Travel industry will force customers to deal with AI bots

Do you prefer to get travel advice and assistance from a human being? 

Tough luck. The travel industry has decided to save money and cut jobs, deciding that you would rather deal with AI bots. Whether you like it or not. 

Bizarrely, from online agencies to national travel boards, the travel industry is boasting that it prefers bots to humans. 

Exhibit one: Digital travel platform Agoda this week introduced the Booking Form Bot, an AI-powered chatbot designed to answer travellers' booking-related questions at the final stage of the booking journey. 

Agoda boasts that "the new tool aims to help travellers answer last-minute questions and complete their reservations with ease and confidence". Personally I would have more confidence dealing with a human, 

Internal research by Agoda found that 28% of users navigate back to the property page from the booking page to re-check trip details. Customer research revealed that the main reasons to pause or exit the booking journey are questions about promo codes, cancellation policies, and price discrepancies. 

The Booking Form Bot addresses this by providing instant, context-aware answers to questions such as "Can I cancel for free?" "Does this booking qualify for cashback?", etc. 

Just like an old-fashioned travel agent used to do - but probably with less accuracy. 

Idan Zalzberg, chief technology officer at Agoda, said: "Helping travellers stay informed at every step of their journey is central to building trust in our platform. At the booking stage, last-minute questions often arise around cancellation options or payment terms. The Booking Form Bot provides instant answers right when travellers need them, helping them book with confidence."

Agoda says it "continues to invest in AI-powered tools that make travel planning simpler, faster, and more intuitive for millions of travellers worldwide".

Exhibit Two: South African Tourism 

Travellers considering a trip to South Africa can now get expert advice from "Siyanda", a "cutting-edge" AI travel assistant that provides instant answers to any travel or tourism-related questions about the country. 

Siyanda is built on Matador Network’s industry-leading GuideGeek chat platform and is tailored to support travellers "seeking authentic, vibrant, and joy-filled journeys across South Africa. 

Because nothing says authenticity like an AI-powered bot. 

But that doesn't stop the marketing vomit. 

“South Africa has a ton of momentum as a destination,” said Matador Network CEO Ross Borden. 

"Siyanda helps travellers quickly go from being curious about South Africa to planning and booking their ideal trip to a large country full of rich cultural experiences.”

Responses are personalised and generated in real-time by AI-trained on extensive data. 

Apparently, Siyanda is also a valuable tool for travel advisors looking to deepen their knowledge and better serve their clients. 

If your travel advisor needs AI assistance it might be worth looking elsewhere. And good luck with blaming a bot when things go wrong. 

Image: Shubham Soni, Scop.io 

Celebrity chef Stein's Sydney flagship eatery opens its doors

 

Celebrity chef Rick Stein and his wife Sarah opened their new Sydney eatery on December 1. 

Rick Stein at Coogee Beach is certain to be a popular pre-Christmas venue, so bookings are recommended. 

The opening of the Flagship eatery marks a new coastal chapter for the duo. 

Perched above the sands at the soon-to-open InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, the 224-seat restaurant brings Stein's “fresh seafood, simply prepared” ethos to one of Sydney’s best-loved beachside destinations in time for the busy summer season.

“Sydney’s Coogee Beach is the perfect location for our flagship Australian restaurant," Stein said. 

"It’s relaxed yet sophisticated, with that incredible connection to the ocean that has always inspired my cooking. For us, this feels like coming home.”

Newly appointed head chef Colin Chun will be the man in the kitchen. He has over two decades of international culinary experience, including leadership roles at Hilton Sydney, Pullman and W Taipei. 

Chun is a long-time admirer of Stein's philosophy of simple, produce-driven cooking. 

The inaugural menu will celebrate local and seasonal seafood from New South Wales and beyond. The adjoining bar will offer an extensive drinks list, featuring coastal-inspired cocktails and a curated wine selection ideal for long lunches and sunset sessions.

“Working alongside Rick and Sarah to open Rick Stein at Coogee Beach is a career highlight," .said Chun. 

"Rick’s approach to seafood and seasonality has influenced my own philosophy for years, so I am excited to bring that simplicity and excellence to life for Sydney diners.”

The Coogee opening follows the couple’s restaurants at Bannisters by the Sea in Mollymook and Bannisters Port Stephens. The new venture is a collaboration with Australian partner Salter Brothers, who acquired Bannisters Group in 2024.

