Despegar revolutionizes the tourism industry introducing the region’s first Generative AI Travel Assistant
March 04 2024 - 9:30AM
Business Wire
Pioneering technology expected to revolutionize
the travel market
SOFIA significantly enhances the customer
experience, setting a new standard for travel planning
Despegar.com, Corp. (NYSE: DESP) (“Despegar” or the
“Company”), Latin America’s leading travel technology company,
today announced the launch of SOFIA , the region’s first Generative
AI Travel Assistant, marking a significant enhancement to the
Company’s customer value proposition. This pioneering innovation
allows users to enjoy rapid, as well as more personalized and
convenient travel planning through state-of-the-art technology.
Powered by generative artificial intelligence, Despegar's SOFIA
is multimodal and fully supports travelers from the initial
conception of their travel idea, through the planning and
coordination stages, until their return. Interacting with SOFIA is
simple, intuitive, and flexible, accommodating oral, written, or
image-based communication according to a traveler’s preferences,
and is available at any time and day.
Behind this advancement is Despegar's technology prowess, strong
culture of innovation, and deep knowledge of the travel market.
SOFIA assists customers at every step of travel planning, from
searches to bookings to payments, to create the best possible
travel experience.
Gonzalo Estebarena, Chief Technology Officer of Despegar, said:
"Our AI Travel Agent is expected to revolutionize travel. SOFIA
uniquely supports Despegar’s customers throughout the entire travel
planning process, from inspiring destination ideas to visualizing
various travel options, and it does this through their preferred
mode of communication. Unlike traditional e-commerce platforms that
require pre-determined interactions with a customer, SOFIA can
dynamically and nearly instantaneously create travel options based
on the customer's requests. We are proud to lead with a technology
that elevates the user experience to an entirely new level,
representing a paradigm shift in the travel industry."
Interacting with SOFIA is remarkably simple and straightforward.
For example, a user expressing a desire to go surfing prompts SOFIA
to suggest potential destinations, allowing the user to engage
through chat, voice, a displayed catalog of travel options, or any
combination thereof. Going beyond traditional chatbot
functionality, SOFIA provides a genuinely and naturally interactive
digital assisted travel planning experience. SOFIA's dynamic
conversation style, adaptive responses, and empathetic nature,
coupled with Despegar's extensive knowledge of over 30 million
customers and their preferences, clearly distinguish the digital
assistant from conventional online platforms and could facilitate
the secular transition from offline to online travel booking. In
addition, SOFIA offers a self-assisted purchasing experience and
facilitates contact with Despegar representatives for sales or
after-sales inquiries when desired. The tool is now available
across Latin America and the Company plans to incorporate
additional features and functionality over time.
Mr. Estebarena added: “The integration of SOFIA and other AI
technologies into our omnichannel platform is enabling us to
provide scalable, personalized products and services that greatly
enhance the customer experience, while also improving our company’s
operational efficiency.”
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. We base these forward-looking statements on our current
beliefs, expectations and projections about future events and
trends affecting our business and our market. Many important
factors could cause our actual results to differ substantially from
those anticipated in our forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date
they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or
to revise any forward-looking statements. New risks and
uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for
us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact
on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
The words “believe,” “may,” “should,” “aim,” “estimate,”
“continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “will,” “expect” and similar
words are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements include information concerning our
possible or assumed future results of operations, business
strategies, capital expenditures, financing plans, competitive
position, industry environment, potential growth opportunities, the
effects of future regulation and the effects of competition.
Considering these limitations, you should not make any investment
decision in reliance on forward-looking statements contained in
this press release.
About Despegar.com
Despegar is the leading travel technology company in Latin
America. For over two decades, it has revolutionized the tourism
industry in the region through technology. With its continuous
commitment to the development of the sector, Despegar today is
comprised of a consolidated group that includes Despegar, Decolar,
Best Day, Viajes Falabella, Viajanet Stays and Koin, and has become
one of the largest travel companies in Latin America. Despegar
operates in 20 countries in the region, accompanying Latin
Americans from the moment they dream of traveling until they share
their memories. With the purpose of improving people's lives and
transforming the shopping experience, Despegar has developed
alternative payment and financing methods, democratizing the access
to consumption and bringing Latin Americans closer to their next
travel experience. Despegar’s common shares are traded on the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DESP). For more information, visit
Despegar’s Investor Relations website
https://investor.despegar.com/ .
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240304920931/en/
IR Contact Luca Pfeifer Investor Relations Phone: (+1)
305 481 1785 E-mail: luca.pfeifer@despegar.com
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