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TourReview has launched two new features for online review management: Translation and Geolocation
In the world of tourism, the variety of languages and geolocations are crucial factors that drive the industry. TourReview ensures that these factors do not become an obstacle to effective online reputation management for tour operators. TourReview launches two new features for effective online reputation management for tour operators. The TourReview software allows instant translation of reviews extracted directly from customers or OTAs. The Review Master now features a geolocation analysis to see where the reviews are located, and how many reviews each country has, as well as being able to see immediately whether these reviews have been positive or negative. TourReview, the experts in online review management, have launched new features within their software that solve a niche problem for tour operators, the centralization and collection of verified reviews. Thus, TourReview proposes its two products to more efficiently achieve a positive online reputation. Now, when receiving a review and viewing it from the central panel of OTA reviews within the Review Master, a translation from any language to the browser settings can be displayed with just one click. This feature extends to the Review Collector, which collects the online reviews from the operator’s customers. On the other hand, TourReview offers a geolocation analysis service. This shows a map-like graphic that illustrates the location of the company's products (tours, experiences or activities) and allows you to observe the number of reviews for each location along with the satisfaction breakdown. This is especially useful for identifying the products and destinations with the most feedback, the best rated, highest attendance and therefore, the best sellers. “It is very useful for a tour operator to understand which products and destinations are having the highest satisfaction, and at the same time it is extremely important to know which of them should pay more attention to improve the score of the reviews,” explains Juana Muro, COO of TourReview, ”this way companies can offer better experiences to their travelers, providing quality services, improving their online reputation, and therefore increasing their sales.
Ctrip, Baidu offer translation for Chinese tourists
The language barrier discourages Chinese from travelling independently, Ctrip claims Ctrip has teamed up with Baidu, the Chinese search engine, to provide a new translation service for Chinese tourists abroad. Using Baidu's "optical character recognition" (OCR) technology, tourists can translate English content into Chinese by taking a photograph of the text via the Ctrip app. The service is said to be more accurate than inputting characters manually. According to a report by the China Tourism Academy and Ctrip, more than 62 million mainland Chinese travelled abroad in the first half of 2017, up 5% year-on-year. More than half (58%) of these were independent travellers, while 42% were on group tours. The language barrier is one of the main reasons that tourists choose group tours, according to Ctrip.
AIME 2026 names its keynote speakers for Knowledge Monday
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has announced three keynote speakers for its highly anticipated 2026 Knowledge Monday programme. The next edition of AIME Knowledge Monday will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) on 9th February 2026 This year’s Knowledge Monday theme Expertise Matters! celebrates the credibility, clarity, and strategic influence of professionals across the business events sector. AIME event director Silke Calder says the 2026 keynote lineup epitomises the theme and the growing strength of the Knowledge Monday platform. Calder said: “Our keynote speakers each bring a unique lens on what true expertise means today. It’s about lived experience, self-awareness and the ability to apply knowledge with purpose. Knowledge Monday continues to be the heart of AIME’s learning experience, inspiring our community to connect, collaborate and lead with confidence.” Meet the speakers Attendees will be guided by three standout speakers who will explore the art and science of expertise from mindset and behaviour to resilience, reinvention, and human connection. Dan Haesler Performance and leadership coach Dan Haesler is a leading authority on mindset, mental skills and leadership. A trusted coach to elite sporting teams, Olympians and global organisations, Dan helps high performers thrive by combining research, psychology and real-world experience. With regard to the theme, Haesler opines: “Expertise matters: however, time and again it’s lost in translation due to environments and delivery that dampen authentic engagement. My keynote is less about the expertise we share and more about the environment we create to share it.” He added that delegates will leave with a more nuanced approach to designing for authentic engagement, something he believes is critical in today’s high-pressure business events landscape. Milo Wilkinson Behavioural scientist and futurist Milo Wilkinson is renowned for decoding human behaviour in high-stakes environments from boardrooms to interrogation rooms. With seven degrees spanning neuroscience, psychology and criminal sciences, she brings a razor-sharp lens to leadership, influence and performance. Wilkinson said: “Expertise Matters! aligns directly with the neuroscience behind intentional design, decision-making, and human connection. True expertise goes beyond logistics, as it requires understanding subconscious drivers of attention, trust, and engagement. By revealing the brain’s pattern recognition and threat-response systems, we can