Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world with unprecedented attitude, and tourism is no exception. From intelligent screening of travel destinations to recommendations of specialty foods; from booking flights to choosing hotels; from demand forecasting, dynamic pricing to customer service chatbots, AI's tentacles extend to almost every corner of the tourism industry.

　　This change is accelerating: both technology giants such as OpenAI have expanded their territory, and startups such as "The Journey of the Heart" have emerged. They have launched AI agents to tailor travel solutions for users and challenge traditional travel agencies.

Image source: family travel genie website

　　AI reshapes global tourism industry

　　In recent reports, European News Network pointed out that AI is rapidly reshaping its global travel business. The core of this change is personalized service. By analyzing travelers’ browsing history, booking history and social media footprints, AI agents can accurately draw a unique travel blueprint for them.

　　Taking the "Soul Journey" company as an example, the AI ​​agent it develops can generate a complete itinerary with hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities in seconds, and travelers can also book every step of the itinerary in the app. Andy Moss, CEO of the company, said that users no longer need to switch search engines repeatedly, and all information related to travel can be obtained in one stop.

　　In addition, OpenAI developed an AI proxy operator. It can automatically perform a series of tasks such as holiday planning, form filling, and restaurant reservations. Anthropic's Claude model can provide intelligent itinerary planning.

　　Traditional tourism platforms are also actively embracing AI technology. Yikexing launched the smart assistant Romie last year. It can understand users’ travel preferences, help complete a series of booking steps, and update the itinerary in real time. The "smart filter" launched by competitor Booking Accommodation can accurately match the special needs of "Amsterdam Canal Landscape Room".

　　Yuka Letamaki, a professor specializing in tourism at New York University in the United States, said that the change in travel booking methods is in line with people's pursuit of personalized experiences. AI can not only simplify the booking process, but also respond to itinerary changes in real time - there is no need to call anyone, just enter the change into the system, and the system will update the itinerary immediately.

　　A survey conducted by Adobe Analytics shows that 32% of travelers have used AI agents to complete related tasks. According to data from Salesforce, the United States, 68% of travelers are willing to use AI agents to plan their trips by 2025.

　　Save time and create benefits

　　AI agents are reshaping the operational model of the tourism industry with amazing efficiency. With the help of massive data analysis and instant response capabilities, AI not only improves service quality, but also creates significant time and economic benefits.

　　Alex Burnois, chief digital officer of Accor Hotels Group, highlighted the deep integration of AI in company operations. He said that all business emails of the company are generated by AI and sent out after manual review, saving a lot of time. He particularly emphasized that the application of AI agents does not replace employees, but rather optimizes hotel operation processes through intelligent optimization. For example, through data analysis, personalized content is accurately pushed to create an efficient and considerate experience for customers.

　　Coincidentally, the French giant Mediterranean Club also launched a WhatApp-based chatbot to answer actual questions raised by customers in real time. The company's chairman Henry Giscar Destein revealed that traditional manual customer service needs to respond to questions that require an average of 1.5 hours, and now AI chatbots can realize instant answers.

　　Gartner said that AI applications in the tourism industry saved 634 million man-hours in 2023. Marriott International found that AI customer service has directly reduced support costs by 70%.

　　Traditional travel agencies still have advantages

　　Today, when the AI ​​wave swept the tourism industry, will traditional travel agencies be replaced?

　　European News Network reports that it will not be the case in the short term. Because real travel planning is far more than simply booking air tickets and hotels, it also involves a deep understanding and satisfaction of personalized needs.

　　Taking multi-country travel for families with special needs as an example, we must consider specific dietary requirements and also take into account the travel needs of those with mobility difficulties. This complex planning requires not only the rapid response of AI, but also the careful consideration and empirical judgment of human consultants. AI can be used as a starting point for inspiration, but it is difficult to replace due diligence and personalized services of professional travel agencies.

　　Intrepid Travel UK Director Hazel McGuire reveals the essence of the industry, and tourism is ultimately a service between people. AI may improve efficiency, but it can never replace humanized services. In his opinion, the best positioning of AI is an auxiliary tool, that is, handling transactional tasks such as daily booking and monitoring flight changes, so that professional consultants can focus more on creating unique itineraries.

　　Professor Letamaki of New York University pointed out that the high-end tourism market should especially highlight the importance of the value of humanistic services. For the client group who pursues the ultimate experience, in-depth interaction with professional consultants is irreplaceable. Traditional travel agencies are expected to continue to maintain their competitive advantages in the field of super luxury tourism.

　　In the AI ​​era, traditional travel agencies need to reposition their core values ​​- perfectly combine technical efficiency with humanistic temperature to provide passengers with a truly warm travel experience. (Reporter Liu Xia)

[Editor in charge: Zhu Jiaqi]