#Japan #Tokyo #Tourism #AI Concierge #Gappy

Revolutionizing Tourism Websites with Gappy for Business

In an era where travelers often face overwhelming amounts of information online, Gappy Inc., based in Tokyo, has taken a significant step by launching a PoC (Proof of Concept) program for "Gappy for Business," a multilingual AI concierge. This innovative platform aims to enhance the engagement rates of official websites operated by municipalities, DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations), tourist associations, accommodations, and commercial facilities.

The Challenge: Improving Engagement in Official Sites

Traditional tourism websites often suffer from scattered information, making it challenging for travelers to find what they need and leading to high bounce rates. Many potential customers leave these sites in frustration, either because they can’t locate the answers they seek or they get tired of searching through countless pages. This lack of effective navigation results in decreased engagement and poor user experiences. "Gappy for Business" addresses these challenges by preventing users from returning to search engines and guiding them through a streamlined process of seeking information, leading them seamlessly from discovery to action, whether it's activating a map, making a reservation, or contacting a service.

A Shift from Catalog to Concierge

With "Gappy for Business," Gappy Inc. redefines the role of official websites from being mere catalogs of information to becoming proactive concierges for travelers. The AI concierge integrates into existing websites, offering personalized suggestions tailored to travelers' unique circumstances—for instance, including options for rainy days, family outings, late-night activities, or avoiding crowds. Instead of just responding with an FAQ-style approach, the AI organizes relevant site information and presents it through appealing suggestion cards, directing users toward the next steps with actionable links such as opening maps, making reservations, or contacting businesses directly.

The Engagement Loop: Creating Sustainable Interactions

The essence of Gappy's strategy is designing an engagement loop, where users are continuously encouraged to interact with the content, enhancing both their experiences and decision-making processes. Here’s how it works:

1. Initiating Questions: By identifying what travelers are struggling to find, the system generates targeted questions to clarify their needs.
2. Offering Choices: Through suggestion cards, travelers can easily compare options, making the decision process less burdensome.
3. Ensuring Continuous Engagement: The platform guides users toward related choices and further suggestions while maintaining their interest in exploring more options.
4. Data-Driven Improvements: Utilizing engagement metrics like dwell time, exit rates, and user navigation patterns, Gappy continually fine-tunes the website experience to ensure that visitors engage effectively and are less likely to leave in frustration.

Establishing Clear KPIs for Success

As part of the PoC program, Gappy focuses on designing clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure improvements both qualitatively and quantitatively. These KPIs include:

• - Engagement scores (e.g., average stay time, pages visited, and drop-off rates)
• - Return visit rates and interaction metrics (e.g., how often users click through suggestions)
• - Next-action metrics that visualize movement towards specific actions such as reservation clicks, inquiries sent, and more.

By establishing these KPIs, Gappy ensures that stakeholders can effectively assess the impact of the AI concierge on user experiences.

The Gappy PoC Program: Fast-Tracking Engagement Improvement

Gappy has standardized its PoC program to enable municipalities and businesses to test the effectiveness of the AI concierge swiftly. The program typically spans three months and includes:

• - Implementation of the AI concierge onto official websites (including web embedding and QR code linking)
• - A dashboard to monitor user interactions and engagement metrics
• - Agreement on KPIs and templates for improvements based on real-world feedback
• - Monthly updates for continuous enhancement of user experience
• - Comprehensive reporting at the end of the evaluation period, including recommendations for future phases.

Conclusion: A Transformative Tool for Tourism and Beyond

As Gappy Inc. continues to innovate, the company’s CEO, Mitsuki Asano, emphasizes that the value of official tourism sites lies not in their wealth of information, but in their ability to facilitate traveler decision-making. The objective of increasing engagement is merely a means to cultivate a deeper relationship with visitors—ultimately guiding them towards their desired actions and enhancing their overall experience. With a growing focus on automation and data-driven strategies, Gappy for Business is poised to revolutionize how tourism websites function, ensuring they not only attract visitors but also keep them engaged and informed. As Gappy looks ahead, they plan to expand their successful strategies and measurements nationwide through partnerships and proposals to elevate tourism in various regions.