elevate events from functional gatherings to strategically engineered experiences that create measurable impact.” She added that delegates will leave with practical strategies to strengthen mental agility and a deeper understanding of their primal brain, recognising that their expertise is grounded in science, not instinct. Kristina Karlsson kikki.K and Dream Life founder Kristina Karlsson is a globally recognised entrepreneur, author and speaker whose story embodies the power of resilience, reinvention and purposeful expertise. From building and leading a $650 million global design brand to starting again with her company Dream Life, she inspires audiences to dream big, act bravely and create impact that lasts. According to Karlsson: “Expertise isn’t just what you know, it’s what you’ve lived. I’ll be sharing what I learnt from building then losing a $650 million globally loved business and how that can help you, no matter where you are in life.” She also pointed out that attendees will walk away from her talk refreshed and inspired to dream big, with new practical tools to start using immediately in their own lives. Knowledge matters Hosted by BEAM experience founder El Kwang, Knowledge Monday is expected to attract more than 1,500 global event professionals, setting the tone for three dynamic days of networking, learning and connection. The AIME 2026 Knowledge Monday programme brings together AIME Hosted Buyers and Exhibitors, while Visitor Buyers can upgrade their tickets to attend. AIME 2026 will run from 9th to 11th February 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Returning for its biggest edition yet delivered by Calder and her team, the event will feature over 4,500 attendees including 700 exhibitors, 700 hosted buyers and more than 20,000 pre-scheduled appointments.
Radisson Hotel Group wins at TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 – Thailand for smart hospitality solutions
The group has embarked on a journey to use AI to enhance the digital customer experience and increase operational efficiency. Radisson Hotel Group was honoured with the Smart Hospitality Solutions of the Year accolade at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 - Thailand, in recognition of its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital transformation that streamlines operations and enhances the customer journey. The group partnered with leading providers like Google to integrate AI into its digital ecosystem across multiple fronts. Through its AI-powered and intent-driven engine, Smart Search, Radisson Hotel Group addressed travellers’ frustration with traditional hotel searches by interpreting natural language questions, such as “Where can I go skiing in Europe?” This allows customers to enjoy a frictionless experience from inspiration to booking. Recognised by Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Smart Search is expected to increase – together with the other AI-driven solutions – search-to-book conversions by over 35% whilst reducing bounce rates by nearly 20%. For Radisson, being relevant in the local markets is key whilst maintaining a global presence. The group has been using AI for Localization by combining neural machine translation, large language models, and human oversight to deliver precise, culturally sensitive translations across 34 languages. With this initiative, Radisson has reduced time to market when launching a new language on their website and app and optimised translation costs, proving that AI can simultaneously deliver quality, scale, and efficiency. Meanwhile, for smarter content and sustainability, Radisson addressed brand compliance challenges by utilising AI-powered image transformation to automate editing and approval of content. The innovation reduced rejection rates by 20% and recovered up to 200 images monthly, accelerating marketing and distribution whilst also supporting sustainability by reusing existing assets rather than commissioning new photo shoots. Beyond generic marketing, the group uses AI to analyse guest preferences and behaviours. It creates real-time, tailored digital experiences across over 60 markets. This has already delivered impressive results: booking conversions increased by 8%, click-through rates by 6.7%, and incremental revenue. Lastly, to bring hotels closer to potential guests, Radisson Hotel Group has consilidated the usage of Immersive Content, offering interactive, guided explorations on its website and app. These tours reduce the need for physical site visits, cutting carbon emissions. It also makes hospitality more inclusive through avatars that support text-to-speech for visually impaired users. This unique feature deepens engagement, with participating pages recording a 279% increase in clicks, a 21% rise in interactions, and an 18% uplift in conversion rates. “Looking ahead, Radisson Hotel Group is building toward an AI-Agentic Assistant capable of supporting customers seamlessly across channels, including WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. This roadmap envisions a 24/7 digital concierge able to manage bookings, answer questions, and deliver personalised offers, all whilst maintaining the brand’s ‘Every Moment Matters’ promise,” Radisson Hotel Group stated. The TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards - Thailand highlights the exemplary hotels, airlines, airports, cruise lines, tour operators and travel agencies, booking platforms, and travel technology, projects, and initiatives that elevate the standards in the travel industry. The TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 - Thailand is presented by Travel Daily Media Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. For more details, please contact Marni Marco at +65 3158 1386 or marni@traveldailymedia.com.
