In Brief: A study by Mindtrip, Sabre, Sojern and MMGY Travel Intelligence found that travelers are adopting artificial intelligence for destination research, itinerary planning and price comparisons faster than destination marketing organizations are adding AI tools and strategies to their own websites.
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Image Credit Mindtrip
Mindtrip, in partnership with Sabre, Sojern and MMGY Travel Intelligence, today released new research revealing a growing disconnect between traveler behavior and travel industry readiness when it comes to AI.
The study found that 54% of travelers have already used AI to plan travel and 75% intend to use AI for future trips. Meanwhile, only 22% of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) currently offer AI trip-planning capabilities on their websites, and just 26% have a documented AI strategy. With 72% of DMO leaders saying organizations that fail to adopt AI within the next two years risk becoming irrelevant in destination discovery, the industry is at a crossroads with a gap that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
“Travelers aren’t waiting for the industry to catch up,” said Michelle Denogean, CMO of Mindtrip. “AI is already reshaping how people discover destinations, build itineraries, and make travel decisions. The organizations that move now have an opportunity to become more useful, more visible, and more valuable to travelers.”
The study found that AI is already reshaping how travelers discover and choose destinations, particularly among younger generations. Nearly 7 in 10 Millennials (69%) and 63% of Gen Z travelers report using AI assistants as often as social media for trip planning. AI is also having a measurable impact on destination decisions: 40% of travelers have discovered a destination through AI, while 29% have changed their travel plans based on an AI recommendation. As AI increasingly rivals social media and online communities as a source of travel inspiration, travelers are most likely to use it for researching itineraries (42%), comparing flights, hotels, and tours (32%), and finding destination ideas (32%).
“We’re witnessing the biggest shift in travel planning since online booking transformed the industry,” said President and GM of Sojern Destinations, Sylvia Weiler. “Travelers now 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. 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.”
At the same time, travelers increasingly expect AI-powered experiences from the brands and destinations they trust. Nearly two-thirds (63%) say they would use an AI trip planner directly on a destination website, while 25% are less likely to use a destination site that doesn’t offer AI features.
The research also found that travelers are using AI for far more than inspiration. Sixty percent use it to research attractions, restaurants, and transportation options; 56% use it to compare prices; and 43% use it to build itineraries and organize trip details.
Yet many destination organizations continue to focus on inspiration over utility. Only 20% of DMO leaders rank itinerary building as a high-value capability, despite travelers already making it one of the most common uses of AI.
The study also points to growing readiness for AI-assisted booking. More than one-third of travelers are already comfortable with AI participating in the booking process, with adoption highest among Millennials and Gen Z. Comfort rises significantly when travelers know human support is available if needed.
“Travelers are already using AI to discover destinations, compare options, and make travel decisions. We’re continuing to bring more agentic travel experiences to life that can help travelers move seamlessly from planning to booking,” said Brad Johnson, Vice President Product Management, Sabre. “For destination organizations, this creates an opportunity to extend their role beyond inspiration and become a more connected part of the traveler journey, helping visitors discover, plan, and ultimately act on their travel decisions while driving greater value for local tourism partners and economies.”
For destination organizations, AI can no longer be approached as an emerging technology. It is on track to become the primary interface for travel discovery and planning. The organizations that successfully connect inspiration, planning, and booking through AI will be best positioned to win the next generation of travelers.
For more information about the study, please visit: https://go.mindtrip.ai/ai-readiness-report