Priceline's AI Tool To Drive Travel Search And Personalization Trends

Forbes

09-05-2025

In an age of abundant options and algorithmic recommendations, the modern traveler doesn't just want to go somewhere—they want to belong somewhere. That's where Priceline's new AI tool, Neighborhood Navigator, comes in. It's not about the cheapest hotel. It's about finding the place that feels right.
Celebration of the Flower Festival in New York, along 37th Avenue, from 69th to 82nd streets. (Photo ... More by: Kike Calvo/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Priceline's latest innovation answers a deeper, more emotional need in travel: fit. Whether you're headed to Seattle, Phoenix, or Miami, Neighborhood Navigator helps travelers find neighborhoods that reflect the energy, culture, and aesthetic that resonate personally.
'I don't want to end up in the Times Square of Miami,' says Lesley Klein, Priceline's SVP of Strategy and Brand Marketing. 'I want the West Village vibe—or Dumbo, or Greenpoint. And that's what our users are telling us, especially Millennials and Gen Zs. They want something local, authentic, and true to them.'
Neighborhood Navigator blends attitudinal data, geolocation inputs, and Priceline's 25 years of travel intelligence into a streamlined AI interface. But it's not a chatbot—it's something more ambient and effortless.
'It's not conversational,' explains Cobus Kok, VP of Product and AI at Priceline. 'We're using curated prompts to feed data into large language models, which then match users with neighborhoods that reflect their vibe—think artistic, boutique, energetic, quiet.'
In layman's terms: You tell Priceline how you want your destination to feel, and the AI returns areas that match your mood. The tool launched in beta with a select set of cities, with broader expansion to come.
'We didn't want to overcomplicate it,' says Klein. 'This version is simple, approachable, and solves a real pain point: Where should I stay in a city I don't know well?'
And from a brand strategy standpoint, it's an elegant solution that intersects perfectly with Priceline's core value: delivering joyful travel moments at great value, now with enhanced precision.
Dipanjan Chatterjee, VP & Principal Analyst at Forrester remarked, 'This is right in line with what we have found in our brand models. One of the three biggest drivers of the strength of a brand is its ability to offer something that fits the customers, not only in terms of their product, price, or convenience needs, but also by being a brand that fits the kind of person they are. This is the kind of emotional relevance that builds the strongest brand moats.'
Here's the simple truth: Travelers want a sense of place—not just a room.
In cities we don't know, we often default to central locations or famous landmarks. But that doesn't always yield the best trip. For many travelers, the magic of a new city is in its neighborhoods—its rhythm, its street life, its restaurants and cafés.
As a frequent traveler myself, I've had that moment of dislocation—landing in a perfectly nice hotel in the wrong part of town. Good rate, good reviews… and yet, it felt off.
That's the problem Neighborhood Navigator is solving. It's a first-of-its-kind solution that blends emotional utility with real-world functionality.
'We're seeing that travel is more and more about lifestyle choices,' says Klein. 'People are traveling for concerts, food, sports, culture. They want to feel immersed. That's what Neighborhood Navigator offers—a path to immersion.'
The AI backbone isn't just a gimmick. It's core to the product's success—and Priceline's competitive moat.
'We've been testing AI integrations since GenAI first emerged,' says Kok. 'And now we're building products that don't just answer a question, they anticipate one.'
While Penny, Priceline's conversational AI assistant, already supports bookings and real-time customer queries, Neighborhood Navigator takes a more proactive role—serving inspiration at the top of the funnel. In future releases, the two tools may merge, creating a seamless journey from neighborhood discovery to hotel booking and itinerary planning.
'Ultimately, it's about ease and joy,' adds Christina Bennett, Priceline's Head of Communication. 'If we can make it easier for people to find a place that feels like them—then we're delivering real value.'
Neighborhood Navigator isn't just a travel tool. It's a brand signal.
In a world where loyalty programs are being devalued, Priceline is betting on experiential loyalty—creating unique digital moments that win consumers not just once, but repeatedly.
'We want people to feel like they belong on Priceline,' says Klein. 'That it gets them. That it's their kind of place.'
And that's the real power of personalization—not just getting the 'best' option, but the right one.