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Expedia Partner Solutions launches AI virtual agent
Expedia Partner Solutions has unveiled virtual agent for partners and travelers.’¯
Integrated into the Expedia for Partners’¯template,’¯virtual agent’¯technology from Expedia Group’¯helps travelers quickly resolve’¯requests’¯onamenities’¯like’¯breakfast’¯or’¯parking’¯for’¯a’¯particular hotel or for cancelling a flight should plans change.’¯
For travel agents using’¯Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP), virtual agent’¯technology, it’¯helps’¯ save time by allowing them to’¯cancel’¯bookings or easily check the status of’¯a’¯traveller’s’¯refund.’¯’¯
"The information and guidance travellers need to book a trip has increased since the start of the pandemic. At the same time, our travel partners have faced’¯financial pressures’¯and reduced headcount," says Ariane Gorin, President of Expedia Business Services.
"Powering our partners today means providing’¯them with’¯new ways to meet traveller needs through automation and self-service, so’¯that’¯partners can spend their’¯valuable’¯time and’¯resources’¯where it makes the most impact."
EPS says more than one third (35%) of traveller requests have been resolved through the virtual agent in the past six months.
Virtual’¯agent was designed to make it easy for travellers to get answers to’¯straightforward’¯questions like wheelchair accessibility’¯or’¯check-in’¯options’¯and to’¯manage their trip.’¯
To date,’¯45%’¯of travelers’¯have’¯used the tool to cancel their trip, one in five (20%) have’¯reconfirmed their lodging,’¯and 20%’¯have viewed their booking’¯using the’¯online chat tool.’¯
This means’¯human’¯agents have’¯more time and’¯capacity to’¯support’¯more complex queries.’¯
Using’¯artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, the virtual agent interacts with travellers’¯and travel agents’¯in real time.
It also looks at past actions from all travellers to determine the best course of action to address’¯a’¯particular need’¯from’¯a traveller, meaning it is’¯constantly’¯learning and improving.
New features and’¯functionalities’¯are’¯continuously’¯being’¯added,’¯for example, partners’¯on’¯the Expedia for Partners’¯template’¯recently’¯gained’¯the ability’¯for their travellers to redeem’¯air’¯credits.’¯
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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