Launching at the IAAPA Expo 2024, our new AI Assistant is your guests' go-to guide during their visit. By connecting your attraction's existing technology, the AI Assistant offers personalised recommendations and real-time support throughout the guest journey.
The innovation, which has been in development for over 18 months, builds on our long-standing belief that a connected experience enhances guest satisfaction and creates opportunities for operator growth. Like the rest of Attractions.io’s mobile app platform, the AI Assistant unifies key touchpoints in the guest journey to reveal rich, real-time data that is then used to tailor responses to each guest's needs.
Personalised support throughout the guest journey
We wanted our AI Assistant to be a true companion for guests. Unlike pre-sales and customer service AIs, which are constrained to a specific stage of the guest journey, it pulls in data from multiple systems to answer complex queries.
“We wanted to develop an AI Assistant that could understand guests' preferences and needs, using data collected from the entire guest journey," said Mark Locker, Founder & CEO of Attractions.io. "When everything is handled by one system, guests don't need to repeat information or switch between different tools. They can find information they're looking for quickly and then get back to enjoying their visit. Behind the scenes, operators can learn how guests experience the attraction and use that insight to drive operational improvements."
How AI Assistants Enhance the Guest Journey
The new feature connects various data points—like ticketing, wayfinding, menus, and wait times—to assist guests in real-time. By tapping into this wealth of information, the AI Assistant can:
And that’s just a glimpse of its abilities. The AI assistant remembers what guests have shared with it throughout their visit. For example, if you mention that you don’t like fries, it won't recommend them again if you ask for a snack recommendation. It also recalls past visits. So it can remind you that you enjoyed the pizza place when you visited 6 months ago, and suggest that you return.
Designed for Operators
The AI Assistant reduces the strain on guest services by handling routine queries, allowing staff to focus on uniquely human interactions—like resolving disputes, creating memorable experiences, or adding a touch of magic to a visitor’s day.
“AI Assistants give operators the ability to enrich every guest's experience and make them feel like a VIP from the moment they step on site. It’s like visiting with the world's leading expert on that attraction guiding you through your visit,” says Peter O'Dare, VP of Product. “With the AI Assistant handling queries and delivering that personalised touch, operators can focus on creating meaningful, memorable interactions, knowing that all their guests are getting that VIP treatment.”
Operators can customise their AI Assistant, from tone of voice to appearance, ensuring a consistent experience that aligns with their values. Having spent over 18 months in development, the Attractions.io team has also ensured it has robust control mechanisms to guard against misuse, manage costs, and safeguard the brand's integrity.
The Future of AI at Attractions
While AI has been met with a mix of excitement and scepticism (our own polls revealed that 60% of attraction leaders felt both curious and anxious about its impact), we believe it will be a decisive factor in determining success of our industry over the next decade.
“Platforms like ChatGPT are already reshaping consumer expectations around how we interact with technology. As conversational AI becomes the default interface for many tasks, guests at Attractions will quickly expect more natural, human-computer communication. The biggest risk for operators is not at least experimenting with these tools and positioning themselves to deliver the personalised and convenient guest experience guests expect,” suggests Locker.
Attractions.io’s mission has always been to unlock the full potential of every visit, and AI is key to delivering this for the next generation.
“Our priority has always been solving real-world problems for both guests and operators,” says O'Dare. “AI Assistants are a powerful tool for delivering outstanding service at scale. We don't see AI as the solution for everything. But we're focused on using it where it can make the most impact— to reduce friction and elevate the visit so that every guest has a unique experience.”
Availability
Our AI Assistant launches next week at the IAAPA Expo Orlando. Those attending can see it in action at booth 4349 by booking here.