Technology, Adventure, and the Human Touch: Points to Ponder from ITB Asia 2025
ITB Asia 2025, the annual event’s largest edition yet, drew to a successful conclusion on Friday, 17th October. We at Travel Daily Media had the opportunity to cover the event throughout its three-day run, sitting in on sessions headlined by some of the leading thinkers in global travel and tourism. Likewise, making our way through the extensive exhibition that occupied two floors of the Sands Expo and Convention Centre enabled us to see relevant trends currently shaping the industry, as well as those that stand to change the game down the line. In today’s feature, we share some of the ideas that are currently turning heads and making those who matter sit up and take notice as change takes hold throughout travel, tourism, and hospitality in Asia and beyond. A dedicated area for startups enabled emergent developers to meet with delegates Travel technology is evolving at a much faster rate than we think It was inevitable that the use of artificial intelligence and big data would be touched upon in key discussions throughout ITB Asia. However, other companies specialising in travel tech also showcased their expertise at the event, their offerings running the gamut from AI-driven real-time translation to the use of facial recognition as a more secure alternative to standard fingerprint biometrics. Likewise, companies like AStation revealed to participants the manifold uses of augmented and virtual reality in tourism, going beyond mere storytelling and into the realm of speculative tourism, serving as a potential game changer that will give travellers access to never-before-scene locations without compromising the natural environment. A growing number of travellers from Asia and elsewhere are opting to travel solo to see and experience more of what they want We are seeing the rise of free and independent travellers In his talk Untethered Adventures on the final day of the conference, High-Yield Tourism's Gary Bowerman also cited the ongoing rise in the number of free and independent travellers (FITs) making their way through the world. As he put it: "The biggest growth and the most important changes in key travel markets are coming in the independent sector. Young people, older people, middle aged people who want to travel their way." Indeed, it was notable how several travel agencies and OTAs participating at ITB Asia were quick to respond to inquiries regarding options for individual travellers who would rather do their exploring solo than with tour groups, a gang of friends, or even their families. Now, why is this becoming a thing? For starters, travelling solo enables individual travellers to move at their own pace, unencumbered by a prescribed regimen or schedule of activities. Likewise, they can properly focus on what they specifically want to see and what they want to do as opposed to pandering to the myriad requirements involved in group travel. As a result, tourism boards, travel agencies, OTAs, and even hotels are coming up with promotions specifically targeting solo travellers to help them make the most of their journeys. Orange-helmeted tourists zip through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City on one of Vespa Adventures' famed night tours of Saigon We need to make the most out of experiential travel One of the fresh additions to ITB Asia was the inclusion of a specific Experience Zone featuring companies offering a variety of attractions, including zoos, cruises, and entertainment. Come next year, thanks to an agreement between Messe Berlin and TripAdvisor, this zone will expand into a dedicated pavilion focused on experiential travel, with options ranging from cultural immersion, gastronomy, as well as health and wellness. But even now, well beyond the parameters of ITB Asia, we are already seeing countries embracing the precepts of experiential travel and offering immersive options to tourists. Vietnam and Taiwan have this down pat, as we have seen in recent familiarisation trips: both countries take travellers on immersive experiences in locations that may not necessarily be part of the standard tourism experience. Vietnam draws travellers' attention to its history as it invites travellers to explore the tunnels in the town of Cu Chi to delve into how the Vietnamese people survived and even thrived throughout the war years; to understand the nuances of local cuisine at hands-on learning experiences in Ho Chi Minh City and Ho Tram; to try their hand at traditional crafts like silk painting and pottery; and even understand local flora and fauna through a visit to an arboretum in Vung Tau. Taiwan pretty much goes along the same lines, but steps up the game by offering