NEEDHAM, MA, March 16, 2017 -- We want to let you in on a fun, new feature we have been testing here at TripAdvisor that is now available on Facebook Messenger. We’re excited to launch the TripAdvisor chatbot, which makes it easy for you to ask for travel advice and recommendations regarding popular restaurants, attractions, hotels, and flights.

In case you are unfamiliar with chatbots, they are simple artificial intelligence computer systems that you can chat with via text. Many people use them to help get things done, or even to be entertained.

Now you can send TripAdvisor a message via Facebook Messenger asking where to stay, eat, or what to do any time, anywhere. TripAdvisor will scour our millions of reviews to instantly provide you with the best recommendation – all within the Facebook Messenger platform experience. TripAdvisor’s bot will eventually learn what you like in the perfect trip. In fact, the more questions you ask, the better, as it gets smarter with each new inquiry.

Let’s say you’re in New York City and craving sushi. No problem – just log on to Facebook Messenger and simply send the TripAdvisor bot a message asking for sushi restaurants nearby your current location. If you are in the West Village for example, the bot might recommend Morimoto, Blue Ribbon Sushi or Sushi Samba – you will be enjoying a delicious spicy tuna roll in no time!

The bot is also a great way to help you make decisions about what flight to take or where to stay, eat or go with friends or family. Anyone you invite to the chat can review options you suggest and “like” their favorites, allowing for quick consensus on plans.

Key features

• Instantly discover new places to eat and things to do all around the world
• Quickly shop and compare prices for hotels and flights
• Easily collaborate on travel planning with friends and family
• Share flight, accommodation, activity and dining recommendations with just a touch of a button

How to begin chatting with us

1. Visit http://m.me/tripadvisorbot on your mobile or desktop device. Alternately, logon to Facebook Messenger through the mobile app, or on desktop at Facebook.com or Messenger.com, open a new message and type @TripAdvisorBot into the “to” field.
2. Ask us a question about where to stay, what to do or where to eat. For example, you could ask us to find sushi restaurants nearby your current location, or museums in New York City for an upcoming trip. You can also ask to find the best hotel and flight deals for a future vacation.
3. The TripAdvisor bot will instantly respond with a list of recommendations, or may ask a follow-up question to gain clarity on your request.
4. Mobile app users can click the “share” button to send recommendations to friends or family.

Try it out and let us know what you think!

Please click here for the full blog post, containing additional details on the announcement. Hi-res screenshots are available for download here: https://we.tl/BuW649GsbV 

Note: The TripAdvisor Facebook Messenger Bot currently only supports interactions in English.