A recent study by Dune7 and Flesh & Bone reveals that 71% of U.S. travelers are open to using an AI assistant to search, compare, and even book trips on their behalf. The research, conducted among 1,000 Americans who flew in the past year, signals a major shift in how people approach travel planning — one that could redefine the entire hospitality industry.
Travelers showed the strongest interest in AI for booking hotels (66%), flights (65%), and personalized travel packages (61%). The appeal is clear: faster deal discovery, real-time disruption handling, and significant time savings during the research phase. Millennials and frequent international travelers are leading the charge, already integrating AI tools into their everyday routines.
Yet the study also highlights a critical nuance — trust remains the biggest barrier to full adoption. Concerns about irreversible booking errors, unclear accountability when things go wrong, and the lack of human support still hold many travelers back. As Tom Buckley from Dune7 puts it, consumers want “AI to do the work, but inside rules they set, with approval rights and a human fallback.”
This tension is especially visible in the luxury travel segment. When planning a high-end getaway on the French Riviera, travelers expect curated options and personal reassurance that no algorithm alone can provide. Home Booker, a platform specializing in villa rental Saint Tropez, is bridging that gap by combining intelligent search tools with hand-picked property selections and dedicated concierge support throughout the booking process.
The takeaway for the travel industry is clear: AI can handle the heavy lifting of comparison, filtering, and logistics, but the final booking experience — particularly for premium destinations like Saint-Tropez — must still feel personal, transparent, and trustworthy. The brands that manage to strike this balance between technological efficiency and human connection will be best positioned to capture the next generation of discerning travelers.
