In an industry that prides itself on instinct, flair and knowing which villa has the best breakfast view, the word algorithm doesn’t usually raise pulses. Yet here we are, 2025, and even the most polished Destination Management Companies (DMCs) are chatting with their computers as if the machines were junior consultants on the payroll.
The latest reason is TourConnect AI’s Itinerary Assist 2.0, a refresher of the company’s popular AI planning tool. This tool lets agents and travel pros build and edit itineraries through what seems suspiciously like a friendly chat box.
After decades of toggle menus and endless spreadsheets, the travel industry is finally talking to itself.
From buzzwords to boarding passes
Michael Herrmann, TourConnect AI’s President and Founder, calls the launch “a major step in unlocking creativity”. He’s not wrong, though the phrasing would make any old-school agent reach for a red pen.
“The launch of Chat features extends our moat within the B2B travel AI space,” Herrmann explains. DMCs are seeing value in less context-shifting and faster turnaround times. A conversational interface to unlock the creativity of their talented staff was highly requested, and the TourConnect AI team has worked hard to deliver it.”
You can almost hear the sigh of relief from consultants who’ve spent one too many nights buried in PDFs and supplier rate sheets. For once, the tech promises to make life easier without replacing the human touch that makes bespoke travel sparkle.
Itinerary Assist 2.0 interface when using Gmail. This shows the new Chat interface as it initially appears with new quote requests.
A chat, not a chore
Itinerary Assist 2.0 isn’t about automation for automation’s sake. It’s about easing the tedious bits that make even the most patient consultant mutter under their breath.
With the new conversational chat flow, agents can type things like “shift Day 3 to Queenstown and add boutique art hotels only”, and the system will juggle the logistics automatically adjusting service lines, dates and passenger details on the fly.
It happens inside the chat window: no toggling, exporting, or late-night panic over a misplaced column.
And if the client’s request is delightfully vague (“something relaxing in Europe, maybe a castle or two”), Itinerary Assist 2.0 can build an itinerary from scratch, complete with live pricing and availability.
This is manna from heaven for anyone ever receiving a 5 p.m. Friday quote request titled ‘Need a 10-day wine tour for 14 pax ASAP’.
Itinerary Assist 2.0 interface when using Gmail. This shows the new Chat interface mid-conversation with the DMC agent asking about the likely weather so that changes to the First Draft itinerary can be considered.
When AI learns your habits
The system also gets cleverer the longer it’s used. Drawing on past successful itineraries and existing templates, the AI recognises patterns: what worked well, what sold fast, and which routes had travellers raving.
In a sense, it becomes the memory bank of a well-travelled consultant minus the caffeine addiction.
If your booking platform holds old itineraries or templates, 2.0 uses them as a foundation for new quotes. The AI effectively asks: “What did we do last time that delighted everyone and can we do it better?”
That’s not just software; that’s something close to intuition, the holy grail of travel planning.
Agents reclaim their creativity.
Across Australia, General Manager Kathy Turner has already seen what this means on the ground.
“Itinerary Assist AI is an incredible tool to be given the chance to utilise,” she says. “It’s proactive, intuitive, thought-provoking and efficient. Our expert travel consultants, who are eager to provide the finest service, now have more time to evaluate and enrich individual bookings.”
In plain terms, it cuts the grunt work so agents can think again, not just type. And in an industry where good ideas often get squeezed by time zones and tiny margins, that’s gold.
The numbers behind the noise
Since the first version launched in April 2024, DMCs using Itinerary Assist have produced itineraries covering more than 130,000 service lines, according to TourConnect AI, and a remarkable 92% of those made it to the final client proposal.
That’s not bad for a tool that began life as a digital assistant and is fast becoming a silent partner in the creative process.
Herrmann says the upgrade was driven almost entirely by client feedback. “Early-stage quotes are often short on detail,” he notes, “but DMCs still need to reply quickly. The chat interface lets them start a conversation with AI rather than fill out a form. It’s a faster, more natural way to build ideas.”
When the robots speak fluent travel
There’s a certain irony here. The industry that once fretted over AI “taking over” now wants AI to talk more.
And talk it does. The system understands terms like “soft adventure”, “luxury on a budget”, and “add a day in Kyoto”. It doesn’t blink at complex date changes or multi-city requests. It updates everything quietly and instantly, as we all wish customer service would.
Herrmann says, “We’re expecting DMCs that work with a diverse range of suppliers will enjoy how 2.0 wraps around their pre-booking flow.”
A touch of corporate jargon there, but the meaning’s clear: this isn’t about replacing people. It’s about making their daily juggle with itineraries a little less circus act, a little more symphony.
Grounded in the real world
Of course, no tech, no matter how conversational, can replace the instinct that tells a consultant when to slip in a surprise sunrise balloon flight or swap a chain hotel for the family-run lodge that serves proper coffee.
However, by handling the admin faster, pricing, availability, and logistics, Itinerary Assist 2.0 clears a path for creativity to resurface.
That may explain why the company has held firm on pricing: an onboarding fee for integration and data quality, plus a monthly subscription based on itinerary volume. There are no hidden extras. For once, the small print really is small.
Integration is available globally for Tourplan and Hero booking systems, and existing clients have been given early access and training. The global rollout starts on November 4, 2025.
The bigger picture: talking back to technology
Travel is changing faster than a departure board during a thunderstorm. Most travellers already use consumer AI tools, from chatbots to itinerary builders, long before they reach a human agent.
That’s precisely why professional DMCs are pushing for “agentic AI”: systems that preserve their expertise while keeping up with the pace of modern clients who expect answers instantly and flawlessly.
TourConnect AI’s answer is refreshingly grounded: keep humans in charge, give them more innovative tools, and make the interface something they want to use.
It’s not flashy futurism; it’s practical progress. And in the travel business, practicality still wins the day.
Less hype, more humanity
There’s something satisfyingly ironic about an AI tool that succeeds precisely because it feels more human. TourConnect’s latest update doesn’t mention “disruption” or “revolution.” It just makes the working day flow a little better.
And that’s often the hallmark of real innovation, the kind that doesn’t need a press conference, just a quiet nod from those who’ll use it.
If nothing else, Itinerary Assist 2.0 might prove that good technology doesn’t replace travel agents. It frees them up to be what they were always meant to be: curious, inspired, and maybe a little mischievous, the kind of people who still know that a perfect holiday is built on stories, not spreadsheets.
By Kanda Limw – (c) 2025
Read Time: 5 minutes
About the Writer
Kanda Limw is a self-motivated administrative professional with a strong track record of supporting business operations efficiently and precisely. Highly organised and adaptable, she brings a wealth of skills to the table, from multitasking and prioritising competing demands to managing complex filing systems and ensuring smooth office workflows.
Her background spans professional secretarial work, customer relations, and project planning, where her critical thinking and proactive approach have consistently delivered results. Kanda is experienced in managing directors’ schedules, coordinating meetings, and streamlining administrative processes while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.
With progressive experience in office management, she has developed a reputation for reliability and attention to detail. Colleagues value her calm under pressure, her ability to anticipate needs, and her dedication to keeping operations on track. Kanda continues to build on her diverse skill set, driving efficiency and excellence in every task she undertakes.
