After inaugurating an AI trip planner last year to enhance user experience, Tripadvisor is now introducing hotel bookings directly in its app to make it easier for people to plan their holidays directly through the travel guidance platform.
“Tripadvisor is on a journey to transform its app into an essential trip planning companion that meets the needs of its customers at every stage of the travel journey. A fundamental component to this is bringing the research and booking experience together into a unique integrated trip planning platform”, the platform explained in a statement. “While Tripadvisor members already had the ability to book experiences, as well as explore restaurants and things to do via the app, Tripadvisor is introducing hotel bookings in the app to complement its other hotel offerings.”
To introduce this functionality, the platform has partnered with global travel technology provider, HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions). The partnership will see HTS power both hotel bookings and provide a source of hotel inventory in the Tripadvisor app, providing an enhanced end-to-end, in-app travel planning experience.
“We want the Tripadvisor app to be an essential tool for our most engaged members, who we know are looking to do more with our platform”, commented Kristen Dalton, President of Tripadvisor. “This began with the introduction of our AI Trip Builder earlier this year and will continue as we roll-out this latest enhancement. The ability to book hotels within the app is a crucial part of the user journey. Partnering with HTS allows us to focus our internal efforts on creating an exceptional user experience, while leveraging a partner to scale at a faster rate.”
The in-app booking experience is available only to logged-in Tripadvisor members. Through this partnership, the platform is aiming to build its free membership value proposition by exploring in-app rewards and incentives, offering further opportunities to deepen relationships with its most engaged members.
“HTS is uniquely positioned to power Tripadvisor’s in-app hotel bookings and bring new flexible booking options to its US-based app customers”, said Dakota Smith, President and Co-Founder of Hopper. “Through our industry-leading technology, comprehensive hotel supply and innovative flexibility products, together we will bring Tripadvisor members a smart and convenient way to book travel.”
While Tripadvisor aims to become an essential travel platform it will probably have a long way to go before it reaches the same level as established companies like Booking. And, if it reaches that level, it will then need to comply with the same regulation regarding consumer rights on the one hand and small business protection on the other.
