Hjalte Niehorster

💻 October 2025, Booking.com launched Smart Messenger and Auto Reply, AI tools for instant guest response. Properties with AI respond in seconds, outpacing those with 2-hour delays, affecting their ranking. New recency-weighted reviews amplify negative impact on scores and visibility. Successful operators use hybrid AI-human workflows, real-time weekly review monitoring, and strategic automation for simple queries. Direct booking infrastructure cuts platform dependency, emphasizing algorithmic responsiveness over traditional methods.