Rick Stein at Coogee Beach, InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, 242 Arden Street, Coogee, NSW 2030. Hours: Monday-Thursday 6pm-late. Friday-Sunday: Noon-3pm and dinner from 6pm. 

Bookings can be made at ricksteinatcoogeebeach.com.au

Major travel player is banking on AI technology

Can Artificial Intelligence help deliver a better travel experience?

That is something the Trip.com Group is banking on.

Personalised experiences are what travellers are looking for today, the Trip.com Group said as it shared strategic insights on how it is redefining the traveller's journey through AI-powered tools.

Focused on creating value and customised experiences for travellers, the company showcased its latest features, data insights and strategies at ITB Asia 2025, held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

On-trend jargon was full throttle at a panel gathering "Driving Innovation in Travel through Technology" presented by Edmund Ong, senior regional firector, SEA and general manager, Singapore, for Trip.com Group.

He said the company is staying ahead of change by harnessing AI for personalised travel experiences and highlighted how travellers can receive "highly tailored" recommendations through AI-powered tools such as TripGenie.

Last month, TripGenie's traffic rose 125% year-on-year, with over 200% increase in users and conversations made.

"When we look at the traveller journey, we see the power of AI in enabling personalised experiences for our users who are seeking the best options at the best value," Ong said.

"To do so, we believe that collaboration is the right way forward. It allows us to leverage the strengths of our partners to build a trusted and tailored experience for our customers from end-to-end."

In a "deep-dive session" called "How Intelligent Personal Technology is Reshaping the Traveller's Journey" – Trip.com Group's senior product director Amy Wei shared how AI can transform the travel experience into "one that is personal, intelligent and anticipatory".

She said consumers today expect hyper-personalisation, from real-time travel inspiration to dynamic itinerary crafting. "With tools like TripGenie, travellers now have an intelligent travel co-pilot that provides a simplified and frictionless overall experience".

Call me old fashioned but on the evidence I have seen AI has a long way to travel.

"There is a huge change in how we interact with technology today," Wei said.

"Generic travel searches have evolved into AI-driven discovery and natural conversations. We designed TripGenie with this in mind, re-architecting the entire traveller journey. This allows travellers to instantly turn their travel inspirations into bookable itineraries and recommendations that cater to their preferences and needs at every step."

Hmm. Still not convinced.

* Image: Tarran Goodwin, Scop.io  

Demand continues to surge for Asian cruises

Demand for international cruising continues to surge, new data reveals. 

Cruise Guru, CLIA’s 2024 Online Cruise Agency of the Year, has revealed a significant shift in consumer interest towards international cruising, with Q1 2025 data showing a 19% surge in searches for international cruises compared to the same period last year. 

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world's largest cruise industry association.

Cruise Guru said destination-specific searches jumped by 22.08% with Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, China and other south-east Asian destinations among the top regions searched in Q1 2025.

Asia emerged as the top region of interest with 22% selecting it as their preferred destination, surpassing traditional hotspots. 

“We are witnessing a clear shift in the way Australians are searching for cruises with our data showing a rising appetite for international itineraries, particularly in Asia," said Michael Betteridge, Chief Commercial & Operations Officer at Cruise Guru.

"Asia is an easy choice as it combines value, closer-to-home convenience and a sense of discovery as travellers seek new horizons beyond the traditional Mediterranean and South Pacific routes.”

Australia’s domestic cruising capacity has declined about 30% in recent years with changes expected to be felt in the coming seasons. Several cruise lines have adjusted their schedules or withdrawn ships from the region, creating a gap that’s prompting Australian travellers to look further afield.

Contact 13 13 03 or visit www.cruiseguru.com.au.

Airline warns of slowing demand for UK-US flights

It's not just the Canadians who are showing a reluctance to travel to the US.

Virgin Atlantic Airways has signalled that demand for flights from the UK to Crazyland has been slowing.

The airline this week reported its first annual profit since the pandemic, but also some caution regarding weakening demand, news portal Travel Mole reported.

CFO Oli Byers said: “We think that is quite a natural reaction to general consumer uncertainty.”

The news comes as trans border travel demand from Canada to the US has seen a huge drop of more than 70% for this summer.

