LOOKOUT: Thousands of Microsoft 365 users report outage issues
- If you were having problems with opening Outlook or other Microsoft applications yesterday – you weren’t alone. Thousands of Microsoft 365 customers worldwide took to social media to report trouble seeing their emails, loading calendars or opening other Microsoft 365 applications such as Powerpoint and Teams.
‘WORLD FIRST’: Company rewrites the book on hotel bookings
- HotelPlanner has announced what it says is “a world first that will change how customers find and book their hotels.” HotelPlanner.ai is the first end-to-end AI hotel booking assistant with access to book over one million-plus properties worldwide.
FROM THEORY TO REALITY: IATA proves digital travel future is near
- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and its partners report that they have successfully demonstrated that the industry is ready to deliver a fully digital air travel experience. This was achieved in a recent proof-of-concept (PoC) involving two passengers using different digital wallets and travel credentials on a round-trip between Hong Kong and Tokyo.
UN BACKS AI TO ‘FUTURE-PROOF’ TOURISM
- The World Travel Market Ministers Summit, in collaboration with UN Tourism and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), returned last week to focus on the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence for the sector. Taking to the floor in London were Ministers representing more than 20 countries and providing the voice of the private sector, leaders from Expedia, HBX Group, JTB Corp and SITA, highlighted the importance of enterprise and public-private partnerships.
ROUND THE WORLD IN MERE MINUTES: New oneworld tool makes complex itineraries simple
- Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) has “revolutionized” the booking process for ‘Round the World’ tickets, according to the oneworld airline alliance, which counts American Airlines, British Airways, and Cathay Pacific amongst its dozen-plus global members.
THE TROUBLE WITH CHOICE: Travelport report says too much leaves travellers feeling overwhelmed
- “Choice is a tax on time and attention,” says NYC professor of marketing and author Scott Galloway, who adds, “Consumers don’t want more choice, but more confidence in the choices presented.” It’s a sentiment embodied in Travelport’s just-released 2024 State of Modern Retailing Report, which concludes that a majority of travellers feel overwhelmed by too many choices when it comes to trip planning. And that presents an opportunity for travel agencies, it adds.
WHAT’S NEXT AFTER FREAKY FRIDAY: Global glitch grounds flights, full recovery could take days
- Travel and transport industries continued to get systems back online on the weekend after a widespread technology outage on Friday that threatened to cause travel delays for days, according to experts. Airlines were hardest hit by the global security outage, with thousands of flights cancelled on Friday, and many more passengers delayed or stranded into the weekend.
AIR CANADA ADVANCES NDC PROGRAM WITH SABRE
- Sabre and Air Canada have announced the launch of Air Canada's full content via new distribution capability (NDC) in Sabre's travel marketplace. This launch allows travel agencies to consume Air Canada's expanded NDC offers and services, enabling them to provide a more personalized travel experience to the customers they serve, the companies say.
SMARTER, FASTER: Travelport unveils new AI-powered search tool
- Travelport has launched what it calls “revolutionary” content curation through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) that will provide travel agencies more control over multi-source content within the Travelport+ platform, thus “makings agents’ lives easier and business more efficient.”
DIGITAL DIGEST: How to go beyond Google with AI search sites (and is it worth it?)
- It’s not just you. A lot of people think Google searches are getting worse. And the rise of generative AI chatbots is giving people new and different ways to look up information. While Google has been the one-stop shop for decades – after all, we commonly call searches “googling” – its longtime dominance has attracted a flood of sponsored or spammy links and junk content fueled by “search engine optimization” techniques. That pushes down genuinely useful results.
TÜRKİYE’S DIGITAL NOMAD VISA PLATFORM NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
- It is now easier than ever for Canadian digital nomads to work remotely from Türkiye. With the new Digital Nomad Pre-Application platform Digital Nomad GoTürkiye, digital nomads can now easily initiate their application process online. Gaining popularity following the COVID-19 pandemic, digital nomads capitalize on remote work by travelling the world and logging on wherever they have an internet connection.
WTTC URGES HARNESSING ‘SAFE’ AI
- The transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in shaping the future of Travel & Tourism are examined in new reports by the World Travel & Tourism Council, which cites its commitment to a digital future that prioritizes safety, ethical considerations, and responsible AI adoption.
EXPEDIA TAAPS INTO NEW FEATURES FOR TRAVEL AGENT DAY
- Expedia Group is celebrating Global Travel Advisor Day today (May 1) by hosting a number of events across the world, including Canada, to show appreciation for its Expedia TAAP (Travel Agent Affiliate Program) partners. Overall, Expedia Group will be hosting 16 events across three continents.
TECHNOLOGY WITH A HUMAN TOUCH FUELS BEST AGENT EXPERIENCE
- We’ve entered the era of travellers demanding even more from their trips. Now, they crave a more personalized vacation where each moment and detail feel tailor-made, allowing for an unforgettable travel experience. But the reality is that to bring this kind of trip to life, travellers may need to turn to travel agents for their unmatched expertise and a seamless booking experience.
DIGITAL DIGEST: AI vs. the tyranny of the search bar
- Those who are open to innovations are best equipped to make the most of artificial intelligence for their businesses, delegates at the recent ITB Berlin travel trade show in Germany were told. For example, AI enables the search and reservation processes to at last “escape the tyranny of the search bar.”
DIGITAL DIGEST: Two-way communication the key to social media
- The real power of social media lies in connecting a brand with its consumers on a human level instead of a sales and commercial level. Connecting with the audience starts with content production focused on generating two-way communication and then moderating to build an active community. Here are a few ideas to consider.
AMEX GBT TAKES AI TO NEXT LEVEL: Creates artificial intelligence task force
- With the belief that use artificial intelligence can “unlock efficiencies, inspire product innovation, and elevate user experiences,” Amex GBT has launched a new AI initiative, including the creation of a special task force, to focus on the developing technology within the corporate travel management ecosystem.
DIGITAL DIGEST: An intro to podcasts
- The podcast is quickly becoming one of the leading tools for persuasive marketing. It has a unique pull for the audience because it successfully differentiates itself from marketing and advertising messages.
DIGITAL DIGEST: Producing viral content – myth vs reality
- Creating viral content is what every advertiser, marketer, and content producer dreams of, but it isn’t always straightforward. There are no set formulas or recipes for success, so it’s important to get the basics right.
HILTON EMBRACES MOBILE MESSAGING FOR GUESTS
- Late check-out request. Extra pillows. Wine glasses. Replacement toothbrush. Just send a text. To support the growing need for frictionless travel and introduce easier ways for guests to engage with hotel teams, Hilton is expanding its mobile messaging platform to its more than 7,000 Hilton properties worldwide by the end of 2024.
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