Agoda launches AI-powered vacation planner for Indian travelers

Online travel agency Agoda has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered vacation planner for Indian travelers.

The travel planner, from the Singapore-based brand owned by Booking Holdings, was built with Google’s AI technology, Gemini and Imagen, and is available through the AgodaVacationPlanner.com site until June 30 as part of a marketing campaign.

The technology “experiments with a new way of visual travel planning,” generating destination and itinerary suggestions based on travelers’ wants and needs.

“Travel is all about discovery and inspiration. Agoda’s use of AI to create personalized recommendations and stunning visuals makes it easier for people to dream, plan and book their next adventure,” said Ayushmann Khurrana, Bollywood star and Agoda brand ambassador, who is promoting the campaign.

“And the best part is that we take away the stress of putting together an itinerary, because we do it for you! It’s amazing to see AI bring such creativity to life and I’m proud to be part of this innovation.”

AI Vacation Planner uses Gemini to enable advanced natural language understanding capabilities and provide personalized recommendations, with Imagen then creating a visual and interactive itinerary. Playing the character of chief wellness officer “Mr. Vacaywala,” Khurrana summarizes the itineraries with text-to-speech AI.

“At Google, we believe in empowering visionaries to transform industries. Our collaboration with Agoda is a perfect example, as we collectively embark on a journey to truly reimagine travel—moving beyond simple bookings to instantly personalized, vividly inspiring journeys for every traveler, powered by advanced AI,” said Pulkit Lambah, industry head for travel, Google Asia Pacific.

Robert Rosenstein, co-founder and chairman of Agoda, has been vocal about AI and his thoughts on how it will impact travel. At The Phocuswright Conference 2024 in November, Rosenstein spoke about how Agoda is using AI to solve “real problems” in travel.

Watch the full session with Yeoh Siew Hoon, founder of WiT and editorial director of Northstar Travel Group Asia: