SynXis Concierge.AI Supercharges Direct Bookings and Guest Engagement with Generative AI
- Integration of AI across multiple channels (website, email, social, voice) enhances customer engagement and service delivery
- Support for 50+ languages expands global market reach and accessibility
- Potential reduction in operational costs through automated customer service and booking support
- Expected increase in direct bookings and reduction in OTA dependency
- 24/7 automated support capability enhances service availability
- Initial implementation and testing phase may lead to temporary service adjustments
- Dependency on AI technology could pose operational risks if system issues occur
- Potential learning curve for staff and customers adapting to new AI systems
Insights
Sabre's AI hotel booking integration targets conversion rates and operational efficiency across multiple guest touchpoints.
Sabre's integration of SynXis Concierge.AI into its booking engine represents a strategic advancement in hospitality tech automation. The solution spans four critical guest touchpoints: an AI-powered booking chatbot, email automation, social media integration, and voice connectivity. Unlike basic chatbots, this platform processes complex variables like room preferences and party sizes across 50+ languages, potentially addressing the significant challenge of booking abandonment rates.
The technical architecture leverages a unified inbox approach, providing centralized management while allowing configuration flexibility at chain, brand, or property levels. This hierarchical design addresses a common implementation barrier in hospitality tech - balancing brand consistency with property-specific requirements.
What's particularly notable is the integration depth into the booking engine itself, rather than functioning as a standalone solution. This embedded approach suggests Sabre is prioritizing seamless user experience over simply adding an AI feature layer. The technology appears aimed at a specific industry pain point: recapturing direct bookings that might otherwise flow to OTAs (Online Travel Agencies), which typically charge commissions between 15-30% of booking value.
The early adopter testing timeline indicates a methodical rollout strategy rather than a rushed deployment, suggesting appropriate caution with customer-facing AI technology. For Sabre, this represents a logical extension of their 2024 internal AI deployment, now expanding from back-office to customer-facing applications.
From a business perspective, Sabre's AI integration addresses several critical economic challenges facing hotels today. First, it targets the direct booking dilemma - the industry's ongoing battle to reduce dependency on third-party distribution channels. With OTA commissions consuming significant margin, technologies that increase direct bookings directly impact bottom-line profitability.
The multilingual capability (50+ languages) is particularly significant for international hotel groups like Langham, whose endorsement suggests early validation from a premium brand. This feature addresses the global service gap many properties face when trying to communicate with international guests across language barriers.
Most compelling is the operational efficiency angle. The hospitality industry continues to struggle with labor challenges post-pandemic, with many properties operating below optimal staffing levels. By automating routine inquiries across multiple channels (booking, email, social, voice), Sabre's solution potentially allows existing staff to focus on higher-value guest interactions.
The staged deployment approach - first to Sabre's internal teams, now to booking engines, and soon to their Community Portal - demonstrates a methodical expansion strategy that builds on proven success rather than speculative capability. For hotel operators evaluating ROI, this suggests a more mature solution than many competing hospitality AI offerings still in conceptual stages.
While actual performance metrics aren't provided, the emphasis on reducing booking abandonment rates targets a known conversion challenge in the industry, where abandonment rates typically range from 75-85% on hotel websites - representing substantial revenue opportunity if even marginally improved.
Sabre Hospitality unveils AI integration with SynXis Booking Engine to boost conversions, streamline service, and personalize guest interactions
"A year ago, we announced that SynXis Concierge.AI was live and being used by our Customer Care & Delivery team to deliver faster, more accurate assistance, and it was our vision to add AI to other areas of our portfolio in thoughtful ways to move the dial for our customers (hoteliers) and their guests," said Scott Wison, President, Sabre Hospitality. "We are kicking off early adopter testing of Concierge.AI functionality in SynXis Booking Engine in June and next month, we are putting Concierge.AI at our customers' fingertips through the Community Portal to enable effortless self-service. This technology is deeply integrated into the booking engine, ensuring a seamless and elevated guest experience."
Our latest SynXis Concierge.AI functionality will include:
- Booking Agent: An AI-powered chatbot embedded in SynXis Booking Engine that assists with real-time inquiries, room suggestions, booking support, FAQs, and local recommendations. Available in 50+ languages, it delivers fast, personalized responses that drive higher conversions, reduce booking abandon rates, and capture direct bookings that may otherwise go to OTAs.
- Email Automation: Uses generative AI to manage high volumes of travel-related emails by extracting key information (like travel dates or party size) and generating personalized offers. This feature helps improve response speed, booking efficiency, and reduces staff workload.
- Social Connect: Enables AI-powered guest engagement across popular social platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp Business. Managed through a single unified inbox, hotels can streamline communications, ensure a consistent brand voice, and gain insights into guest sentiment and trends.
- Voice Connect: Integrates an AI phone agent into hotel telephone systems, providing 24/7 support for guest inquiries, bookings, and call transfers. This solution boosts operational efficiency while delivering fast, personalized service over the phone.
"From the foundation of our flagship property 160 years ago – which was the first hotel to offer air conditioning, hydraulic elevators, and hot and cold running water in guest rooms – pushing the boundaries of what's possible has always been part of our DNA," says Langham Hospitality Group Senior Vice President – Strategy, Technology and Innovation Sean Seah. "Sabre's SynXis Concierge.AI solution greatly enhances our ability to address multilingual queries and booking requests from our guests while preserving the personal and intuitive touch our customer service is renowned for."
Amy Read, Vice President of Innovation, Sabre Hospitality, added, "We give hoteliers the tools to meet travelers where they are with efficiency, yet with a human touch. SynXis Concierge.AI helps them scale service, increase conversions, and operate more efficiently - without compromising the guest experience. What sets these AI tools apart is the ability to combine automation with personalization, giving hotels the control to maintain their brand voice while enhancing efficiency. As we move towards greater personalization, our focus is on delivering best-in-class solutions that empower brands to shape the narrative, not surrender it - blending smart automation with assisted control."
About Sabre Corporation
Sabre Corporation is a leading technology company that takes on the biggest opportunities and solves the most complex challenges in travel. Sabre harnesses speed, scale and insights to build tomorrow's technology today – empowering airlines, hoteliers, agencies and other partners to retail, distribute and fulfill travel worldwide. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas,
SABR-F
Media Contacts:
Cassidy Smith-Broyles
Cassidy.Smith-Broyles@sabre.com
Chandra Moyse
Chandra.moyse@sabre.com
Investors
Brian Evans
sabre.investorrelations@sabre.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synxis-conciergeai-supercharges-direct-bookings-and-guest-engagement-with-generative-ai-302480696.html
SOURCE Sabre Corporation