Online travel companies have partnered with ChatGPT to introduce apps that enable users to get inventory and pricing information via an AI chat.

Earlier this month, OpenAI (ChatGPT’s parent company) announced a number of new apps on the platform. ChatGPT users in the U.S. can access the apps via conversation with ChatGPT or by calling them directly by name. They are interactive and respond to natural language prompts.

Among ChatGPT’s pilot partners are Booking.com and Expedia.com. Tripadvisor is developing an app that will be available in the weeks ahead.

The apps are built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which enables ChatGPT to connect with external data and tools.

“What’s really exciting about the Expedia app in ChatGPT is that for the first time, travelers have access to dynamic travel insights within a ChatGPT conversation,” said Clayton Nelson, Expedia Group’s vice president of strategic partnerships and affiliations. “This means that they will have access to live pricing and inventory so they can easily browse and compare options directly in the conversation before clicking through to book on Expedia.”

As an example, Nelson said a ChatGPT user could say, “Expedia, find me a hotel room in New York for under $400 in November.”

Directly in the chat, a user will find hotels that match the user’s parameters, flight options, destinations to explore with interactive maps, and prices and availability from Expedia.

Users can plan their trip in ChatGPT but do need to click through to Expedia’s platform to complete the booking. Nelson said, “There’s a gap between having a Generative AI-powered conversation about a trip and actually booking.”

According to Nelson, GenAI search only accounts for “a small subset” of Expedia’s overall traffic. But it is fast-growing and tends to convert to bookings at a higher rate, he said.

Rahul Todkar, Tripadvisor’s head of data and AI, said users will be able to access reviews, ratings and images within their chat when Tripadvisor’s app launches. The user experience will evolve over time, but it’s important for the company to have a presence in the ChatGPT environment now, said Todkar.

“We have to be where travelers are,” he said. “If our travelers are in ChatGPT looking for trusted guidance and recommendations and personalized insights, we want to be available there for them.”

TravelWeekly

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