Travellers that use AI take more trips, spend more per year and engage more with digital travel tools than those that do not, new study reveals.
The US-based report found that those who use AI for trip planning and in-destination support are emerging as the travel industry’s most valuable customer segment.
Data compiled by US-based Phocuswright revealed that AI users have a median household income of roughly AU$179,200 compared with AU$144,200 for non-users.
On average, AI travellers take 3.8 leisure trips per year versus 2.9 among non-users, spending around AU$6,200 annually on leisure travel – almost $2,000 more than those who don’t use AI.
Travellers that use AI are also heavier users of online travel resources overall, turning to an average of four digital tools when researching and booking trips, compared with the 2.2 tools consulted by non-users.
They are also younger on average, at 41 years old versus 52, and more likely to adopt new travel technology quickly.
Where does AI fit in the travel industry?
Phocuswright senior manager of research and innovation Mike Coletta said that AI in the travel industry has moved from experimentation to expectation.
“What’s striking is not just the scale, but the speed. In a matter of months, usage has surged across every generation, every touchpoint, and every stage of the journey.
“Yet this is not a story of disruption replacing the old guard. It is a story of augmentation, where AI is rapidly reshaping how travellers discover, plan and book, while traditional channels still hold meaningful ground. This is a pivotal moment to understand how AI fits into the traveller decision journey, because the companies that get it right now will define the next era of travel,” he said.
In an industry driven by deeply human behaviours and experiences, the issue of how to incorporate AI is unsurprisingly one of contention.
A separate study by Monash University revealed that travel advisors are less motivated to work with clients that have consulted AI.
Advisors less likely to work with clients who consult AI, new study reveals
