AI is moving fast. Really fast. Every day seems to bring a new breakthrough: an image generator that goes viral, a smarter chatbot, a more powerful time-saving tool. Some innovations will fizzle out or quickly be supplanted. Others will fundamentally change how we live and work. And one of the latest to watch for revenue managers? OpenAI’s Operator.
Operator has the potential to change how guests book hotels. It’s a new kind of AI agent – one that doesn’t just search the web but actually acts on it. It can browse, click, scroll and book rooms, all on its own. So, what does this mean for revenue managers and the future of direct bookings? Let’s take a closer look.
What is OpenAI’s operator?
Operator is an AI-powered digital agent that can use the internet like a human. They call it a Computer-Using Agent (CUA) and it can navigate websites using a browser – typing, clicking, scrolling – without any APIs or integrations. That means it can book restaurants, buy event tickets, and – crucially – book hotel rooms, all within a few seconds.
Right now, Operator is in research preview and only available to OpenAI Pro users in the US. But even in its early form, it offers a glimpse into the next generation of travel planning – one where AI doesn’t just help a traveler book a hotel, it does it for them.
From Passive Search to Active Booking
Think about how people book hotels today. Search engine, OTA, hotel website, reviews, comparison, booking. It’s a journey.
Now imagine skipping all that. With Operator, a traveler can simply type: “Book me the best-rated, child-friendly spa hotel in Amsterdam for under €250 a night, with breakfast included.”
And that’s it. The operator takes over, checking availability, comparing options, and making the booking. The guest can customize their preferences further (specific date ranges, flexible cancelation policies, free breakfasts) and get a seamless experience. But it also means hotels need to rethink how they show up online, because now they’re not just marketing to people. They’re marketing to machines.
New Booking Behaviors, New Challenges
AI agents are changing the way bookings happen. That creates new opportunities, but also new obstacles for hoteliers.
1. A Decline in Direct Bookings?
OTAs already dominate online visibility, and they’re built to be AI-friendly. Agents like Operator may default to OTAs when completing bookings, which could increase your dependency on them – and the commission fees that come with it.
What you can do:
- Make your direct booking engine intuitive and friction-free, with plenty of options for guests to customize their stay.
- Offer incentives for direct booking – member rates, free upgrades, flexible cancellations.
- Structure your website so it’s easy for AI agents to read and navigate.
“It will be interesting to see if this will make OTAs more impactful or rather obsolete,” says Jiri Vinarek, Staff Data Scientist at Mews. “The agent will be able to easily traverse many pages for direct booking, something that would be time-consuming for a human.”
2. No API, No Problem
Operator doesn’t rely on APIs to interact with your site – it just uses your public web pages. That means traditional integrations might not matter as much in the future.
What you can do:
- Use structured data and clear layouts to make your site easy for AI to parse.
- Test how AI agents interact with your booking engine and adjust accordingly.
3. The Brand Loyalty Shift
In a world where AI makes the decisions, brand loyalty might hinge less on marketing and more on user history and behavior. If someone has booked your hotel before, the AI may be more likely to choose it again.
What you can do:
- Build brand recognition now so travelers ask for your hotel by name.
- Use personalization tools to create memorable stays that guests want to repeat.
AI Agents: The Silver Lining
While there are challenges, there’s plenty of potential upside – especially for hotels that get ahead of the curve.
Better Guest Experiences
AI booking agents can make travel feel more personal. Think: booking preferences remembered, favorite room types suggested, breakfast ready just the way guests like it. But to make this work, you need clean, connected data.
That’s where your PMS comes in. The best cloud-native platforms link guest data across stays and services, making it easy to build rich guest profiles and deliver standout experiences every time.
Less Friction, More Bookings
If AI agents can handle the tedious parts of booking, they’ll raise conversion rates – if your booking engine is up to speed.
Simplify the process. Be transparent about prices and policies. The easier it is for an agent to book your hotel, the more likely it will.
Smarter Pricing with AI
Operator compares prices across platforms, so pricing consistency and adaptability are more important than ever. Dynamic pricing isn’t optional anymore. It’s essential.
Ligula Hospitality Group, for example, uses Atomize RMS (a Mews company) to automate 8,000+ rates across 41 properties. It’s faster, smarter pricing on a scale no human can match.
How Mews keeps you future-ready
The booking landscape is changing, and Mews is built to keep you ahead of it. Our open, cloud-native platform easily connects with the tools you need today – and the ones you’ll need tomorrow.
- Dynamic pricing integrations help you stay competitive in real-time
- Guest profile tools let you deliver unforgettable, personalized stays
- Automation and clean design keep your website and booking engine AI-ready
OpenAI’s Operator is just the beginning. The most successful revenue managers in the coming years will be those who adapt to and embrace these new technologies.
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