Travelers are adopting AI at much higher rates than travel industry organizations, according to new research.
More than half of travelers (54%) have engaged AI tools when planning a trip, and 75% plan to use AI for future travel. Despite traveler implementation of AI, only 22% of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) offer AI planning tools on their websites, according to a new study from MMGY Travel Intelligence, Sabre and AI-powered travel tools Mindtrip and Sojern.
The AI Readiness Report surveyed 1,006 U.S. adults who reported taking an overnight leisure trip in the past 12 months or who plan to do so in the upcoming year. More than 100 DMOs were also surveyed for the report.
How Travelers Are Using AI
Among those surveyed, 60% of travelers report engaging AI to research destinations, transportation and places to eat. In fact, for 30% of travelers, AI serves as a primary tool for trip ideation, coming in just behind social media (which 32% of travelers turn to for trip inspiration).
Perhaps to be expected, younger generations had the highest rates of AI integration when it comes to travel planning. Millennials lead the charge, with 69% utilizing AI at the same rate they use social media for planning leisure travel. Gen Z respondents followed suit, with 63% engaging AI.
For many, AI is a tool for travel discovery. The report’s findings indicate that 40% of travelers have discovered new-to-them destinations via AI, and 29% have even altered their travel plans based on AI suggestions.
"We're witnessing the biggest shift in travel planning since online booking transformed the industry,” said Sylvia Weiler, president and general manager of global destinations at Sojern.
We're witnessing the biggest shift in travel planning since online booking transformed the industry.
Itinerary creation proved to be another popular use of AI, with 43% of travelers engaging AI to build and organize trips. Despite this demand among travelers, only 20% of DMOs view itinerary creation as a feature worth exploring.
“Travelers expect AI to guide them from inspiration through booking, and those who act now will be better positioned to influence travelers at every stage of their journey,” Weiler added. “The opportunity for DMOs is to become the trusted source powering AI-driven travel decisions by investing in authoritative content, seamless experiences and partnerships that connect and measure discovery to transaction.”
How the Travel Industry Can Incorporate AI, According to Travelers
Travelers crave more AI integration in traditional travel planning tools. According to the report, 63% of those surveyed would engage with AI tools that are directly integrated into destination websites. In fact, a quarter of respondents noted they would shy away from using destination websites that lack AI features.
For some, AI features on travel sites offer more value than general AI tools. Thirty-four percent of respondents say they would trust AI suggestions from destination websites more than general AI chatbots or personal assistants. For those already engaging with AI for travel planning, 55% voice similar sentiments.
Currently, only 26% of DMOs surveyed report having an AI strategy, despite 72% of leaders recognizing that failure to adopt AI could lead to irrelevancy when it comes to destination research and discovery.
For DMOs, engaging AI doesn’t mean having to sacrifice the human aspect of travel and hospitality. Although 37% of travelers who utilize AI for planning indicate that they made their final bookings themselves, 54% note they would be open to booking with AI with one caveat: A person has to be available in case anything goes wrong.
