GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (December 10, 2024)—Travel planning is becoming easier every day thanks to innovative artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Visit Lauderdale, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s official destination marketing organization, has launched an AI personal travel assistant named “Sandy,” powered by Matador Network’s GuideGeek technology.
Sandy is the newest addition to the Visit Lauderdale website, offering a friendly and efficient way for travelers to explore and plan their perfect getaway. Visitors and travel advisors alike can live chat with Sandy and create customized itineraries and personalized travel recommendations based on user preferences.
“We’re excited to introduce Sandy as part of our commitment to delivering a seamless, personalized experience for all visitors to Greater Fort Lauderdale,” said Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. “By embracing cutting-edge AI technology, we’re enhancing the trip-planning process and ensuring that our destination remains at the forefront of innovation in tourism. Sandy is another way we’re making it easier for travelers to discover the diverse beauty and experiences our region offers.”
Travelers can message Sandy by going to VisitLauderdale.com and clicking the icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. By communicating with Sandy, visitors can easily plan where to stay, eat, and shoot the best selfies once they arrive in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Sandy prioritizes data from Visit Lauderdale’s vast content library and draws from ChatGPT and over 1,000 additional travel integrations built into the GuideGeek platform. The more travelers tell Sandy about their group and what they want to experience in Greater Fort Lauderdale, the more customized the responses will be.
“Greater Fort Lauderdale attracts such a wide range of visitors,” says Matador Network CEO Ross Borden. “Sandy can help travelers plan a week-long stay at the beach months in advance, a spontaneous romantic weekend, or an action-packed overnight before shipping out on a cruise. We’re thrilled to have partnered with Visit Lauderdale to make Fort Lauderdale the first destination in Florida to leverage GuideGeek AI technology to help visitors plan trips and engage with the destination.”
In addition to launching Sandy, Visit Lauderdale has implemented a multilingual translation feature on its website, enabling visitors from across the globe to access information in their preferred language. This new feature is part of Visit Lauderdale’s commitment to inclusivity and ensures that non-English-speaking travelers can easily discover and explore all that the region has to offer.
To get acquainted with Sandy and explore Greater Fort Lauderdale, check out VisitLauderdale.com.
About Greater Fort Lauderdale
With 24 miles of golden sand beaches and 300+ miles of navigable waterways, Greater Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America and the Yachting Capital of the World. The area boasts an average year-round temperature of 77˚F, has 3,000+ hours of annual sunshine, and is home to 31 unique municipalities, including eight distinct beach communities, each offering something for “everyone under the sun.” Residents from 170 countries who speak 147 languages call this diverse destination home. And there’s good reason, including the area’s unwavering commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Upon arrival at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), a five-minute drive will get you to the beach, Port Everglades, the newly expanded Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, and a bustling downtown. Experience 4,000+ eateries, a thriving arts and culture scene, craft breweries, stunning rooftop bars, fishing, diving, and the unmatched beauty of the Florida Everglades. From world-class shopping to boating, yachts, and superyachts all moored at the area’s many marinas, it’s no wonder Greater Fort Lauderdale is one of the most desirable places to stay, work, and play. The destination has more than 38,000 unique lodging accommodations at various hotels, luxury spa resorts, and beautifully appointed boutique properties, all reflecting the area’s cosmopolitan vibe. Find inspiration for your next trip at visitlauderdale.com and follow @VisitLauderdale on Facebook, Instagram, X, and
About Visit Lauderdale
Visit Lauderdale is Greater Fort Lauderdale’s official destination marketing organization and serves as the tourism department for Broward County, Florida. It promotes the area’s 31 municipalities to a global audience of leisure and business travelers as the ideal place for Everyone Under the Sun in recognition of the area’s diverse and welcoming vibe and books conventions into the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and area hotels and resorts. Find more information at visitlauderdale.com and follow @VisitLauderdale on Facebook, Instagram, X, and
About Matador Network
Matador Network is the world’s No. 1 media brand for modern adventurers. With more than 16 million followers across social media, Matador has become a leading travel brand by producing article features, city guides, creator-first content, and original videos. Matador is the top-ranking travel brand on TikTok, and its videos are viewed more than 140 million times per month. It has content distribution deals with American Airlines, Hearst Media, and GSTV and works with brands like Ford, REI, Samsung, YETI, Southwest Airlines, Visit California, and Microsoft. Fast Company named Matador Network a 2024 Most Innovative Company in recognition of its revolutionary AI travel assistant GuideGeek. matadornetwork.com
