TripWorks Launches ANIE, the First Native AI Chatbot to Complete End-to-End Bookings | News
TripWorks, the operator-built platform transforming the way travel and activities companies manage pricing, automation and growth, today announced the launch of ANIE (Assistant for Next-gen Interactive Engagement) – the first native AI chatbot built specifically for the travel and activities industry that can take a guest from inquiry to confirmed booking entirely within a single conversation.
Originally unveiled at Arival San Diego 2024, ANIE marked TripWorks as the first company in the travel and activities industry to introduce a true AI-powered conversational booking experience, built by operators, for operators. ANIE was developed to solve the challenges travel companies face every day: missed bookings, repeated support requests and customer dropouts during the booking process.
Unlike traditional chatbots that redirect users to external booking pages, ANIE combines conversational AI, real-time inventory access and integrated payment workflows to create a seamless booking experience right in the chat window. The launch marks a major advancement in the way tour and activity providers convert website traffic into revenue while reducing operational workload.
“Operators are tired of ‘leaky’ websites, where customers drop off as soon as they are redirected to a booking page,” said Aaron Fessler, CEO of TripWorks. “ANIE solves one of the biggest problems in our industry: the gap between customer intent and the completed transaction. ANIE doesn’t just answer questions; she closes the sale. She’s a 24/7 reservations agent who lives in your location and in your app, powered by the most advanced knowledge base integration in the industry.”
Closing the gap between intention and transaction
Until now, most “AI chatbots” in the tours and activities space have functioned primarily as FAQ tools. Customers who wanted to book were typically redirected to another page or booking engine, which created friction and increased abandonment.
ANIE is revolutionizing that model by:
Natural language processing
Real-time stock and availability checks
Generate income 24 hours a day
Native in-chat booking completed
Follow-up and payment via SMS for dropped calls
Conversation summaries and sentiment tracking
The result is a fully integrated booking experience designed to increase conversion rates while reducing friction with both guests and operators.
TripWorks designed ANIE for tour and activity companies that need enterprise-level AI capabilities without enterprise-level complexity or pricing.
Operators can configure and train ANIE using website URLs, sitemaps, PDFs, or custom content – all without the need for implementation support or technical setup. ANIE uses this curated knowledge base to answer guest questions accurately and contextually.
“No competitor in the market currently offers native in-chat bookings,” said Melanie Gannone, Director of Product at TripWorks. “Operators want technology that reduces friction for both their teams and their guests. ANIE is built to become the functional intelligence layer behind customer engagement, allowing operators to generate more revenue while providing immediate, personalized support at scale.”
