MCP Explained: The AI Standard Reshaping Travel Tech
Summary
This article discusses Model Context Protocol (MCP), a new technology that streamlines how travel systems interact with AI, potentially allowing for direct bookings and bypassing middlemen. Hosts should be aware of this technology as it could impact how guests book and discover their listings through AI-powered search.
Key Insights
- •MCP streamlines how travel systems are made accessible and legible to AI, improving AI agent capabilities.
- •MCP offers an opportunity for suppliers (like hotels and airlines) to bypass high-commission middlemen and reclaim direct business.
Action Items
- ✓Consider how AI-powered search and booking tools might affect guest acquisition and distribution strategies, and explore opportunities to enhance direct booking efforts.Effort: mediumImpact: medium
Tools & Resources
- →Anthropic: Anthropic introduced MCP in November 2024.
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