AI Trip Planners and the Future of Direct Bookings: Why Kynect Is Building Differently
AI Trip Planners and the Future of Direct Bookings: Why Kynect Is Building Differently
AI trip planners have changed travel discovery forever.
As this new mode of travel planning takes off, direct booking is becoming more relevant than ever. Dozens of companies see this shift and are racing to drive more direct bookings for hotels — which is, undeniably, a good thing for the industry.
At Kynect, we see this as a once-in-a-generation shift too. But our perspective on the opportunity is very different from many of the new players entering the space.
The Limitation of Current AI Booking Models
Many emerging AI travel platforms are focusing on centralizing better and more accurate hotel data by connecting directly to property systems via Google HPA feeds and similar channels. This approach helps ensure travelers find the right property with the right rate and live availability.
But there’s a catch.
When it comes to actually completing the booking — the most critical step — most of these solutions fall short. While they appear to enable a seamless booking experience, the final step often redirects travelers out to the hotel’s website. In practice, this offers little additional value compared to what existing AI platforms already provide.
Where Kynect Fits In
We believe large language models (LLMs) already excel at search and discovery — and will only continue to improve. They don’t need more partners to enhance that part of the experience.
Where they struggle is closing the loop: transforming an AI-driven conversation into a confirmed booking within the same app or interface.
That’s where Kynect comes in.
While others compete for discovery, we focus on complementing AI trip planners by working quietly in the background to power instant, direct bookings.
A Seamless Booking Infrastructure
Our proprietary Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrates directly with property management systems (PMS), giving us live access to ARI data (Availability, Rates, and Inventory) across thousands of hotels.
There’s no reliance on OTAs or traditional aggregators. Our system continuously feeds real-time data into AI platforms throughout the search and conversation process.
So when a traveler finally says, “Book it,” everything is ready.
No redirects.
No additional forms.
The booking is completed natively within the AI platform — for hotels, it’s as if the reservation came directly through their own IBE. The hotel receives the booking along with full guest data, preserving the first-party relationship.
Kynect also simplifies the backend through a unified checkout system. We manage payments, commission splits, and confirmations in one seamless step. Because we’re natively integrated with multiple PMS systems, travelers can even book multiple properties in a single transaction — making multi-stop trips effortless.
The Bigger Picture
While others chase discovery, Kynect is building the infrastructure that makes AI-driven booking actually work.
By closing the final gap in the customer journey, we’re enabling a new standard in travel — conversational, direct, and truly seamless for both guests and hotels.
