30. The Impact Of AI On Travel Advisors: Embrace Or Fear It? With Grace McBride

Like any new technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has come onto the scene and caused quite a bit of uproar. You may already be familiar with Chat GPT, but now there are also travel focused AI platforms that can help individuals plan their own itineraries. There’s no doubt about it, AI is reshaping the travel industry!   Grace McBride, founder of Lucia, joins the show to discuss the role of AI, as well as her thoughts on it actually changing the roles of travel advisors. Should we fear this new technology? Will it replace the modern travel advisor? Tune in to find out!   About Grace McBride: Grace is a dedicated entrepreneur and innovator in the luxury travel industry, currently serving as the Founder & CEO of Lucia. Lucia is a marketplace that connects the luxury travel industry with freelancers, addressing the labor shortage crisis and helping businesses scale without hiring. Grace's professional journey has been deeply rooted in both luxury travel and startups, serving as the CEO of TripKit and COO of MilesAhead. She was a Fellow in the New York 2021 cohort of the Startup Leadership Program and a Philip C. Wolf Memorial Scholarship winner of the Phocuswright Conference in 2022. Grace received her BS at Cornell University and MBA at the University of Notre Dame. She is always excited to try the next new hotel or restaurant and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.   https://www.letslucia.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/graceluciamcbride/     Today we will cover:  (03:10) Will AI replace travel advisors?  (05:30) The importance of travel advisors showing their value  (10:00) Using AI to streamline backend of your business  (14:09) The need for personalization and human connection  (19:00) Ways AI can enhance the travel industry  (29:05) Embracing AI as a tool to improve efficiency and productivity  (36:00) Thoughts on the future of AI in the travel industry     Get $57 off an annual membership with Lucia!   Get 15% off your purchase at tonicsiteshop.com Use code at checkout: TiqueSentMe _____   JOIN OUR NICHE COMMUNITY: www.tiquehq.com/niche FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/tiquehq CHECK OUT OUR SERVICES & PROGRAMS: www.tiquehq.com