400118

Chatbots in Red Sea Travel Agencies: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions.

Article

Last updated: 04 Jan 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

Artificial intelligence

Abstract

Chatbots have become essential in the travel industry, particularly among young travelers who prefer quick, app-based solutions. Despite their growing popularity, their benefits and challenges in Egyptian travel agencies remain underexplored. This study examines the experiences of travel agency employees in Egypt regarding chatbot integration, using surveys from agencies in the Red Sea region.

Findings highlight significant benefits, such as increased productivity and improved customer interaction, but also point to challenges like technical issues and integration difficulties. To overcome these, agencies are advised to upgrade their technical infrastructure by investing in advanced IT systems and ensuring reliable internet connectivity through partnerships with service providers.

Customization is key—agencies should develop personalized chatbot solutions tailored to customer needs, leveraging AI-driven analytics to streamline bookings and enhance engagement. Building trust requires transparent data protection policies, robust cybersecurity measures, and public awareness campaigns on chatbot benefits. Additionally, addressing Egypt's cultural and linguistic diversity by designing multilingual, localized chatbots is crucial for boosting customer satisfaction.

Employee training is equally vital; agencies must provide comprehensive sessions on chatbot functionality and troubleshooting, encouraging regular interaction with the technology. This research adds to the growing literature on digital transformation in Egypt's travel sector, offering actionable insights to optimize operations, improve customer service, and strengthen competitiveness in a rapidly evolving market.

DOI

10.21608/jaauth.2024.344722.1645

Keywords

Chatbots, challenges, Benefits, Red Sea

Authors

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

Khalaf

MiddleName

Adbdul-raouf

Affiliation

Minia University- Faculty of Tourism and Hotels- Tourism Studies Department

Email

mohamed.khala1@mu.edu.eg

City

المنيا

Orcid

-

First Name

Ahmed Mabrok

Last Name

Moftah

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

جامعة المنيا - كلية السياحة والفنادق - قسم الدراسات السياحية

Email

ahmed.mabrouk@mu.edu.eg

City

-

Orcid

-

Volume

27

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

48818

Issue Date

2024-12-01

Receive Date

2024-12-15

Publish Date

2024-12-01

Page Start

466

Page End

486

Print ISSN

1687-1863

Online ISSN

2682-4612

Link

https://jaauth.journals.ekb.eg/article_400118.html

Detail API

https://jaauth.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=400118

Order

400,118

Type

Original Article

Type Code

997

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Journal of Association of Arab Universities for Tourism and Hospitality

Publication Link

https://jaauth.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Chatbots in Red Sea Travel Agencies: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions.

Details

Type

Article

Created At

30 Dec 2024