DUBLIN — January 4, 2022 — Hotels have a new weapon at their disposal in the battle for direct bookings with the launch of a ‘game-changing’ booking engine powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
The innovative new product integrates advanced-AI technology from Arvoia, the leading AI provider in hospitality, into the market-leading booking engine created by hotel software solutions provider P3. Arvoia’s AI utilizes technology similar to that used by Netflix and Instagram, in order to deliver a unique booking experience to each guest.
The P3 booking engine is now AI powered as a result of the collaboration with Arvoia and can help hotels challenge the dominance of online travel operators (OTAs).
It works by deriving a behavioral understanding of the needs of each guest in real-time and altering the booking engine and website accordingly to prioritize the most relevant rooms, hotel amenities and content – rather than that just showing room rates in order of price.
The booking engine is already driving increased direct bookings at hotels across Ireland and the UK. Ireland’s largest hotel group, Dalata Hotel Group, has seen its average booking value per guest and conversion rate for potential customers rise consistently over the first three months of deployment. Significantly, one third of the increase has come in the last three weeks, demonstrating that the AI booking engine is becoming more effective at predicting human behavior as it learns over time.
Phelim Pekaar, CEO of P3 Hotel Software, said the AI booking engine would be rolled out to customers in the US and European markets in 2022.
Mr. Pekaar added:
“We’re very excited about this collaboration with Arvoia – the new AI-driven booking engine is a game-changer for hoteliers who until now couldn’t compete with the technology OTAs have at their disposal.
“The AI-driven booking engine is constantly learning and making decisions to provide guests with the most personalized booking experience possible based on their requirements. For a couple, this might mean prioritizing a special rate which includes dinner, as well as bed and breakfast, and a spa treatment. For a family, it could mean prioritizing an option of interconnecting rooms and the hotel’s leisure facilities.
“Any customer booking on a hotel website using this technology will immediately be shown the most suitable room at the best price, along with all the other amenities – such as online check-in and check-out – that are only available when you book direct on a hotel website.”
Mike Webster, CEO of Arvoia, said:
“Arvoia’s AI hotel platform is the world’s most advanced AI solution for hoteliers, having already rolled out across tens of thousands of rooms, it has delivered increases in direct customers, revenue, and guest satisfaction without the need for the hotel to invest in new technology.
“At last hoteliers have independent access to the powerful AI technology that has been driving digital first companies such as booking.com for years without having to invest in a new tech stack. Hotel’s own websites and booking platforms are about to enter a new era of innovation and we are delighted that this new product will be at the forefront of this global wave of change.”
