Transforming Marketing Through AI: Embracing Content Creation Over Virtual Assistance

Travel Industry Enters ‘Agent Era’ Driven by AI, Demanding a Marketing Overhaul

August 28, 2024

The travel landscape is undergoing a fundamental transformation. The rise of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous agents is reshaping how travelers discover and secure their journeys,ushering in a new “agent era.” This evolution necessitates that marketing strategies evolve to directly address these AI systems.

This notable finding emerged from the third installment of the ‘New Agents Trend Series’ by Phocuswright. Experts examined the considerable impact of generative AI on travel sales, highlighting a future where AI becomes the primary channel for search and purchase.

The Shift to ‘Business-to-AI’ Marketing

A novel approach – ‘Business-to-AI’ (B2AI) marketing – was discussed, initially coined by Visa’s Chief marketing Officer. This concept extends beyond customary Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) models, prioritizing engagement with the AI agents travelers increasingly rely upon.

AI Agents as Influencers in Booking Decisions

Platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini are already influencing traveler choices by offering booking advice. These platforms are increasingly suggesting alternatives, like local rental agencies, to circumvent fees charged by larger platforms. With purchasing and payment features now integrated directly into these AI systems, their capacity to shape booking decisions will only grow.

Julie White,Chief Commercial Officer for Europe and North Africa,Premium Midscale and Economy Brands at Accor,acknowledged the nascent stage of this change,but emphasized the considerable potential of AI to guide consumers to brands.She underscored the importance of building trust, ensuring openness, and providing genuine value through these new tools.

Infrastructure overhaul is Essential

Tom Underwood, Co-founder and COO of Bonafide, predicted significant disruptions due to AI’s ability to handle granular search queries regarding hotel room characteristics, surpassing conventional date-based searches. His company is actively collaborating with hotel brands to refine product data for optimal AI compatibility.

Erik Blachford,former CEO of the Expedia Group,asserted that the proliferation of personal AI agents will necessitate a complete redesign of existing travel technology infrastructure. This includes Property Management Systems (PMS) and Global Distribution Systems (GDS),demanding substantial investment and industry-wide adjustments.

Preparing content and systems for seamless interaction with diverse AI agents poses a major challenge for providers.The recognition of a need for standardized dialog protocols-akin to the NDC (New Distribution Capability) in aviation-was deemed critical.

Hyper-Personalization Redefined

Experts agreed that AI agents, leveraging thorough user preference data, will deliver unprecedented levels of personalization. This goes beyond simple price comparisons, focusing on finding the “best value”, factoring in both cost and desired experiences.

Matthias Keller, chief Product Officer at Kayak, highlighted the emergence of new digital entry points and a shift from displaying numerous results to offering highly tailored recommendations. kayak’s launch of Kayak.ai demonstrates their commitment to leading in this evolving landscape.He noted Kayak’s direct API and NDC connections as enabling a more transactional approach within AI interfaces.

Building Trust in AI-Driven Recommendations

The discussion concluded with pertinent questions regarding traveler trust in AI-generated recommendations, guaranteeing impartiality, and the monetization strategies of these AI agents. The goal remains an agent that prioritizes the traveler’s best interests, free from bias from advertising or commissions.

Did You know? The global AI in travel market is projected to reach $51.98 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 26.8% from 2023, according to a recent report by allied Market Research.

Pro Tip: Travel companies should prioritize data accuracy and accessibility to ensure AI agents can provide users with the most relevant and reliable options.

The Long-Term Implications of AI in Travel

The integration of AI into travel isn’t merely a technological upgrade; its a fundamental shift in the industry’s power dynamics. Historically,Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) held significant control over distribution. Now, AI agents potentially bypass these intermediaries, empowering travelers with direct access to a wider range of options and potentially more competitive pricing.

This trend will likely accelerate the demand for open APIs and interoperability standards within the travel ecosystem. Companies that embrace these standards and prioritize data transparency will be best positioned to thrive in the “agent era.”

trend	Impact	Industry Response
B2AI Marketing	Shift in marketing focus to AI agents	Content optimization for AI consumption
AI-Driven Personalization	Hyper-personalized travel recommendations	Investment in data analytics and machine learning
Infrastructure Overhaul	Need for updated PMS and GDS systems	Strategic partnerships and technology upgrades

Frequently Asked questions About AI in Travel

• What is ‘B2AI’ marketing? It refers to marketing efforts directed towards AI agents rather than directly to consumers or businesses.
• How will AI agents impact OTAs? AI agents may bypass OTAs, offering travelers more direct access to travel options.
• What is the role of NDC in this evolution? NDC provides a standardized communication protocol,crucial for AI agents to access and process travel data effectively.
• How can travel companies prepare for this shift? By prioritizing data accuracy, embracing open APIs, and investing in AI-compatible infrastructure.
• Will AI recommendations always be unbiased? Ensuring impartiality and transparency in AI algorithms remains a critical challenge.
• What are the biggest concerns about AI in travel? Trust, data privacy, and the potential for algorithmic bias are key concerns.
• how will AI change the future of travel planning? AI is poised to deliver hyper-personalized experiences, streamline booking processes, and unlock new levels of convenience for travelers.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for travel companies adapting to this new AI landscape? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

How does the shift from AI-powered virtual assistance to content creation impact a marketing team’s core function?

