Dive Brief:
- IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched an artificial intelligence-powered conversational search tool on its website and mobile app in beta, the company announced Tuesday.
- The new AI search functionality aims to make it easier for guests to discover and book hotels across IHG’s global portfolio of more than 7,000 properties, while also enabling owners to increase their property visibility in AI searches, according to a news release.
- The launch comes after IHG debuted an app in ChatGPT last month as part of a “broader AI strategy to enrich how travelers discover and engage with IHG,” per the release. The company expects further developments on the AI front later this year.
Dive Insight:
Using the new conversational search functionality, travelers can describe their needs, including destination, trip purpose, amenities or preferences, and the AI-powered tool will provide tailored hotel recommendations based on their specifications.
Travelers will be presented with content, including interactive maps, real-time availability, pricing and detailed property information, “grounded in IHG’s verified property data and guest reviews,” per the release. Travelers will also be able to shop for hotels based on loyalty points, in addition to cash rates.
IHG is rolling out the conversational search tool in phases, starting in the U.S. before expanding across multiple markets, according to the release.
The launch “builds on years of strategic investment in our digital foundations, including the unification of our data in the cloud and the continued evolution of our best-in-class technology platforms,” IHG CEO Elie Maalouf said in a statement.
During a May earnings call, Maalouf said that IHG takes a three-tiered approach to its AI strategy, focusing on guest acquisition and loyalty; hotel commercial optimization; and corporate cost efficiency. He touted the new conversational search tool on the call, saying it would “transform how guests discover and book stays … while also attracting more direct bookings.”
Also during the call, Maalouf said IHG was on track to begin deploying a new AI-powered content management platform this year. The company also plans to refresh its loyalty platforms and roll out a new cloud-based CRM tool powered by Salesforce, “so that our hotels can deliver more personalized experiences, offer more relevant promotions and extend loyalty rewards faster and more effectively,” Maalouf said.
According to the Tuesday release, IHG will roll out a new AI-optimized hotel content platform over the next several months, “making it easier for hotels to upload rich, detailed information and improve how their properties are discovered.” The platform will support new content, including floor plans, videos and updated imagery.
IHG is among hotel competitors expanding their conversational search capabilities as travelers increasingly turn to AI for trip planning.
Last month, Marriott International launched Ask Bonvoy, a conversational search tool, as part of its enterprisewide AI deployment strategy. Meanwhile, Hilton rolled out a generative AI-powered digital concierge earlier this year, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts launched a native ChatGPT app.
Choice Hotels International doesn’t have a consumer-facing conversational search tool just yet, but the company is innovating on the guest front, Anna Scozzafava, Choice’s chief data, AI and technology officer, told Hotel Dive last month.