That is specifically down to the trade war and like-for-like tariffs, which could soon impact transatlantic traffic due to political and economic factors, and, perhaps, fear of US entry security goons.

Mainland Europe’s top airlines have cited concerns, but that has yet to translate into a fall in bookings.

“It is concerning for us but as of today, we don’t see any material change in forward bookings,” Air France-KLM’s CEO Ben Smith said.

Virgin Atlantic is highly reliant on US-UK transatlantic bookings.

The White Lotus effect proves a big hit for hotel group

'The White Lotus effect' is in full bloom for the three Anantara properties that star in the hit TV series. 

Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas have all experienced a surge in online interest and bookings, the Minor Hotels group reports. 

The Netflix show’s third season, which is set in Thailand and premiered on February 16, has driven a substantial uptick in interest in the three resorts, where much of the series was filmed. 

Traffic to the resorts’ websites has risen 104% year-over-year for the month of February, with the three properties also reporting a 41% rise in direct online bookings made in the same period.

Notable spikes in booking conversion were recorded on February 17 and February 24 - corresponding with the airing of the show’s first two episodes. 

Week-over-week data also shows a 100% increase in search traffic on the Anantara internet booking engine for the three properties compared to those same weeks last year.

"We’re thrilled to see travellers around the world inspired by the stunning settings in The White Lotus," said Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International, parent company of Minor Hotels. 

"We own and operate more than 30 hotels, resorts and residences in Thailand, and we expect this will not only boost interest in Thailand globally, but also enhance its positioning as an international luxury leisure and wellness destination."

Minor Hotels is also the owner of Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, another of the principal filming locations for The White Lotus season 3.

The trend highlights the power of television and film to shape real-world travel decisions. 

Anantara is offering a Lotus Awakening Escape package which includes experiences at the three Anantara resorts featured on The White Lotus and unique lotus-inspired activities that reveal the true heart of Thailand.

For more information on Anantara Lawana, Anantara Bophut, and Anantara Mai Khao, or to book an unforgettable stay, visit www.anantara.com.

Image: Lily ponds at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

When the customer is wrong. Very wrong.

 

Times are tough in the hospitality industry. 

Costs are rising, good staff are hard to find and even harder to hold on to, and customers are resisting price increases. 

We've all heard stories, probably from friends, as to how they've booked dinner at a couple of places and will decide later which one to visit. 

They may, or may not, bother to cancel their second reservation. 

Because a lot of people are assholes. 

Which is why many restaurants are now demanding deposits when you make a booking. Non-refundable if you cancel without a reasonable excuse. 

Here's an example. 

A small regional business that I know recently took a booking for 80 people: a group who wanted to get together for drinks after an event. 

That meant the establishment had to halt serving food, drinks and coffees to the public - including regular customers - for a couple of hours. And put on an extra staff member for the bar. 

What happened? Of the 80 people who booked, 33 turned up. 

And they ordered an average of one drink each. 

No apology. Just entitlement. 

So next time you are forced to stump up an non-refundable deposit you can think people like them. 

Image: David Rubin, Scop.io  

The perfect time for wine lovers to go for Broke

The 20th anniversary of the Little Bit of Broke festival will be even more special given it coincides with the bicentenary of the tiny Hunter Valley hamlet.

To be held from Friday, March 15 to Sunday, March 17, the weekend promises wine, food, farm gate produce, live music and lots of fun.

A Festival Kit includes festival entry, a keepsake tasting glass and tasting tokens to which you can add dining, experiences, events, workshops, extra tastings and even transport, all bookable online.

There will be a record number of festival offerings with 17 locations from which to choose.

From dining in a hatted restaurant, picnicking with alpacas, sunset wines and tunes, there are plenty of choices.

Wineries involved include regional star Margan, Nightingale Wines, Whispering Brook, Winmark and Krinklewood.    

The program has just been announced and tickets are on sale now at brokefordwich.com.au.

A hop-on, hop-off bus service will enable festivalgoers to park their cars at the Festival Hub in the heart of Broke and the take the shuttle to different destinations.

The Festival Starter Kit begins at $35 per person with four tastings included, while the Festival Super Kit includes eight tastings for $50.

* Kids enter for free as they do not require a Festival Kit which includes wine tastings that are reserved for over 18 years only.

