When planning a trip, travelers are more likely to trust a travel advisor over AI when the trip becomes complicated, expensive, or likely to change. According to new research from ALG Vacations, 77% of AI users say they are likely to still rely on a human to make final travel decisions when using AI to plan.
Younger Travelers Lead the Way
Millennials and Gen Z are using travel advisors at the highest rates of any generation, even as they also report higher trust in AI travel recommendations. Younger travelers are using AI and travel advisors for different parts of the same trip.
Among AI users, 51% of Millennials and 51% of Gen Z say they have used a travel advisor when booking a vacation, compared to 44% of Baby Boomers and 43% of Gen X. The same generations leading on advisor use are also the most trusting of AI travel recommendations, with 31% of both Millennials and Gen Z saying they completely trust travel recommendations generated by AI.
When to Use a Travel Advisor
Consider using a travel advisor over AI when the stakes are high. AI users turn to travel advisors most often in these scenarios: when something goes wrong, such as a canceled flight or a double-booked hotel; for complex or multi-destination trips; for group or family travel; and for luxury or high-cost trips.
Among AI users, 82% say having access to a human for support when booking a vacation is extremely or very important. Travel advisors bring human judgment, planning experience, and direct support when a trip becomes more complicated.
The specific value travel advisors provide includes relationships with resorts, hotels, and tour operators; access to deals and amenities not always available to the public; firsthand experience and industry knowledge; real-time support when plans change; and judgment and personalization for complex trip planning.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
