Accor has launched a new conversational AI assistant called ALL Concierge, the company announced on Wednesday (23 September).
The AI assistant aids with inspiration and destination search, hotel comparison, booking changes, in-stay questions, as well as loyalty coaching for how to optimise status and points.
The tool is available in 11 languages through the ALL Accor app, Accor's website and messaging channels WhatsApp and iMessage.
Other hoteliers have launched their own website-native, conversational AI tools this year, including Hilton's AI Planner, Marriott International's Ask Bonvoy and Hyatt Hotels Corp.'s conversational search tool.
The focus of these tools has centred on the discovery phase of travel, providing destination ideas, property comparisons, amenities and localised activities before handing a guest over to a separate booking flow.
IHG's conversational website and IHG One Rewards AI tool, beta-launched in July, has a more direct loyalty link, allowing travellers to book stays using loyalty points, cash, or a combination of both, inside the same chat.
Accor SVP of data science and AI Nicolas Maynard said the ALL Concierge "will continue to innovate" and that next steps include more languages, local experiences and full integration of loyalty partners beyond Accor.
"We have a lot of partners also that already are in the ALL Accor ecosystem, and we have a huge foundation to build on top of, and that's something that we want to address by the end of the year and beginning of next year," Maynard said, "gradually making it the real travel companion and not the hotel companion, but really the full travel companion.”
The ALL Concierge tool does not provide assistance for meetings and event spaces, Accor chief commercial, digital and tech officer Alix Boulnois said, "but this is an upcoming one on the roadmap”.