Ten vital tips to help make international air travel less painful

Everyone wants to travel internationally right now.

My advice. Hold your horses and be patient. Maybe wait a month or two.

And if you really have to travel make sure you are super-prepared with every detail checked and re-checked.

And even if you've got everything right, still be prepared for ludicrous lines at ill-prepared airports, for for flights to be delayed or cancelled. 

And for it to take a couple of hours for your baggage to emerge at the other end if it makes it at all.

Certainly be prepared for your baggage to be delayed or lost (for a week if you are flying with Air Canada).

Also be aware it may be impossible to see a doctor overseas because on ongoing Covid demand. Like in Australia, appointments are as rare as hen's teeth. 

Expect trains to be full to the max with nowhere to put your luggage.

And for maskless morons to put your health at risk at every turn.

Apart from those issues, travel is back in a big way. It just depends on whether you want to risk sending your blood pressure sky high by dealing with the likes of the incompetents at Air Canada. and the fools running the airports at Heathrow, Toronto Pearson and Montreal Trudeau.

Oh. And paying double or triple for your over-booked flight than you would have paid pre-Covid.

Or being ripped off by avaricious airlines who have multiplied by dozens the number of frequent flyer points you need to get a "free" flight - that's the one you've maybe saved a decade to cash in.

If you do decide to brave the many obstacles and visit the rest of the world then here are some tips learned on my recent odyssey that included a dozen flights over five continents, half a dozen train journeys, four bus trips and six taxi journeys.

1. Make sure you allow more time than you think you could possibly need to check in. With flights over capacity it pays to make sure you have a boarding pass in your hand as soon as possible. Be first in line to avoid the risk of being bumped.

2. Do not trust connecting flights will actually operate. Be at the place from which you are flying internationally a day ahead. If your flight from Hobart, say, links with one to Asia and then Europe do not risk it being delayed or cancelled. There might not be another flight to your destination for two or three days and the airlines are less than helpful right now.

3. Confirm and re-confirm all your bookings on line. Hotels are over-booked as more and more people want to travel. Do not be the one turned away. But be prepared to spend hundreds of dollars a night on average accommodation. 

4. Pack all essentials in your hand luggage, and if at all possible travel with hand luggage only. Imagine being caught without your essential medication - pack prescriptions, too, just in case - and a spare pair of undies, for several days if your baggage goes missing.

5. Make sure you have fully comprehensive travel insurance. If things go wrong you want to be sure you will reimbursed for your ridiculously over-priced airport hotel and some clothes and toiletries to get you through the next few days.

6. Make sure you bring your own entertainment. Bring a book, games on your iPhone, anything to keep you occupied in the airports where you will be spending lots of hours; and in the air, where the airlines have jacked up the costs of in-flight wifi to ludicrous price levels.

7. Book every bus, train and accommodation choice online ahead of schedule. With everyone wanting to travel at the same time you might well find that bus between Venice and Ljubljana that you caught effortlessly a couple of years ago is now completely full for the next few days.

8. If you do have to check in luggage - probably essential if you are travelling for several weeks - then put a tracking device in your suitcase. It might help you locate your bag among the thousands piled up at Heathrow, or Montreal. Also take photos of every piece of baggage to help the airline track down your missing bag.  

9. Consider smaller airlines, which are likely to be more affordable than the big names, who are setting their own prices and getting them, such is the latent demand for travel.  

10. Be patient, be but be firm if your airline or hotel is jerking you around. A full-scale blow-up was the only reason Air Canada changed one of my delayed flights to an earlier one that was "full" - and actually had plenty of empty seats. Use social media pressure if necessary.

Or, perhaps, choose destinations closer to home that do not include transfers (which is where many bags go missing). Thai Airways from Australia to and from Bangkok is easy and relatively painless.

Whatever you do don't take wads of cash with you and expect to change it your destination. Banks are no longer keen, and airport exchange kiosks are an absolute trip-off.  

 
A survey this week showed Aussies are doing away with pre-planning and booking more spur-of-the-moment trips. Big mistake.

Research from Trafalgar, part of the wider The Travel Corporation group, revealed a 1,087% increase in bookings from April to June, compared to January to March this year.

With everyone keen to depart sooner rather than later, being fully prepared is the only way to guard against frustration and anger.

Or maybe just stay at home until the airlines get their acts together.