Holidu Impulse at the DSTNCMP²⁶

DIGITAL SYSTEMS: FASTER, CHEAPER, BETTER

Digital travel assistants, AI-powered chatbots, and automated booking systems are taking over tasks that previously required a great deal of manual work. In his keynote address for the AI session in the track “Targeted Use of Digital Data,” Rainer Schmitt of Holidu will explore what this could mean for destinations that have traditionally defined themselves primarily through the sale of accommodations.

From guest consultation to price optimization and guest communication, intelligent systems are increasingly taking over time-consuming tasks. This is also changing the value chain at the destination.

Through live demos, we’ll show what AI-powered systems are already capable of today: In the first use case, we’ll demonstrate how an AI assistant actively advises hosts: It benchmarks accommodations against similar listings, identifies opportunities for pricing and seasonal planning—and implements changes immediately upon request.

In the second example, participants will experience how communication between guests and hosts can work today: from booking to automated responses to frequently asked questions—all the way to a smart handoff to a human when AI reaches its limits.

What happens to the time saved?

Both examples make it clear: Much of what destinations used to have to do themselves—through host newsletters, training sessions, and manual support—is increasingly being handled by intelligent systems more quickly, more affordably, and with higher quality. The key question, therefore, is not whether this trend will take hold, but how quickly it will—and what destinations will do with the time they save.

Creating Spaces for Collaboration Rather Than Competing with AI Systems

Our theory: The more digital travel planning and booking become, the more important the in-person experience becomes. The implicit knowledge of the people in the region can hardly be digitized. The host who knows that the hiking trail is closed. The local who knows the best hidden gem—that is where the new relevance of the destination lies: Success does not come from competing with booking platforms and AI systems, but from creating spaces for connection and authentic on-site experiences