Sembo, the digital travel agency owned by Swedish shipping giant Stena Line, is launching the world’s first AI assistant that can suggest and book multiple travel destinations in one place.
An industry-first, the AI assistant builds and tailors trips based on prompts, while allowing the customer to book everything in one place – the tool is set to transform how consumers approach travel planning and booking.
The news comes just days after Google released their AI assistant, which, unlike Sembo’s, lacks a booking feature.
April 15 – Sembo, one of the leading travel agencies in the Nordics, is announcing a new AI assistant that tailors travel plans, transportation and living arrangements, all in one place – while allowing the customer to book and pay for the trip with just one click within the platform. The AI assistant uses technology akin to ChatGPT’s, enabling personalised travel planning, transportation, and accommodation arrangements — all consolidated within a single, user-friendly platform. With the capability to book and finalise transactions in one click within the same platform, the AI assistant is a world first.
Andreas Elmgren, General Manager of Sembo, says: “Our launch sets a new worldwide benchmark for the travel industry. While the exploration of AI tech and ChatGPT-inspired apps have been on the rise, Sembo’s AI assistant is the first that combines personalised travel suggestions with the convenience of centralised booking. This not only gives our customers complete control over their travel plans, but also simplifies the complexity of organising multi-stop trips.”
The launch follows the broader industry’s pivot towards AI, spurred by the debut of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Notably, Sembo’s announcement comes just days after Google introduced its AI travel assistant, which, unlike Sembo’s, lacks a booking feature.
Jari Virtanen, CEO of Stena Line Travel Group, says: “Sembo has always been a trailblazer when it comes to new technology, a key factor in Stena Line’s decision to acquire the company nearly two decades ago. The travel sector has generally lagged behind digital evolution and by and large, we still book trips the same way as we did in the early 2000s. Now, Sembo is taking a big step forward in a way that redefines the entire landscape while solidifying our global market presence.”
The first version of Sembo’s new AI assistant launched on April 9, 2024 and is available on https://sembo.com.