The Shift in AI marketing Applications

For years, the conversation around Artificial Intelligence in marketing centered on automation – virtual assistants handling customer service, scheduling social media posts, and basic administrative tasks. while valuable, this represents just the tip of the iceberg. In 2025, the real marketing revolution isn’t about replacing marketers, it’s about empowering them with AI-driven content creation tools. This shift is driven by the increasing sophistication of AI models capable of generating high-quality, engaging content at scale. We’re moving beyond simple task automation to strategic content generation, impacting everything from blog posts and social media copy to video scripts and even personalized email campaigns.

Why content Creation, Not Just Virtual Assistance?

The core of marketing is connection – building relationships through valuable, relevant content. Virtual assistants streamline processes, but they don’t create the core value proposition. Here’s a breakdown of why focusing on AI for content creation yields a higher ROI:

Scalability: AI can generate variations of content tailored to different platforms and audiences, something a human team would struggle to achieve efficiently.

Personalization: AI algorithms analyze data to understand individual customer preferences, enabling hyper-personalized content experiences. Think dynamic website content or email subject lines optimized for each recipient.

SEO Enhancement: AI tools can identify trending keywords, analyze competitor content, and optimize content for search engines, boosting organic visibility. Search engine optimization is no longer just a tactic; it’s woven into the content creation process.

Creative Exploration: AI can break creative blocks by suggesting new angles,headlines,and content formats. It’s a powerful brainstorming partner.

Data-Driven Insights: AI provides analytics on content performance,revealing what resonates with your audience and informing future content strategies. Marketing analytics are now instantly actionable.

AI-Powered Content Creation Tools: A Deep Dive

The landscape of AI content creation tools is rapidly evolving. Here’s a look at some key categories and examples:

Long-Form Content generators: Tools like Jasper, Copy.ai, and Surfer SEO (with its AI article outline builder) assist in writing blog posts, articles, and website copy. They often integrate with SEO keyword research tools.

social Media Content Creation: Platforms like Simplified and Lately specialize in generating social media captions,hashtags,and even entire content calendars.

Image & video creation: AI image generators (DALL-E 3, midjourney, Stable Diffusion) and video creation platforms (Synthesia, Lumen5) are democratizing visual content creation.

Email Marketing Automation: AI-powered email platforms (Phrasee, Persado) optimize subject lines and email copy for higher open and click-through rates.

Content repurposing: tools that automatically transform blog posts into social media snippets, videos, or infographics, maximizing content reach.

The Benefits of Integrating AI into Your Content Workflow

Implementing AI-driven content creation isn’t about replacing your content team; it’s about augmenting their capabilities.The benefits are substantial:

Increased Content output: Produce more content in less time, keeping your audience engaged and attracting new leads.

Improved Content Quality: AI can help refine writing style, grammar, and clarity, resulting in more polished and professional content.

Reduced Content Costs: Automate repetitive tasks and reduce the need for extensive manual labor.

Enhanced Brand Consistency: AI can ensure consistent messaging and tone across all content channels.

Faster Time to market: Quickly create and deploy content to capitalize on trending topics and market opportunities.

Practical Tips for Prosperous AI Content Integration

Getting started with AI content creation requires a strategic approach:

1. Define Your Content Strategy: Before diving into tools, clearly define your target audience, content goals, and brand voice.
2. start small: Begin with a pilot project to test different AI tools and workflows.
3. Human Oversight is Crucial: AI-generated content should always be reviewed and edited by a human to ensure accuracy, relevance, and brand alignment. Content editing remains a vital skill.
4. Focus on Prompt Engineering: The quality of AI-generated content depends heavily on the prompts you provide. Learn to write clear, concise, and detailed prompts.
5. Embrace Iteration: Experiment with different AI tools and techniques to find what works best for your specific needs.
6. Monitor and Analyze Results: Track content performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and optimize your AI content strategy.

Real-World Examples: AI in Action

BuzzFeed: Utilizes AI to generate quizzes and personalized content recommendations, driving engagement and traffic.

The Washington post: Employs AI to automate coverage of routine events like high school sports scores and financial reports, freeing up journalists to focus on more in-depth reporting.

HubSpot: Integrates AI into its marketing automation platform to personalize email campaigns and optimize content for lead generation.

* Google’s Sustainability Efforts (2025 Update): As highlighted in recent reports, Google AI is now applying AI to satellite and aerial imagery to help cities quantify the impact of cooling interventions, demonstrating AI’s potential for data-driven content related to sustainability and urban planning. This showcases how AI can generate compelling narratives around