a closer look at the country's urban centres: not through its malls and more common attractions, but through its increasing number of MICE venues and facilities to draw in potential clients; artists' quarters where travellers can see them at work and take home a part of the experience; and museums that show off the best of both traditional and contemporary art. Three years post-pandemic, there is still a shortfall when it comes to staff in travel, aviation, and hospitality Human resources remain a critical issue However, not all the news has been good at ITB Asia, particularly where human resources in travel and related fields are concerned. A recent report by ACI HR Solutions pointed out how the lack of staff has adversely affected operations in the food and beverage sector, aviation, and hospitality. Indeed, in his talk on the last day of the event, ACI chief executive Andrew Chan remarked: "The industry has rebounded strongly, but there is still a severe talent shortage. If anyone has made some hires recently or is in the middle of some hires, you're probably looking at some difficulties because, during COVID, the industry lost about 70 percent of staff as many had to move away from the industry just to find employment." Chan explained that, despite the ongoing recovery, not everyone who left travel and hospitality during the pandemic has returned to their posts; indeed, many have moved on to other unrelated sectors. He said: "There's still a big gap between the talent in the talent pool, and there's a lot of increased competition across skill sets, across borders, and building a new workforce is certainly changing the game for HR and hiring managers in terms of how you're actually going to be attracting the talent."
HBX Group launches a new version of its Olivia chatbot
Global B2B travel technology marketplace HBX Group takes a decisive step forward in global customer service with the launch of a new version of its chat tool Olivia. Olivia’s latest iteration incorporates real-time (RTT) two-way translation powered by artificial intelligence. According to HBX Group’s chief sourcing and operations officer Xavier Zabala: “Our goal is for any customer, anywhere in the world, to feel that they are receiving personalised service, without having to deal with language barriers. Real-time translation with Olivia represents a qualitative leap in user experience and proof of our commitment to technological innovation through artificial intelligence.” What’s new with Olivia The new feature allows any customer to start a chat in their local language at any time of day. When a native agent is available, the conversation is assigned directly. If not, an AI system is automatically activated: customers write in their language and receive automatically translated responses, while agents respond in English. The result is a smooth and natural interaction wherein the customer receives responses in their own language, without any complications. At the same time, a label appears indicating that the conversation is being automatically translated, reflecting HBX Group's commitment to the transparent and responsible use of AI. With ‘Olivia’, HBX Group ensures that every customer receives immediate, personalised assistance in their own language, without delays or friction. At the same time, the company strengthens its ability to handle peaks in demand and improves team productivity, thereby supporting its international growth. Part of a bigger plan This launch forms part of a broader plan by HBX Group to integrate artificial intelligence across all customer service channels: chat, help desk, email and telephone. The company has already implemented intelligent query classification tools, which optimise case routing, and automation processes for routine tasks such as booking reconfirmations, achieving automatic resolution rates of over 30 percent. These improvements enable the organisation to move towards a more scalable, efficient and user-experience-focused service model. The two-way simultaneous translation solution designed by HBX Group stands out for being a fully integrated, real-time system, positioning the company as a pioneer in delivering seamless, real-time, 24/7 global service in 13 languages. After the initial launch phase in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, French, Greek, Thai and Turkish, HBX Group plans to activate this feature in the rest of its markets in the coming weeks, thus consolidating a truly global customer service offering. That said, the solution has been built with a translation engine trained with travel industry-specific vocabulary and incorporating specific requests from HBX Group customers, ensuring more accurate and efficient communication.
