Planning travel around live events often turns into an exhausting logistical puzzle. Sports fans, concertgoers, and business travelers must navigate high ticket markups, hidden ticketing fees, and separate hotel reservation systems. When event ticketing and lodging operate in isolation, customers face frustrating friction, fragmented support, and unexpected expenses.
HotelPlanner tackles this fragmentation directly with the launch of TicketPlanner. Co-founded and led by Co-CEO Tim Hentschel, the global travel technology leader combines proprietary artificial intelligence with a 24/7 gig-based customer service network to streamline accommodations. By expanding into live entertainment ticketing, the company aims to deliver an integrated, customer-first ecosystem. In this interview, Hentschel discusses the strategic vision behind TicketPlanner, the role of artificial intelligence in modern booking, and how combining tickets with accommodations creates a unified hospitality experience.
Q: Most ticketing platforms operate as transactional marketplaces with minimal post-sale support. What prompted HotelPlanner to enter live entertainment with TicketPlanner, and how does your hospitality background change the ticketing experience?
Tim Hentschel: We help over 18 million people source hotel rooms every year. We are well versed in the care and support they need. Either pre trip, on route or once checked in you often want to find something to do. The traditional concierge service proves this as a business model. As we are already communicating with the guest to ensure they get a great night sleep it makes sense to supply the fun too.
What our experience selling hotels taught us is that people often need help finding what they like and our platform does this by providing video and reviews of the acts and activities.
As part of the hotel booking, we also give guests access to our Global Privileges program. Unlike our competitors our guests see benefits from our program from the first booking. As we launch Res.ai we are providing $millions in vouchers to our guests so that they use and trust the programme.
Q: Live entertainment and travel are naturally linked, yet booking them together has remained disjointed. How does TicketPlanner integrate lodging and event access into a streamlined journey?
Tim Hentschel: Location and timing is of course the key. Find the bed then the sport, band, play or tour you want close to where you are staying. Of course, sometimes it’s the other way around. You booked a hotel to see your favourite acts. So, the platform works both ways.
Q: Artificial intelligence plays a growing role across HotelPlanner's platform. How are you applying proprietary AI algorithms to power features like geo-targeted event discovery and personalized recommendations?
Tim Hentschel: We know where the guest is and when. So then it's about finding the relevant events inventory based on location and what they ask for. Then it’s all about providing our guests with an educated selection. It's less algorithms pushing and more reacting to what people say. This is what the most expensive travel agents do all the time. Our AI agents have enabled us to provide this incredible service to a far wider range of guests.
Q: Price transparency and customer service are major pain points for event attendees today. How does TicketPlanner approach pricing, ticket availability, and support differently from legacy ticketing services?
Tim Hentschel: We don’t need high markups or fees, since our customers come to us directly through our travel services.
Q: HotelPlanner built its foundation on individual, group, and corporate travel. How will corporate clients, youth sports teams, and group organizers benefit from having integrated ticketing capabilities?
Tim Hentschel: Simply by providing what they want when they want it. Once you travel no matter why you are you are a traveller and have those requirements.
Q: Looking ahead, how do you see the convergence of live events, lodging, and experiential travel shaping consumer expectations over the next several years?
Tim Hentschel: Through our Reservations App and our AI voice agents taking calls across our platform will gain more and more insight into what our customer wants whilst staying in a hotel. With this insight we have huge opportunities to grow.
The intersection of travel and live entertainment represents a significant opportunity to eliminate long-standing friction for consumers. By combining transparent pricing, accessible customer service, and data-driven personalization, modern booking platforms can turn complex itineraries into straightforward plans. Unifying accommodations with event access provides travelers with greater clarity and control over their entire trip.
As consumer demand shifts toward experiential travel, platforms that integrate multiple touchpoints into a unified hospitality ecosystem will set the benchmark for the sector. Tim Hentschel and HotelPlanner demonstrate that applying a service-first mindset to live entertainment simplifies the journey for fans and travelers worldwide.
To learn more visit https://www.hotelplanner.com/
