Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving at an unprecedented pace. We’re seeing tools like ChatGPT reach over 100 million users in the first two months from launch, showing AI’s quick move from niche innovation to mainstream use.
The travel sector is right at the heart of this technological shift. Many companies are already implementing AI to automate bookings, manage travel disruptions, and personalise holiday itineraries. While this presents exciting opportunities, it also raises a critical question: as we embrace automation, are we at risk of stripping the deeply human elements that make travel meaningful?
The rise of AI in the travel sector
AI is fast becoming a part of how the modern traveller discovers, plans and books their trips. In fact, Kantar’s tourism report showed that 40% of global travellers have previously used AI-based tools to plan travel experiences, and 62% said they would be open to doing so in the future.
This signals a clear shift in consumer behaviour. As Deloitte’s 2025 Travel Industry Outlook shows, many businesses are already integrating generative AI deeply into their digital platforms to meet growing consumer expectations and stay competitive in the market.
But as AI continues to gain momentum, it’s important to separate hype from lasting impact. Not every application of AI is transformative and in some cases, early solutions have prioritised novelty over genuine value. When AI is used purely as a bolt-on feature, it can lack depth, delivering experiences that feel impersonal. AI should be purposeful, designed to elevate the experience, not dilute it. If every interaction becomes an algorithm, we risk losing the emotional richness and spontaneity that makes the world of travel unforgettable.
AI as an enabler
Used wisely, AI should not be a threat to the human element of travel, in fact it’s a powerful enabler. By automating routine tasks and offering intelligent recommendations, AI frees up time for travel experts to do what they do best: deliver a highly personal, human-centric service. This is where its real value lies, enhancing, not replacing, the expertise and care that makes travel unique.
At Travel Counsellors, we’re embracing this potential through TC Co-Pilot, our proprietary AI assistant, currently in trial phase. Designed to support our business owners in a practical, helpful way, TC Co-Pilot analyses booking history, preferences, and spending habits to recommend tailored travel products. The result is improved efficiency and an even greater level of personalisation, all without compromising the human touch that we are known for.
The power of data analytics
AI has revolutionised data analytics, making it a critical tool for understanding and responding to evolving consumer trends. Beyond enabling personalisation, data empowers businesses to predict behaviours before they happen, enabling them to anticipate customer needs with greater precision. While not exclusive to travel, this kind of predictive personalisation is particularly powerful in our sector, where analysing digital footprints helps identify intent even before the traveller has fully formed it.
There’s also a deeper opportunity here. AI also has the potential to expand travellers’ horizons. Often, customers are guided by what they know, unintentionally narrowing their options. Intelligent recommendations can gently challenge this, introducing new, unexpected options based on intent and interest, not just past behaviour.
These insights also have practical benefits. Travellers today have come to expect immediate access to information, and real-time data tracking empowers travel advisors to deliver immediate updates on availability, pricing and itinerary changes enabling them to deliver a seamless and responsive customer experience.
Why the human touch remains irreplaceable
As AI becomes more embedded in travel, one thing remains clear: people still crave human connection. While AI can analyse preferences, predict behaviours, and streamline processes, it can’t replicate the empathy, instinct or emotion that only comes from real human interaction.
This speaks to a deeper truth: travel isn’t just transactional, it’s deeply personal. It can involve planning a honeymoon, reuniting with loved ones or embarking on a bucket list adventure. These are emotionally charged moments where reassurance and human judgment are essential. Travel isn’t and shouldn’t become a catalogue of clickable options. It’s about inspiration, discovery, and delight. In fact, among those not yet using AI tools for travel planning, 55% cite a lack of trust for this, highlighting a gap that travel experts are uniquely positioned to fill.
At Travel Counsellors, we see technology and human-powered services not as competing forces, but as complementary. Our goal is to strike the right balance by leveraging AI to enhance an exceptional customer experience, not replace it.
The future of travel
Looking ahead, AI will continue to reshape the travel sector. There remain many untapped opportunities however. Emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) are opening exciting new possibilities for travel, from giving customers previews of accommodation before they book to real-time insights into crowd levels at popular destinations. These innovations will only continue to evolve and travel companies must be ready to adopt them.
At Travel Counsellors, our focus is on smart, purposeful innovation. Not to be first, but to move fast and with intent. That agility and clarity of purpose is what we believe will define the next generation of travel leaders.
Ultimately, the real value of AI lies in its ability to enhance the human touch. The businesses that succeed will be those that see technology as a tool to amplify what makes travel powerful: emotional connection, stories and memorable experiences. The future isn’t about choosing between human or machine – it’s about building a model where both coexist. One inspires trust, the other unlocks scale. Together, they open the world in smarter, more personal and more inspiring ways.
