In their talk, Sabine Vroemen, campaign marketer, and Rutger Fokke, digital growth & AI specialist at Riksja Travel, took the audience through how they will use AI not as a tool, but as a foundation. "We were given carte blanche," Rutger explains. "Everything was allowed again."The result: in six months, not only the way they work changed, but also how the company looks at content, search and customer contact.
The moment of panic
The trigger for this radical change was a harsh confrontation with reality, Sabine explains. "I entered a simple prompt on ChatGPT: 'plan a tour of Japan.' Within seconds, there was a complete itinerary. No links, no click paths, no intervention from a travel agent. Then we thought: will we still be needed later?" That question caused panic at first. But it soon became clear that it was also an opportunity.
Everything on the table
Where many organizations start small, Riksja Travel opted for the opposite. With marketing, sales, product and development at the table, a plan was made for the entire organization. Without restrictions. Rutger: "Budget was -within reason- not the problem. We were allowed to rethink everything." That freedom proved crucial.It ensured that AI was not seen as a tool, but as a new way of working.
According to Rutger, one of the biggest changes is in search: where previously everything revolved around positions in Google and sessions, the focus is now shifting to visibility in a broader context. "It's not just about clicks anymore," Rutger says. "It's about being mentioned." Citations and mentions are becoming the new KPIs. Not just in Google, but also in AI tools, social platforms and video. To get there, the content strategy was completely upended. Using tools like Answer the Public, the team analyzed hundreds of millions of search queries. Those questions now form the basis for blogs, FAQs, videos and social content.
Human expertise central
All those AI tools are fun, but at the same time it became clear where Riksja Travel's real differentiation lies: human expertise. "You talk to real people with us. We want to keep it that way," says Sabine. Destination specialists were therefore given a central role in the content, on the website, in videos and even in advertisements. Not as anonymous writers, but as visible experts. This choice is deliberate: in a world where AI is generating more and more information, reliability is becoming more important than ever.
It's no longer just about clicks. It's about being mentioned.
- Rutger
AI behind the scenes
Remarkable is where Rickshaw does not use AI. No AI-generated texts. No visuals from tools. "That doesn't fit our brand," says Sabine. Instead, the biggest AI impact is behind the scenes. A dedicated AI team is working to automate processes that used to take a lot of time. From flight changes to customer communications and internal scheduling.
Sabine gives an example: during major disruptions in the travel industry, hundreds of customers have to be rebooked. "Where employees used to spend hours looking for alternatives, now a system runs overnight that analyzes flights worldwide and immediately produces the best options. You used to start searching at nine o'clock. Now you call at nine with a solution."
Efficiency without distance
That automation provides not only speed, but also better service. Employees have more time for personal contact. Customers get answers faster. Even outside office hours, Rickshaw remains accessible via an AI chatbot, which transparently indicates that it is not a human, and where necessary, immediately schedules an appointment with an employee. The principle that AI should primarily support, not replace, runs like a thread through the entire approach.
You talk to real people with us. We want to keep it that way.
- Sabine
New products, new possibilities
According to Rutger and Sabine, AI also makes things possible that were simply not feasible before. Sabine lists a few. "Like a digital travel passport, where customers can track and customize their entire journey. Or a personalized podcast you can listen to on the plane in advance, with tips and background information about your destination."
Not everything works, and that's OK
What stands out in the story is the openness about what doesn't work. Prototypes are built and just as easily discarded. Ideas are tested and critically evaluated. The most important question the team asks itself: "Does the customer actually find this interesting?"
If the answer is "no," then it doesn't go live.
Rickshaw Travel's talk shows that AI only makes a real impact when you take it seriously. Not as an experiment on the sidelines, but as an integral part of your organization. With clear choices. With room to fail. And with a keen awareness of where technology stops and humanity begins.
