Travel association ABTA has reported an increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in holiday planning and booking among travelers. The use of AI has risen from 4% to 8% over the past year, with younger travelers showing a greater propensity to use this technology. However, traditional methods such as internet searches and consulting friends and family remain more popular among travelers.
ABTA indicated that this trend could present both challenges and opportunities for the travel industry. Mark Tanzer, ABTA’s chief executive, noted that AI has been utilized by travel businesses behind the scenes for years and is increasingly being adopted by consumers. Concerns remain regarding the potential impact of AI-powered booking agents on both high street and online travel agencies.
Furthermore, OpenAI, known for ChatGPT, has partnered with platforms like Booking.com and Expedia to enhance their services for travelers. Despite the growing interest, 48% of respondents in ABTA’s survey reported that they still rely primarily on general internet searches for planning their trips, with 41% consulting family and friends, and 36% referring to travel websites and guidebooks.
Interestingly, less than 20% of those surveyed expressed comfort in allowing AI to manage their vacation planning or booking tasks. This hesitance might reflect the early stages of AI technology and concerns about the reliability of the information it provides.
Holly Hyde, a traveller who has visited 78 countries, shared that she has started using AI tools like ChatGPT for travel advice but prefers to consult travel agents for larger trips due to their knowledge of security and local insights.
ABTA’s findings also showed a revival in travel, with 87% of participants stating they took a holiday in the past year, marking the highest level since the pandemic began. Spanish destinations remain the most favored, while global events seem to have little effect on overall travel enthusiasm.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czdjzm2gv7qo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss