Voice assistants in tourism

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Five good reasons for voice assistants

Voice assistants in tourism? Absolutely!

Because there are many reasons why voice assistants are ideal for the tourism industry in particular. The most important are:

1. More than just a trend

The use of voice assistants is already very widespread today. And it continues to grow rapidly.

Alexa, Siri, Google Home and the sat nav in your car: asking them questions and getting answers is so easy and so convenient!
So enjoying this convenience is something more and more people want. On more and more occasions. Even or especially in their free time.
For example, using voice assistants to obtain information about the holiday destination, book hotel rooms, get travel tips or have a local guide.

Opportunities to surprise and pamper guests with voice assistants certainly abound.

2. Voice assistants are innovative & sustainable

Communicating information and marketing messages via voice assistants is still considered innovative today.

This is because there are only very few destinations that already use voice assistants in tourism. However, especially those, who want to address young target groups, are therefore well served with voice assistants!
Moreover, voice assistants are not only innovative, but also sustainable. Because they get by without all the resources that are needed for film productions, huge information boards or printed matter.
This not only protects the environment, but also the budget.

With offline solutions voice assistants in tourism achieve even greater sustainability.
Because they do not require any energy for data transmission! And they also work in areas without network reception.

With the offline technology SpeechCode, voice assistants also work on top of the mountain – without reception.

3. Storytelling with voice assistants

Storytelling is a common and successful method to bring guests closer to nature, culture and lifestyle of a region. And to get them emotionally excited about the vacation destination.

Until now, we had to present these “stories” in elaborate videos. Or offer them in written form on information boards, websites and in brochures. But letters don’t speak; and therefore can’t “tell” a story.

Stories developed especially for listening, which are recited by Siri & Co, offer a completely different quality! Storytelling is the ideal field of application for voice assistants in tourism.

4. More reach in marketing

With voice assistants, marketing messages can reach more people:

Namely, all those who can’t read or don’t want to read. On the one hand, these are the reading muffleheads, whose number keeps growing. And on the other hand, functional illiterates: People whose reading skills are not sufficient to read comprehensively. And, of course, people with cognitive impairments and reading difficulties.

The important thing for voice assistants is, that the corresponding “content” is available in such a way that algorithms can find it. And then also recognize it as the correct “answer”. Technical possibilities are:

• Developing a “skill” for Alexa, for example, that guests install on their device. Or that is already pre-installed on devices on site, in the hotel room or at the tourist office.
• Transferring the content to an “open data” central store, where the search algorithms of voice assistants can find it, and provide it as an answer.
• To optimize one’s websites for voice queries – Voice SEO
• Develop audio files with audio texts that are picked up by the voice assistants on site via NFC.

NFC pickup points for voice assistants can be this simple, inexpensive and small: Audio Info by SpeechCode

5. Convenience for all

Voice assistants provide information access even for blind and visually impaired people.

Whether people of the 65+ generation, diabetics or people with severe eye diseases. The use of voice assistants in tourism enables a barrier-free offer for these target groups. And therefore often even receives government funding as a measure for accessibility.

And of course, voice assistants in tourism offer convenience for all guests.
Because having your hands and eyes free is a fine thing, especially on vacation. Cycling, Nordic walking and visiting sights are simply more fun with voice assistants!

Conclusion: The use of voice assistants in tourism has a lot of potential!