Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly common part of travel planning, but travellers remain cautious about allowing AI to make important decisions on their behalf. A new report found that 71% of travellers are comfortable using AI to generate travel ideas, while trust drops significantly when it comes to making actual flight or hotel bookings.
The report, titled “Winning Hearts in an Age of Infinite Travel Choices” and published jointly by Skift Research and McKinsey & Company, highlights a clear difference between using AI for advice and allowing it to take action involving money.
According to the report, 62% of travellers believe AI makes trip planning easier, while 52% expect to use AI more frequently over the next 12 months. Research is currently the stage where AI is used most, with 34% of respondents saying they use it for this purpose.
Travellers Comfortable With AI Recommendations, But Not Payments
While 67% of travellers said they would be comfortable allowing AI to narrow down and compare travel options, that confidence falls when AI moves from providing recommendations to completing transactions.
Around 74% prefer to complete bookings themselves, reflecting continued concerns about financial decisions and the possibility of making an incorrect booking.
The report found that 43% of travellers booked directly through an airline or hotel website, while 42% used an online travel agency. Only 16% used an AI tool to complete a booking.
Although the mechanics of making an online booking have become relatively straightforward, emotional concerns continue to influence traveller behaviour. About 52% of respondents said they feel anxious about making the wrong booking decision. Meanwhile, 49% identified trust in the travel supplier as the main reason for booking directly.
What Would Make Travellers Trust AI Bookings?
The hesitation around AI-led bookings is not necessarily permanent. Only 14% of respondents said there was nothing that could convince them to allow automated bookings.
Greater control could play an important role in changing that attitude. According to the report, 52% of travellers want the opportunity to review and make changes to booking details before confirmation. Another 30% want reliable records of the recommendations provided by AI, while 20% want access to human assistance if something goes wrong.
Handling travel disruptions received the lowest level of comfort among the situations covered in the report, with only 51% of travellers saying they would be comfortable allowing AI to manage such problems.
Pat Nestor of Hyatt said consumers could become more comfortable with AI-led transactions over time, comparing the current hesitation with the early concerns people had about using credit cards online.
More Personalised AI Could Change Travel Planning
The report also points to personalisation as an important factor in the future of AI-powered travel.
Evan Konwiser of Amex GBT said current AI systems still have limited knowledge about individual travellers. Providing information such as family size, children’s interests, preferred destinations and previous travel experiences can improve recommendations, but he noted that this remains relatively basic compared with the information a travel agent might collect.
Konwiser also suggested that AI could become significantly more useful if it developed a deeper understanding of an individual’s travel history, preferences and past experiences.
The findings indicate that travellers are increasingly willing to use AI as a planning assistant, but many still want to remain directly involved when money, bookings and unexpected travel problems are involved.
Disclaimer
This article is based on findings and statements contained in the report cited above and is intended for general informational purposes. Survey results reflect the respondents covered by the report and may not represent the views or behaviour of all travellers. Percentages and statements should be understood in the context of the original report.