Voice recognition enters the travel industry

VOICE recognition searches
are predicted to become
the new method of choice
for accessing information,
according to Travelport’s
recently released Transforming
your travel management
ebook.
Travel companies applying
voice technology to their
offering include KLM, FCM and
InterContinental Hotels and
Resorts.
The technology is of
relevance to the travel industry
because of the convenience
it offers travellers looking
for information and who are
carrying heavy suitcases.
Earlier this month,
InterContinental Hotels and
Resorts announced that
voice recognition technology
handling many of these
functions would be launched
in two of its hotels in China
within the year. FCM is rolling
out chatbot Sam next month
and KLM released BB, its Blue
Bot service, during 2017. BB
offers KLM customers flight
booking services in natural
language and advice on what
to pack for upcoming trips
based on trip duration and
predicted local weather.
Claudette Thorne, country
manager South Africa at
Travelport, says the shift to
mobile and voice commerce
continues to shape the travel
industry. She adds that,
despite voice technology still
being in its infancy, there
has been a development
surge from airlines and
travel brands. According to
Travelport’s Global Digital
Traveller Research in 2017,
54% of surveyed South African
travellers already use voice
search when researching a
trip.
Claudette highlights
Amazon’s Alexa for Hospitality
as an example of voice
recognition technology in the
travel industry. The product
can be customised and is
essentially a voice-activated
device. “Hotels can place
customised versions of the
Echo device in their rooms so
that guests can order room
service, request housekeeping,
raise the thermostat or turn
on the lights,” says Claudette.
“We predict that by 2020
consumers will start feeling
app fatigue and that text or
voice-based interfaces will
soon be the new norm for
communication with the
web,” says Euan McNeil, gm
of FCM Travel Solutions South
Africa.