Filipino-Founded LOKAL Launches AI Hotel Service 'Ely' for APAC Market

Filipino co-founded technology company LOKAL has launched "ely," a managed AI service designed to streamline operations and boost direct bookings for hotels across the Asia Pacific, with initial testing in the Philippines. The service aims to help hotels of all sizes leverage advanced AI to enhance visibility, manage guest inquiries, and reduce reliance on expensive online travel agencies.

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Filipino co-founded technology firm LOKAL, with roots in Manila and Sydney, has officially launched "ely," a managed AI service tailored for the hospitality sector. Designed to provide hotels with advanced AI capabilities without the need for in-house software management, ely aims to streamline processes from marketing to guest relations and booking. The service is currently undergoing initial testing in the Philippines before its broader rollout across Australia and the Asia Pacific region.

LOKAL was established in 2017 by Joshua Pielago, who leads research and development from Sydney. Ramon King III, co-founder and managing director, oversees services and operations from Manila. The company, which has embraced a remote-first operational model since its inception, serves clients in the Philippines, Australia, and the United States, utilizing staff located across various Philippine cities like Manila, Cebu, Legazpi, and Baguio, as well as other parts of Asia Pacific.

Ely addresses common challenges faced by hotels, including low online visibility, missed inquiries, overwhelming front desk operations, and high commissions paid to Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), which can range from 15% to 25% per booking. The AI service automates the creation of promotional content and images, enhances search engine optimization (SEO) and answer engine optimization (AEO), and manages guest conversations across multiple platforms like website chat, Messenger, and WhatsApp to convert inquiries into direct bookings.

Ely functions as an outcome-based service, meaning hotels subscribe to the results—better promotion, responsive guest interactions, and increased direct bookings—rather than managing complex software. This approach leverages frontier AI technology to level the playing field, enabling hotels of any size to compete effectively by automating traditionally resource-intensive tasks and enhancing their digital presence, as detailed by LOKAL's website.