A luxury travel expert has launched a new AI tool that could drastically shift the way agents book holidays. 

Neil Robinson, former managing director of Colletts Travel, created GDS Genie in August after growing frustrated with the existing global distribution systems. 

Built by Dubai-based NicGulf, the software acts as an automation layer that sits on top of traditional GDS suppliers such as Amadeus, Galileo and Sabre. It aims to simplify the booking process, speaking directly to the GDS on behalf of the agent and thereby eliminating the need to learn how to master its functions. 

The idea came to Robinson, who has over two decades of experience in travel, while he was covering a colleague’s bookings over the Christmas break. Having not used a GDS since 2017, he was surprised to find himself struggling to navigate even its most basic functions. 

“It was all those ancillary fiddly bits, like changing seat numbers and pre-booking vegetarian meals. I was Googling PDFs just to remember the commands,” Robinson told TTG Luxury. 

It was this frustration that sparked what he calls his “lightbulb moment.”

“I kept wondering, why isn’t there a ChatGPT for the GDS?” Robinson said. 

After realising there was no such product on the market, he decided to take the leap. In February, Robinson pitched the concept to the same developers who’d already worked on his AI sustainability business, and by August, the project was up-and-running. 

How does GDS Genie work? 

Simply put, GDS Genie allows travel agents to interact with their GDS through ‘agentic’ AI or natural language. 

Using AI coding tool ClaudeCode, the system interprets plain English requests into complex GDS commands, allowing advisors to speak, type or paste information directly into Genie.

“For example, if I receive an email enquiry from a client – two adults, two kids, with all the dates of birth, travelling from London to Tenerife – I can copy and paste the email into GDS Genie, and it will create the GDS command string for me,” Robinson explained. “It’s that intuitive.” 

GDS Genie has also been designed to reduce itinerary-building times, converting large amounts of information into a complete travel agenda in mere seconds. 

The innovation, Robinson added, doesn’t just save time – it also sharpens communication.

“Back in the day, you’d get a convoluted client email and spend ages working out what they actually wanted. Genie instantly interprets that. It knows exactly what it’s looking for.”

Robinson acknowledges that modern GDS interfaces are “more user-friendly than before,” but insists that existing models remain more cumbersome than necessary. 

“They’re still point-and-click platforms that require agents to log in, monitor queues, and manually manage tasks like fare checks or unticketed segments,” he says. “It’s a disciplined routine where agents have to go in and find what needs action.”

By contrast, GDS Genie runs continuously in the background. It monitors queues, flags unticketed segments or airline remarks, and even detects fare drops automatically – all without the advisor needing to check themselves. It also works off of memory, prompting users to make sure they don’t forget small yet important details. 

“The agentic AI remembers each client’s individual preferences from past bookings such as always choosing a classic-style five-star property or Mercedes S-Class transfers,” Robinson explained. “If another consultant steps in to cover the booking, those preferences are visible, maintaining a seamless continuity of service and protecting the relationship with the client.

Lifting barriers  

Robinson also believes that, despite recent improvements, the current GDS format continues to discourage potentially strong contributors from entering the travel sector.

“It’s absolutely disincentivising people from joining the industry, and many travel companies that use GDS are only hiring people who already understand it,” he said.

Robinson believes that, by removing the requirement of GDS proficiency, businesses will open themselves up to a much wider pool of talent. 

“A black book of clients, who may never have booked travel, will suddenly become available to you because they don’t need to know how to use the GDS – and you don’t need to train them on it.” 

GDS Genie is also mobile-friendly, which means agents don’t need to be tied to their desks to manage bookings.  

The future of booking luxury travel? 

Robinson knows that AI is a daunting subject for many people in the travel industry, but believes that “education” is key to managing these concerns. 

“It’s always a battle to introduce new technology,” he said. “But how you educate people to use it is a different story. You need to show somebody the benefit of what it can do.”  

Robinson also insists that GDS Genie will only enhance luxury advisors’ relationships with their clients, allowing them to “focus on curating experiences that feel effortless, while Genie takes care of everything behind-the-scenes.” 

Having already signed a discovery contract with TTFN Travel, a travel agency in Australia, Robinson is now in the process of finalising a deal with The Lux Travel Group. He has also launched Holiday Genie, which covers agents’ bookings while they’re away, as well as WhatsApp Genie and Google Chat Genie. Commercially, Robinson has secured a £25,000 investment, with another in the pipeline.

He went on to praise his development team at NicGulf, the only approved technological design and build for the UAE government, for creating a seamless product: “I went away and got enterprise businesses from the different industries to show that it works and they’ve had absolutely zero issues. I’ve been very lucky.” 

Robinson’s ultimate goal is for GDS Genie to be adopted by the world’s leading travel agencies – and as a former Colletts director, he already has one in mind. 

“My dream coal is getting into somewhere like Internova,” he said. “It’s exciting times ahead.”