Embracing the Future: How Travel Advisors Are Using AI to Elevate Their Services—Without Losing the Human Touch

The Why and How of Getting Started

Sometimes taking the first step in a new endeavor is the hardest. But with AI, it is undeniably worth pushing through that initial discomfort.

“At first, I was not sure how to even use it. It was like when the internet first came out or Google and even ‘the cloud.’ It just shows up and is the buzzword, and you either sit back and not learn it, or you jump in and start doing a little research. I did just that,” says Gregg Brustad, owner and travel advisor, Full Circle Travel LLC.

“I made a ChatGPT account and typed in my very first command, ‘What to do in Rome in three days?’ I used Rome because I was familiar with the city and wanted to see what it would come up with. And it did a pretty job, not perfect, but I learned later why. AI has made my job much faster and more efficient.”

Nichole Winter, travel agent, Destination Vacation, has also jumped fully onto the AI bandwagon. “I absolutely love it!” she reports. “AI has been an incredibly helpful addition to my travel business. It allows me to work more efficiently, tap into my creativity, and free up time. To be fully transparent, grammar has never been my strong suit, so having AI assist with writing and polishing my communication has been a total game-changer. It helps my ideas come across more professionally, which I truly appreciate.”

An Itinerary Planning Assistant

AI can be invaluable in assisting travel advisors with itinerary planning and recommendations, resulting in more personalized travel experiences for their clients delivered in significantly less time.

Brustad explains: “I had a client recently that I booked a three-week trip to Italy. They really only gave me about six weeks to plan this last-minute trip for them. AI really saved the day for me. I have my special list of restaurants in many cities across the country, but there were a couple overnight stops I was not as familiar with.

“In short, what I did was I asked AI to make me a list of five breakfast, lunch, and dinner restaurants that had at least a 4.4 or greater review rating that were within one mile of the hotel they were staying at, and give me walking directions from each restaurant from their hotel. In a matter of a few seconds, AI made just that list. Amazing!

“I did look up each of the suggested spots and I did tweak the list a little. And that is what I find when I use AI. It does about 80-90% of the work, but you need to double-check its response. Sometimes it might be a little off from what you are looking for. In this case, I didn’t want high-end Michelin Star restaurants for this client. I wanted to keep the per plate cost a little lower.”

Jani Miller, president & CEO, Central Travel, also uses AI for itinerary planning. “We are part of Signature travel network, so we incorporate AI in all of our land/cruise proposals to our clients. Signature has great tools for us to use … It’s a huge time-saver!”

A Marketing Partner

AI is well-suited to help with marketing, such as generating blogs, newsletters, and social media content.

“Marketing is truly a team effort in my business,” describes Winter. “I work closely with my marketing assistant, and together with the help of AI, we’ve created a strong system. I often come up with the initial content ideas, then use AI to help brainstorm, shape blog content, refine strategic wording for reels and posts, and map out our social media plan for the year. My marketing assistant takes the lead on writing our newsletters and Facebook posts, bringing her own creativity to the table.

“AI plays a valuable supporting role in helping us stay inspired, consistent, and efficient with our messaging. The impact has been more engagement and a smoother content creation process overall.”

Simplifying Client Communications

Another way advisors can incorporate AI into their businesses is for client communications and engagement.

“I have used AI to assist in emails where I just am not sure how to start. Or an email with multiple questions from a potential client,” relays Brustad. “AI helps me tackle the email, and gives me a starting place that I can then edit the response to fit my style of writing. My response time to emails is ten times quicker now. There were times I could take 40 minutes to draft a response, and now with the help of AI, I can draft those same emails in 5 to 10 minutes!”

A Workflow Time-Saver

An across-the-board reaction from those who use AI applications is their great surprise at the speed with which it responds. It is the task of each advisor to determine how they can best use this time-saver in their workflow, streamlining day-to-day operations and contributing to increased profitability.

“ChatGPT is almost always open in my browser while I’m working. It’s become a natural part of my workflow,” says Winter. “Getting in the habit of using it regularly has made a big difference, especially for quick tasks like writing simple emails or polishing proposals. It helps me find the right words and add more detail, which not only saves me a lot of time, but also boosts my confidence in the professionalism of my communication. I am sure it has played a role in the increase of my sales but how does one track that? However, the time savings is priceless.” 

Winter talks about something else that has surprised her about implementing AI-empowered tools into her processes: “What surprises me the most is how quickly I can get unstuck. There are times during the busy grind of my week when I feel stuck, whether it’s with my wording or coming up with fresh ideas. In those moments, I can simply turn to AI to jumpstart my thought process and get back on track. You know the saying, ‘Two minds are better than one?’ Well, AI really feels like that second mind that helps me power through, allowing me to stay productive and on point.”

Brustad also taps into the power of AI every day. He says: “Not all AIs are the same. There are many different ones out there, and I use three now daily. Each one has their expertise, so to speak. One really does a great job reviewing my emails and ‘cleaning them up’ for me. Another does a great job analyzing articles and PDFs, and pulls out the details for me in a much shorter form for quicker reads for me. And the third I use to brainstorm ideas and more tasks related to me. It is more of a conversation I can have with this one.” 

Start With Something Small

One of the keys to using AI is to keep it simple and start with something small. It’s easy to get intimidated by the idea of AI, but the truth is, it’s a tool designed to make our jobs easier.

Winter recommends: “Start with the basics, like generating content ideas, improving your email drafts, or streamlining client communication. From there, as you gain confidence, you’ll naturally discover more ways to use AI in your travel planning and business operations. Over time, it will become a natural part of your workflow, helping you stay organized and giving you more time to focus on other areas of your business. 

“Do not forget to ask other travel advisors if they are using AI. If so, ask more questions. What platforms, how did they get started with it, and what do they use it for? Remember we can learn from each other, and sometimes it’s the best way!” 

Another easy way to begin incorporating AI, recommended by Brustad, is the next time you have a question, instead of Googling it, type it in AI. You will be amazed at the response you get back.

Furthermore, he says: “Like it or not, AI is here to stay. Your clients are using it. I have had two clients specifically tell me that they AI’ed their trip before coming to me. We all know 100% of our clients will price check you. They will either do it before coming to you or after they talk with you. The same is happening with AI with you and your client. You need to start using it, just like your clients do.”

Keeping the Human Connection

One challenge facing anyone using AI is to strike the right balance between using the latest-and-greatest tech tools for efficiency with maintaining the personal human connection that clients so highly value in their relationships with their travel advisors.

Winter sheds some light on this: “AI plays a powerful role behind the scenes. It helps me work more efficiently so I can dedicate more time and energy to what matters most. I never want to use AI to replace the personal touch.

“I understand the concern that AI might make things feel less personal. But the truth is, clients choose to book with us when they know, like, and trust us. That trust comes through in the details. So when AI helps me draft something, whether it’s a message, itinerary, or recommendation, I always review it carefully and adjust it to reflect my voice and values. A big part of my process involves training ChatGPT to learn my tone, preferences, and personality.

“In the end, it’s all about balance. AI gives me the efficiency and creative support I need, while I bring the personal feel.”

Miller says: “We do not want AI to take away from our own creativity and expertise ─ but we think it can enhance it.”

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