AI based recommendations
AI based recommendations are something large data crunching companies like Amazon do all the time. Imagine if a computer could suggest your perfect holiday based on your personal preferences, how you’re feeling & your current life situation.
It’s something listing sites like Airbnb would love to do… but it’s definitely not there yet.
For things like products, it’s fairly easy to work out recommendations based on your personal preferences. Purchases are regular & contain lots of useful data. For example, if John regularly buys murder mystery books, it’s safe to say John likes murder mysteries.
However, travelling is very different. People travel for so many reasons and it totally depends preferences, emotions, health & your current life situation. These are things that can change on a day to day basis and are extremely hard to track.
My point is that travelling is an irregular activity, which is tough to predict.
However… If there’s enough data in the system & the A.I is smart enough, this could potentially be the holy grail of recommendations.
Facebook recommendations, reviews, context & A.I
I read an article recently about Facebook recommendations and how they might replace traditional reviews. Reviews lack context. A poor review may be misleading. For example, a city apartment receives one star because it wasn’t family friendly… however, this does not apply to a group of 21 years looking for a party.
If reviews have more data attached (like age, group, preferences – something Facebook has access too), then it’s conceivable that in the near future, Facebook will be able to match you with similar travellers and give you personalised recommendations for travelling.
Facebook Ads & PPC
Another key opportunity is being able to send tailored holiday rentals (through Facebook ads) to the correct audience. Increasing conversions & bookings!