Travel Bots on Messaging Platforms Are the Trend Now
Skift Take
Though bots still aren't completely frictionless and can't think like a human (yet), they certainly offer a way for consumers to have a conversation with a brand during the booking process that wasn't possible before. And it is potentially a very cheap channel for the brands.
Since major messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger and workplace-chat app Slack introduced bots earlier this year, four travel brands -- Kayak, Skyscanner and most recently Expedia.com and Cheapflights-- have launched bots of their own.
Bots are artificial intelligence platforms that use instant messaging as an application interface. Facebook Messenger and Slack users, for example, can add these bots to friends lists and send messages to bots just like they'd message one of their friends. But with bots, consumers are talking to a database or program and not actually communicating with a human.
Though bots have only been available to developers for a few months, more travel bots will likely come online as brands learn how consumers in travel and other industries use them.
Hyatt Hotels, which began using Faceboo
