AI in tourism: gadget or real lever for operational efficiency?

Date : Publié par

Artificial intelligence is on everyone's lips. It fascinates, worries, intrigues... and in the tourism industry, it sometimes seems like a marketing gimmick. Yet, far from spectacular promises, some concrete uses of AI are already changing the game. Provided they are well targeted and integrated into real business processes.

From Fantasy to Efficiency: Where Does AI Stand Today?

We hear about one‑click route generation, chatbots capable of responding to all customer requests, and multilingual virtual assistants. In practice, few agencies or tour operators are currently realizing a real return on investment from these technologies.

On the other hand, when it is used for repetitive tasks with high operational value, AI becomes a formidable lever.

Some concrete use cases

  • Automated Fare Optimization (FareOpt) : The tool regularly queries the GDS, detects savings opportunities, and acts according to your rules. Result: +20% savings observed among customers in an automated process, without mobilizing agents.

  • PNR quality control : via a rules engine and an AI layer, the application completes or corrects files, avoiding costly errors and drastically reducing manual interventions.

  • Smart pre‑fill : AI detects missing data, automatically completes it, or suggests actions to agents.

  • Demand prediction : by cross‑referencing sales history, seasonal events and context, some platforms offer useful projections for refining inventories and pricing policies.

A measurable ROI

In all these cases, the benefits are immediate: time savings, reduced error rates, improved customer experience, and a direct impact on operating margins. These are not isolated experiments, but tools already integrated into the daily workflows of agencies and tour operators.

AI: A tool, not a magic wand

At Afidium, we believe that AI isn't there to replace humans or just to look pretty in a demo. It must serve efficiency and productivity, drawing on a detailed understanding of the tourism industry.

The important thing is not to have “AI” in a solution, but to know where and how it can really improve the daily lives of professionals .

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