Put that smartphone down — your voice assistants are going to be on hand to help you plan your next holiday.
TripIt, the world’s highest-rated travel organising app, is releasing new software that allows you to draw on the help of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant when you’re looking to book a holiday. If you’ve never used TripIt before, you forward all your travel confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and the app creates a master itinerary for each trip for free. Now imagine this kind of help, but available via a voice assistant.
Jen Moyse, director of product at TripIt, says: “As artificial intelligence continues to evolve and make us work smarter, the TripIt team is constantly looking for new ways to make every trip easier. With our new TripIt action for Google Assistant, and skill for Amazon Alexa, you can instantly get the travel information you need without picking up your phone or laptop.”
Using the AI assistants, you can find out what the weather will be like at your destination, as well as the time your flight is and how long it will be. TripIt Pro users, who pay a yearly subscription of £49, can get information on their flight status and what time they should leave for the airport.
When it comes to planning your holiday, Dutch airline KLM now offers an “inspirational service” via Amazon Alexa. The travel guide offers tips on trips to take depending on budget, travel dates and specifications, such as whether you’re looking for a city break or a beach holiday.
This travel bot will put all this information together and find a destination that’s suitable, including information about ticket prices. The feature works on all Amazon Echo devices, either with a screen, such as the Echo Show, or without.
KLM has launched a similar travel guide app on Google Home. You can book flights and services, and the AI also offers customised advice on what to pack for your trip alongside information on the local weather forecast.
A spokesman for the airline said it was experimenting with the possibilities of voice tech in its passenger services: “The technology itself is not of prime importance but rather the extent to which it makes life easier for our passengers before, during and after their flight.”
Google Assistant can even check you into your flight, though this option is only available for US internal flights at the moment. Once you have landed at your destination, the AI will act as a language interpreter, displaying translations on your smartphone screen in real time to help with conversations and queries. It’s like a smart concierge all in the cloud.
