The Intelligent Travel Companion Copilot
Tagline: Everything a business traveler needs — before, during, and after the trip — in one trusted Copilot.
1. The Challenge
Business travelers don’t just need approvals — they need confidence, clarity, and support across the entire trip.
Your challenge is to design and build a Copilot-powered Travel Companion that supports a traveler from:
Planning → Booking → Approval → Travel → Issues → Return
The Copilot should act like a personal travel assistant that:
- Anticipates needs
- Answers questions
- Flags issues early
- Provides options
- Handles reminders and approvals
- Knows when (and how) to escalate
All while respecting privacy, security, and enterprise boundaries.
2. Traveler Persona
“Kelli” – The Business Traveler
Kelly travels for client meetings, internal events, and conferences. She is not a travel expert — she just wants the trip to go smoothly.
Kelli needs:
- To know what she needs for travel (documents, policies, requirements)
- Clear options (flights, hotels, costs, tradeoffs)
- Help navigating approvals without friction
- Reminders so nothing is missed
- Fast help when something goes wrong
- Confidence she’s following company policy without memorizing it
3. Functional Requirements
Core Experience
A. Before the Trip – “Help Me Prepare”
The Copilot should help the traveler answer questions like:
- “What do I need for this trip?”
- “What company policies apply?”
- “Do I need approvals — and from whom?”
- “What are my booking options and cost tradeoffs?”
- “Are there any travel risks, restrictions, or timing issues?”
Expected capabilities:
- Summarize travel requirements (destination, company rules, timing)
- Highlight approvals needed (and why)
- Provide booking options, not just one answer
- Explain tradeoffs in simple language (cost, flexibility, policy impact)
- Create a traveler checklist automatically
B. Approvals — Guided Experience
Approvals should feel invisible and guided, not bureaucratic. The Copilot should:
- Tell the traveler when approval is required
- Prepare the approval request for them
- Show approval status in plain language
- Explain why something was rejected or needs changes
- Suggest how to fix issues quickly
From Kelly’s view: “I don’t want to manage approvals — I want Copilot to help me get approved.”
C. During the Trip – “I’m On the Road”
When Kelly is traveling, the Copilot becomes a real-time assistant, helping with:
- “My flight is delayed — what are my options?”
- “Who do I contact right now?”
- “What’s covered vs. not covered?”
- “How do I rebook or adjust?”
- “Any local tips or office-specific guidance?”
Expected capabilities:
- Surface relevant help at the right moment
- Offer clear next steps (not long explanations)
- Provide escalation paths when needed
- Keep guidance aligned with company travel resources
D. Issues & Exceptions – “Something Went Wrong”
Travel rarely goes exactly as planned. The Copilot should:
- Detect or accept issue input (delay, cancellation, missed connection)
- Explain what the traveler can do next
- Show choices, not just rules
- Reduce stress by summarizing the situation simply
- Know when to stop answering and say: “Here’s who to contact now.”
E. After the Trip – “Close the Loop”
Once the trip is over, the Copilot should:
- Remind the traveler of follow-ups (expenses, feedback, required actions)
- Summarize the trip at a high level
- Close approvals or tracking items automatically where possible
4. Privacy & Safety
Teams must explain the following as a core part of their design:
- What data the Copilot uses
- What data it does not store
- How traveler information is protected
- How sensitive data is minimized or sanitized
5. Deliverables
Each team must submit:
- Working Demo (live or recorded): Show a traveler using the Copilot across Planning, Approval, In-trip, and Post-trip.
- Traveler Journey Map (1 page): Visualizing Before / During / After and escalation points.
- Prompt Set: 8–12 example traveler prompts showing situational responses.
- Architecture + Privacy Summary: Data flow, guardrails, and key assumptions.
6. Judging Criteria
Area | What Judges Look For |
Traveler Experience | Does this genuinely reduce traveler stress? |
Situational Awareness | Does Copilot adapt to where the traveler is in the journey? |
Clarity of Options | Are choices explained clearly and simply? |
Approvals Experience | Do approvals feel guided, not painful? |
Issue Handling | Does it help when things go wrong? |
Privacy by Design | Are boundaries clear and responsible? |
Demo Storytelling | Is the value obvious in under 5 minutes? |
7. Sample Prompts
- “What do I need for my trip to London next week?”
- “Do I need approval for this flight option?”
- “What happens if I book a cheaper but non‑refundable fare?”
- “My flight was canceled — what should I do now?”
- “Who do I contact for help right now?”
- “What do I still need to do after this trip?”
8. Optional Naming Ideas
- Travel Companion Copilot
- TripReady Copilot
- Journey Copilot
- GoReady
- TravelMate
9. Hackathon Brief
Summary: Build a Copilot that supports a business traveler through every stage of a trip — planning, approvals, travel, issues, and follow‑up — making enterprise travel feel simple, guided, and human.