{"id":884990,"date":"2025-10-09T17:23:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T16:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=884990"},"modified":"2025-10-31T12:42:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T11:42:27","slug":"ai-in-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/ai-in-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"AI in Travel: Will It Revolutionise Our Vacations?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kathryn Anderson is a freelance journalist and the creator of the award-winning site <\/em>Coffee and Mascara<\/em><\/a>. A travel and wellness expert with a keen eye on what\u2019s next, she explores how technology and cultural shifts \u2014 from AI to social media burnout \u2014 are reshaping the way we travel.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to be everywhere these days. From the smart speaker that answers your kitchen counter questions to the chatbot helping you with customer service, and even self-driving cars \u2014 AI has quietly woven itself into our daily lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what happens when we step away from our routines and head off on vacation? Can AI really transform the way we travel, or is it just another buzzword riding the trend wave? That question is becoming more important than ever as the travel industry races to adopt new technologies. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Author
Kathryn Anderson is a freelance travel writer based in Vancouver, Canada.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>AI is already transforming the way we travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While it has recently become more mainstream, AI isn\u2019t new to the travel space. Back in 2023, I wrote a piece about an AI-powered travel assistant <\/a>that offers personalised advice about destinations. GuideGeek, a WhatsApp-based travel assistant, hadn\u2019t yet gone mainstream, but AI was already making waves in the industry.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s safe to say that AI is now transforming nearly every stage of the travel experience\u2014from trip inspiration and itinerary planning, to on-the-ground navigation, and even real-time translations. If you\u2019re struggling with a menu in a foreign language, simply open the Google Translate<\/a> app on your phone to view the words in your native tongue. Prefer to speak to someone? Tap the microphone to talk to your phone and Apple Translate<\/a> will transcribe what you said and then translate it into another language. Don\u2019t want to read? Slip on a pair of Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses<\/a>, they will translate what they hear and speak to you in your preferred language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tech advances in travel have many benefits \u2013 from aiding translation to helping us navigate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now that apps and smartphones are able to translate conversations as they happen, language barriers are being broken down, giving travellers the confidence to explore places they may not have previously considered. Having travelled throughout China, I can attest to the challenges a language barrier can bring. AI is helping travellers to overcome this roadblock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. AI in travel: what the stats tell us<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A recent survey confirmed that AI has become a widespread tool among active Internet users; 72% of respondents claimed to use AI at least once. Among those surveyed, 66% used AI to select an accommodation, 60% made a list of restaurants with its help and 58% even assigned AI to search for tickets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While younger generations are quick to embrace these tools, many travellers still value the irreplaceable human touch that a trusted advisor provides. Whether that trusted source is a Travel Advisor, a travel blogger, or an Influencer, many people still prefer to get their information from an actual person, rather than AI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over half of adults aged 54 and up surveyed said they are less inclined to use AI services, with only 54% having interacted with AI and 20% showing no interest in trying. Since AI scours the Internet to collect its information, mistakes can\u2014and often do\u2014occur. AI has no way of knowing whether the information it finds is current or factual, whereas Travel Advisors and bloggers who have recently visited a destination can provide accurate and up-to-date information based on their first-hand experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some travelers are beginning to use AI to help plan vacations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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2. Will Travel Advisors become obsolete?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While it has proven beneficial, AI is posing problems for some. A former Travel Advisor turned Hospitality Consultant, Shanon Morris, admitted that \u201cAI has definitely impacted my role.\u201d When clients first use AI for travel research, and then approach her, Morris explains that \u201cconsumers trust AI and don’t verify the information, so trying to build trust with clients when your recommendations are different from AI is tricky.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those like Morris who work in the travel sector, the challenge is learning how to complement AI-created itineraries rather than compete with them. This is where the magic lies\u2014in combining AI in travel planning with a human element to smooth out the kinks. Tech-savvy Travel Advisors may use AI in the initial research stage to save time, but then review and confirm its findings before adding their own personal experiences. This combination offers the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI is becoming the toolset and expectation for modern travel. Those who use it may get more out of their travel, such as less stress and more personalisation, but human values will still matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Traditional Travel Advisors will remain an integral part of the travel-planning process.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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3. Caveats of using AI for planning vacations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Miguel Angel Gongora Meza, founder and director of the worker-owned Evolution Treks Peru in Cusco, told me, \u201cAI has changed the rhythm of work recently.\u201d Many of his clients now expect the lightning-fast replies they get when chatting with AI bots. But for Meza, \u201cwork is based on patience and humanity.\u201d He prefers to let his team handle most of the conversations\u2014even if that means a longer wait\u2014because it preserves the authenticity of what they offer. As Meza puts it, AI can \u201ctake away the cultural depth and local knowledge that travellers come for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to see why that tension exists. Our collective attention span has shrunk; we\u2019ve become a society hooked on instant answers. AI chatbots on countless websites have trained us to expect information on demand. But when it comes to travel planning, that expectation can clash with the very experiences many travellers are seeking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Trafalgar offers unique, hand-curated experience in destinations like Peru \u2013 which AI can’t replicate. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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For companies like Evolution Treks Peru, which craft slow, culturally rich adventures, true connection simply can\u2019t be rushed. Meza hopes that travellers craving a deeper, more intentional journey will also value the pause\u2014and be willing to wait a day or two for a response that comes from a real human who knows the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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