Jaipur Literature Festival 2026 Unveils First List of Speakers
Representative Image The 19th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival, recognised globally as the “greatest literary show on earth,” returns to the Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan from 15th to 19th January 2026 at Hotel Clarks Amer. For nearly two decades, the festival has been an empowering space where books and ideas intersect, bringing together award-winning writers, thinkers, artists, and readers from around the world. The 2026 edition promises yet another unforgettable experience – a commingling of literary discourse, inspirational dialogue, robust debate, along with musical performances, art installations, satellite events, craft, cuisine, and a glorious coming together of people - all of which reaffirm the Festival’s iconic stature. The Festival is presented by Vedanta and produced by Teamwork Arts. As Presenting Partner, Vedanta champions innovation through culture, creativity, and global dialogue. This collaboration with the Jaipur Literature Festival reflects Vedanta’s belief in the power of ideas to inspire new thinking and shape a better world. The 19th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival will feature over 350 speakers across six venues, curating an expansive programme that traverses fiction, poetry, history, art, science, math, medicine, mental health, climate action, business, geopolitics and conflict, gender and translations, cinema, race, identity and more, weaving in the enduring power of storytelling. At its core, the Festival remains deeply committed to championing linguistic and cultural diversity, reinforcing the spirit of inclusivity and India’s vast and mighty literary heritage. The first list of announced speakers features a distinguished roster of celebrated voices from India and across the globe: Anamika, Anand Neelakantan, Anuradha Roy, Banu Mushtaq, Bhawana Somaaya, Edward Luce, Eleanor Barraclough, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Hallie Rubenhold, Harleen Singh Sandhu, Helen Molesworth, Jon Lee Anderson, Jung Chang, K. R. Meera, Kate Mosse, Kim Ghattas, Manu Joseph, Olga Tokarczuk, Timothy Berners-Lee, Rashmi Narzary, Ruchir Joshi, Salma, Shobhaa Dé, Stephen Fry, and Vishwanathan Anand. From Nobel laureates and Booker awardees to sports icons, historians, cultural experts, political analysts, and storytellers, the line-up is a galaxy of stalwart writers, thinkers and experts. Namita Gokhale, writer and Festival Co-Director, said: The Jaipur Literature Festival 2026 promises to be a vintage edition. Our sessions and themes traverse cultures and continents while keeping a special focus on the rich diversity of Indian languages and literature. We examine the changing realities of our world, in geopolitical flashpoints, in emergent realities of AI, in the articulation of language and the fluidity of literary formats. The Jaipur BookMark takes us to the core issues of publishing and the business of books. January - when the world visits Jaipur and Jaipur visits the world. William Dalrymple, historian, author and Festival Co-Director, said: “The Jaipur Literature Festival is a celebration of the written word & oral tradition, a testament to the power of stories & literature to inspire and connect. This year, as we gather once more in the Pink City, we look forward to welcoming an unmatched lineup of genius writers, thinkers, and dreamers from across the world. It is a carnival of literature that promises to ignite ideas of both writing & reading. Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, said “The Jaipur Literature Festival has become a global festival synonymous with culture, creativity, and collaboration. In our 19th year we continue to celebrate literature as a powerful platform for storytelling that resonates with audiences worldwide. It offers unparalleled opportunities for our visitors, partners, sponsors, and stakeholders to connect, discuss and engage with innovation and ideas. It is more than a festival, it is a cultural movement that connects societies and inspires empathy and understanding.” Alongside its core programming, the festival will also host the 13th edition of Jaipur BookMark (JBM), the leading B2B platform for publishers, literary agents, translators and writers, driving industry collaboration and global exchange. The festival celebrates culture and built heritage with a signature evening held against the backdrop of the majestic Amer Fort, and the Jaipur Music Stage, featuring performances by leading Indian and international musicians, bringing rhythm, energy, and celebration to Festival evenings. For 19 years, the Jaipur Literature Festival has remained a democratic, inclusive, and non-aligned space for dialogue, intellectual engagement, and cultural celebration. Save the Dates: 15–19 January 2026 Venue: Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur
AI in Travel, Simplified: Agoda’s Andrew Smith Shares Insights Ahead of ITB Asia 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and other technologies that stand to change the way the world travels are among the hot topics for discussion at this year’s ITB Asia which opens on Wednesday, 15th October, in Singapore. For this reason, we at Travel Daily Media had the opportunity to speak to Andrew Smith, senior vice-president of supply at global online travel platform Agoda, who shared some fresh insights on how these technologies are shaping the contemporary travel and tourism sectors. Smith pointed out the ways by which Agoda has used technology to its advantage, serving as tools with which to craft a better, more efficient, and more engaging online experience for its customers. In the beginning As Smith recalls: “At Agoda, we approached AI by asking a very simple question: what real problems can this solve for travelers and partners today? A few concrete points guided us before rolling anything out.” These touchpoints included the following: Pain points first, technology second: The company focused on areas where customers or partners felt friction: particularly finding the right hotel in seconds, resolving common booking issues, or helping a small hotel manage pricing and content without extra staff; Internal usage before external delivery: To get things started, Agoda initially used AI to make its own teams more productive. Among the measures involved were the shift from manual to automated reporting, the development of rapid creatives for social media, as well as faster internal escalation flows so that the platform could deliver better outcomes to travelers and partners faster; Empowering partners: It is pretty much a given that hotels and property managers, especially smaller independents, don’t always have marketing teams or data science resources. Smith said: “We considered how AI could level the playing field, making it easier for them to promote themselves, optimize pricing, and reach new demand;” and Scalability: AI can’t just be a demo feature, so to speak; hence, Agoda prioritised use cases that could work across millions of travellers and tens of thousands of partners, getting into applicable real-world scenarios as opposed to the controlled environment of a testing lab. As Smith puts it: “The outcome is that AI is embedded into our business with practical use cases that show immediate value. It simplifies how partners work with us and makes travel planning more fun and less stressful for customers.” Does technology matter when it comes to personalisation? Of late, we have seen the term personalisation banded around with AI and other technologies under discussion, especially in the context of hospitality. We have seen how major hotel chains and even some smaller groups use contemporary technologies to determine where they can improve overall customer service, offer a better guest experience, and ensure repeat bookings for the future. Smith said of the application of AI and similar innovations in hospitality: “AI is rapidly transforming hospitality, with adoption and investment across the industry projected to grow significantly in the coming years. At Agoda, we see AI as a tool to personalize travel in two ways: creating better experiences for travelers and helping partners attract even more guests.” He went on to point out that AI is a powerful equaliser, particularly among Agoda’s growing number of global partners. According to Smith: “Hotels and tour operators, regardless of size, can now compete more effectively by leveraging AI-driven tools, enabling them to attract travelers at the right moment in their search journey.” He cited how partners can generate tailored content automatically for their specific properties, highlighting search parameters like family-friendly near Disneyland for one segment and romantic Left Bank escape to another, all on top of a plethora of segmentations with little effort. Smith added: “What’s more, AI is unlocking the potential for smart pricing and promotions, with Deloitte reporting that AI-powered dynamic pricing in hospitality can improve revenue per available room (RevPAR) by up to ten percent.” While that’s all well and good for hospitality companies, would AI have any significant benefit to the ordinary traveller? For Smith, the simple answer is yes. He explains: “For travelers AI enables a more intuitive and relevant discovery process. Rather than relying solely on simple filters like price or location, at Agoda we leverage AI to surface options that align with each traveler’s unique preferences and past behaviors. For example, a traveler searching for Tokyo may see a capsule hotel for a solo trip, a boutique hotel near Shibuya shops and nightlife for a couple, or a family suite close to Ueno Zoo for parents traveling with kids.” Even after the trip or hotel has been booked, AI can anticipate the needs of individual travellers throughout their journey. AI can generate relevant suggestions for those on tour or contemplating any activities on their slate based on interests as well as data from previous trips. In doing so, the overall experience becomes deeply personal for travellers, essentially enabling them to put their own stamp on every experience. Smith opined: “Looking ahead, the real opportunity lies in translating the power of AI-driven personalization into engaging and intuitive experiences for both travelers and partners. Our focus is on ensuring that every interaction feels relevant and effortless, so travelers discover options that truly resonate with them, and partners see stronger conversion and more bookings.” Tread carefully: technology and cultural sensitivity Cultural sensitivity is a serious touchpoint at the moment for the global travel and tourism sectors, especially in the context of overtourism and the disrespectful way that some travellers have been behaving in various parts of the world. In which case, how can artificial intelligence change the game when it comes to developing more culturally diverse offerings without being offensive