AI-Powered Travel Agents, Hilton’s Mixed Fortunes and Boeing’s Struggles

Skift Take

Today’s podcast looks at AI travel agents, Hilton’s highest room addition, and Boeing’s latest hurdle.

Rashaad Jorden

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, October 24, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. 

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Episode Notes

Anthropic, a generative AI startup, has unveiled new tech that indicates how an AI-powered travel agent would look, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.

Anthropic recently released three demonstrations of the tech, one of which was for making travel plans. A more advanced version of the tech could eliminate the friction of manually navigating options, comparing prices and making reservations. In addition, Dawes notes users might bypass online travel agencies like Booking.com to rely on AI to find the best deals on their behalf. 

Hilton reported a record for room growth during the third quarter. But the company trimmed its annual room revenue forecast amid signs of softening domestic travel demand, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. 

Hilton said on Wednesday it added 6,000 rooms to its portfolio in the third quarter — the highest quarterly room addition in its history. The company also opened 531 hotels during the same timeframe. However, Hilton also said it now expects its revenue per available room to grow between 2% and 2.5% this year, a slight decrease from its projections in both April and August. 

Finally, Boeing has had a rough year thus far, and its struggles include a reported $6 billion third-quarter loss, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg acknowledged the planemaker is at a crossroads, adding that trust in the company has eroded. Ortberg said he believes the company’s issues, including lapses in its performance, have disappointed many of its customers. He told staff earlier this month that Boeing would delay the first deliveries of the 777X to 2026.