When Americans plan a vacation, many now turn to AI chatbots for quick ideas. A new survey commissioned by travel‑concierge firm Greetwell reveals that the technology is still prone to serious errors. Of the 1,000 U.S. adults surveyed, 485 reported using or trying AI for travel, and 1 in 6 of those users were directed to a place, tour or activity that does not exist.
Key findings from the August 2026 survey
• AI adoption is rising. Deloitte’s 2026 travel research shows AI use for travel planning grew from 15% to 25% in just one year.
• Overall usage. Slightly more than half of respondents (53%) have used AI or experimented with it for travel. Of those, 34% used AI only for research, 14% used it for both research and booking, and 5% tried it but found it unhelpful.
• Accuracy problems. Among AI users, 55% encountered at least one bad recommendation. Errors included wrong addresses and suggestions for events that never occurred.
• Trust dynamics. While 34% said their trust in AI increased over the past year, only 14% reported a decline. However, among travelers who experienced a faulty recommendation, 21% said their trust fell, compared with just 5% of those who had no problems.
• Human preference remains strong. When asked how they would spend a free afternoon in an unfamiliar city, 31% said they would rely on friends or family, while only 9% would trust AI. Likewise, 65% said they would prefer a real person to handle rebooking or refunds if weather forced a cancellation.
What the numbers mean for travelers
The survey underscores that AI can be a useful tool for generating ideas quickly, but it should not replace human judgment, especially when it comes to final reservations. The majority of respondents indicated they would not let AI book flights, hotels or restaurant reservations without supervision.
Greetwell’s methodology involved an online questionnaire of 1,000 U.S. adults who had taken at least one overnight leisure trip in the past 12 months. Respondent‑level weights were applied to the data, and percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Industry perspective
Travel experts note that AI’s speed and convenience are valuable, yet the technology’s “hallucination” problem—producing fabricated destinations—remains a barrier to full adoption. As AI models improve, firms are urged to incorporate verification steps and maintain a human‑in‑the‑loop approach to protect consumers from misinformation.
For now, the safest strategy for travelers is to use AI as a brainstorming assistant, then confirm details through reputable sources or direct contact with service providers.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