to local sensibilities or diluting the merits of local culture? Smith replied that, for Agoda, AI has the potential to strengthen localisation, making cultural relevance easier to achieve at scale. But he was also quick to point out that AI is most powerful when it enhances, rather than overshadows, local traditions and experiences and when its application is guided by human judgement. As he explains: “For travellers, AI allows us to surface options and guidance that align with local customs and etiquette. For instance, travelers booking a stay in Japan might receive suggestions for ryokans with private onsen baths, while those heading to Bali could be prompted about temple dress codes. Agoda’s multilingual AI tools localize both tone and content: a deal described as ‘awesome’ in English becomes ‘great value’ in Japanese, reflecting cultural communication norms. This approach has helped Agoda maintain over 40 active language sites, each tuned to local tone and nuance rather than literal translation.” On the other hand AI empowers Agoda’s hotel partners to express their identity authentically to a global audience. For example: a Thai boutique resort can automatically translate its listing into Korean or Arabic without losing the warmth of Thai hospitality. AI can also detect cultural mismatches from guest reviews in order to prompt clearer explanations in future listings. Across regions, AI helps partners understand demand patterns: breakfast-inclusive stays in Japan, for example; or flexibility in Australia; even family-friendly options in the Middle East. Such insights lead to the development of more relevant and appealing offers without diluting cultural distinction. Smith opines:”Ultimately, AI is helping travel become more respectful, as travellers engage with local cultures more thoughtfully, and partners can showcase what makes them unique to a global audience.” Technology = streamlined service Within the Agoda experience, AI and other technologies have been a great help for streamlining operations, particularly customer service. According to Smith: “AI plays an important role in assisting much of our frontline support. For example, our Property Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) Bot provides travelers with instant, reliable information about hotels and amenities directly on property pages across desktop, mobile, and app. Since its launch, the bot has handled over 30,000 hotel-related questions daily, reducing uncertainty and helping travelers make quicker booking decisions. For more routine support needs, our virtual assistant handles increasing amounts of requests monthly, resolving common issues such as date changes, refund eligibility, or booking confirmations in seconds. When an issue is complex, AI routes it to the right human team with full context, so customers don’t need to repeat themselves. This has reduced response and resolution times while improving satisfaction.” Indeed, AI has significantly improved how Agoda supports its hotel partners on a daily basis, and the creation of a virtual assistant on its YCS partner platform has made it easier to meet vital needs. To date, Agoda is in the process of expanding its relevant investments in technology to extend coverage and offer solutions in more languages. It should be noted at this point that one of the more complex and time-sensitive support issues is using technology to deal with is payment re-issuance. To date, Agoda has fully automated related processes, resulting in quicker response time and improved satisfaction. Smith recalls: “Even for internal support we used to deal with over 40different internal flows for escalation which is now replaced by a single AI workflow ultimately benefiting our partners and customers. We’re still learning and improving. Some partner or traveler situations require emotional intelligence or nuanced negotiation, areas where human empathy remains irreplaceable. Our focus now is refining AI’s ability to detect when to escalate to a human early, ensuring we balance speed with sensitivity.” Looking to the future For Smith, Agoda’s direction with regard to the use of AI and other technologies is clear: Agoda is building toward an even more connected trip experience powered by AI. He said: “The next stage of travel innovation isn’t just about showing the right hotel or flight. It’s about having an assistant that understands context and timing, suggesting a room upgrade when it makes sense, helping you rebook automatically if your flight is delayed, or recommending a great local restaurant once you’ve checked in. all without you needing to ask.” The application of such technologies will ensure that journeys feel proactive and personal for travellers anywhere. For partners, on the other hand, it will lead to improved demand prediction, smarter merchandising, along with a host of ways with which to engage guests throughout their stays. Smith concluded by saying: “We’re deeply focused on responsible innovation. AI can only succeed if customers and partners trust how it’s used. So, our approach is to innovate quickly but deploy carefully. In short, we’re aiming for the kind of travel experience that feels effortless end to end: intelligent, human, and connected.” Agoda’s Andrew Smith will be leading the ITB Asia session Real World Applications of AI and Strategies for Hotels on Thursday, 16th October, at 1:30pm SGT at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore. To know more about the upcoming discussion, click here.
