Unless you are living under a rock, you will know that generative AI is coming to your phone. Within the next few months we will see: new iPhone hardware with Apple Intelligence Google Pixel 9 with Gemini ChatGPT app with Advanced voice mode supporting more human-like conversations AI is not just coming to existing phone […]
Sector: Tour guides
The Touring Test
September 2nd, 2024 by Alex Bainbridge
Does GetYourGuide get what their position in the future sightseeing sector is?
June 29th, 2024 by Alex Bainbridge
Why this question today? In the last few weeks: Google (Waymo) now open access in San Francisco with their robotaxis (i.e. available to tourists with no waiting list), becoming one of the largest growing US city based attractions and a significant sign of what is to come to all US cities in the next few […]
5 big themes for the AI tourism era after 2030
June 7th, 2024 by Alex Bainbridge
Key themes are emerging that will shape the future of tourism due to AI and AGI after 2030. This article takes a look these five themes and the known unknowns that surround them: end of the web browser (for travel ecommerce) end of the group tour end of the tour guide end of the tour […]
Hire me as the next CEO of Viator (Tripadvisor)
May 8th, 2024 by Alex Bainbridge
Risk is a judgement. When I set off to sail over the Atlantic (twice), or drive London to Kathmandu (4 months), run a marathon (twice), cycle 1000 miles John O’Groats to Lands end, race a 21 foot boat from the UK to the Fastnet rock and back (and win), or just be a startup founder, […]
10 questions to ask candidates in an AI tourism job interview
February 13th, 2024 by Alex Bainbridge
I am thinking about hiring. Not actually hiring, but thinking about hiring. So with that in mind, I have pulled together some questions that I could ask in a job interview. The more senior you expect to be, the more of these questions I expect you to be able to give a good answer to. […]
Big tech is winning using AI for destination experiences. The sightseeing sector needs to talk
October 18th, 2023 by Alex Bainbridge
Last week I went to the Arival conference in Orlando and I was surprised by the reaction to the content. Some tour operators were saying too much AI in the schedule. Well I have news for you, your upstream big tech partners are winning AI and you are not part of their plans. Tomorrows experience economy […]
For and against rolling up reztech in 2023 – Checkfront / Rezdy
July 20th, 2023 by Alex Bainbridge
Depending upon your perspective, the big news this week was either the Checkfront / Rezdy shared ownership announcement, or Tripadvisor launching their AI tour itinerary generating service to consumers. Here is how both stories can be viewed from a singular perspective and are relevant to more than just suppliers who use Checkfront / Rezdy. But […]
What does technology innovation in sightseeing & experiences look like in 2023?
February 21st, 2023 by Alex Bainbridge
In the last couple of months there has been a whirlwind of tech news much of it lead by discussion about generative AI such as ChatGPT. But underneath all of that, innovators in our sector have begun to tentatively hint at what they are focussed on. Therefore it is worthwhile documenting what people have said, […]
Is forming a sightseeing industry DAO the only solution to AI centralisation?
January 25th, 2023 by Alex Bainbridge
Generative AI such as ChatGPT is an era defining technology and it merits the number of articles and videos created on this topic. However we are ignoring one core debate, we need to talk about what happens when this and related AI technologies scale, which they will. This article focusses on this important topic with […]
How many AI generated experiences do consumers want?
January 11th, 2023 by Alex Bainbridge
Is it thousands per city like today? Or is it tens of thousands perhaps? Or could leading retailers just have 10 experiences per city that are each highly configurable & personalised? Today’s upper bounds example is Rome on Viator, where Viator has 7000 things to do just in Rome and the surrounding area. I am […]