is that they never seem to include direct booking costs from properties themselves.
Now, Kayak has announced a new type of booking method using Facebook messenger, though it seems the ability to book direct with a hotel, particularly an independent hotel, via the bot is still absent.
“We’re pleased to introduce the Kayak Messenger bot to Aussie travellers. The bot is another way to offer the most innovative and cutting-edge technology to our users. Now travellers can search, book and manage their travel from beginning to end in one convenient location. They can even use emojis to find and book their next trip!” commented Debby Soo, KAYAK vice president APAC.
Chief scientist Matthias Keller added: “Launching on Messenger brings us a major step closer in being able to help our users in planning, booking and managing travel without having to leave their habits, e.g., switch to another website or install an app.
“Most remarkably, the natural language (free text) interface removes a barrier between brand and user by requiring less effort in terms of navigating the tool in order to accomplish a task. As such we may consider chat bots becoming a standard channel for the communication between brands and users.”
AccomNews is not affiliated with any government agency, body or political party. We are an independently owned, family-operated magazine.