Global MICE trends in 2025: sustainability comes to the fore
Having covered several major MICE events over the past several months, we at Travel Daily Media have kept a close eye on the way the industry has been evolving of late. Indeed, 2025 may not yet be over, but we have already taken note of a number of trends that are actively shaping the sector, the way it works, and the impact it has on global markets. Of these, we believe that five particularly stand out and may be the ones dictating where the MICE sector goes in the long run. Sustainability lies at the heart of every event In a recent piece we did following the Asian MICE Forum, we pointed out how sustainability helped shape the event experience for participants even as it considerably reduced the event’s carbon footprint. Indeed, events worldwide are being designed with environmentally friendly operations in mind. As such, organisers really ought to look into more eco-friendly waste reduction methods, more sustainable catering options, a reduction in or even a total end to the use of paper, as well as staging events in eco-conscious locations. It’s all about personalisation Rather than a “One size fits all” approach to organising events, MICE professionals are actually analysing data gleaned from previous conferences or exhibitions and using the information to tailor offerings to the specific needs of participants. Artificial intelligence and big data have had their part to play in this, seeing how the algorithms reveal patterns for participant behaviour, the appeal of specific topics, as well as the amenities offered at venues. It is to be hoped that the use of such technologies will lead to the creation of personalised programmes that will make events more engaging for all concerned. Hybrid events are here to stay One good thing that came out of the pandemic was the way people could participate in events anywhere in the world without leaving the safety of their homes. Today, the hybrid approach has enabled those physically unable to come to events to be in on the action via platforms like Zoom or even livestreaming on practically any social media channel. In relation to the second point above, it also significantly reduces the carbon footprint of an event thanks to a decrease in emissions from any form of mechanised transport. Livestreaming events also enable organisers to reach a much wider and larger audience than they can usually gather on site. Get your tech on We’ve seen this at MITE in Macau, ITB China in Shanghai, and ITE HCMC in Vietnam: tech has its part to play in MICE. By this, we aren’t just talking about robotics which are being used as support solutions for event organisers in terms of ferrying materials from one end of a hall to the other or even serving as directional devices to guide lost guests. We have seen the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered translation at numerous events throughout the region from plenary sessions to more intimate meetings. Likewise, several venues have also begun to use augmented and virtual reality (AR / VR) technologies to give participants a preview of popular venues or to participate in interactive presentations to deepen their understanding of relevant concepts. Technology is certainly a great way to ensure that participants are kept engaged and focused on any event. Wake up and stay well It is, alas, very easy for participants to get bored at an event, especially if it’s a forum that involves marathon panel discussions. A number of event organisers and even individual moderators or hosts have gotten around this by introducing random activities into the discussion: participants need to stand up to vote on polls, or they need to form groups and huddle outside of the primary venue; practically any option to get people to move and wake up. Likewise, we’ve also seen a number of events that have carbon dioxide and step count monitors to ensure that the working environment within the venue remains within healthy parameters. Also, we’ve noted that some event organisers are veering away from the anything goes buffets of yesteryears and moving towards tasty, nutritionally balanced, and properly portioned meals at their functions.
Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST 5)
PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism) 2022 is an innovative event rallying the hotel industry and its stakeholders to discuss both environmental sustainability and social impact and governance.