New Research Shows Travelers Want Human Expertise, Despite Rise in AI Use

“Bots don’t actually travel.”

This statement, taken from a respondent in a recent study, reflects the growing attitude among travelers towards AI trip planning. Although AI adoption is on the rise, more and more travelers are valuing human intelligence — rather than artificial intelligence — for travel expertise.

Two recent surveys from the travel industry show that trust in AI adoption remains low. Both tour operator Explore Worldwide and travel insurance service Squaremouth released independent data this week on the topic of AI use in travel planning. Explore’s poll focused on decision fatigue and travel booking, while Squaremouth’s research specifically looked at how AI is being used by travelers.

The Explore Worldwide survey found that nearly 4 out of 5 North Americans are more likely to book a trip if they know it was designed by experts with firsthand experience. When it comes to AI, only 1 out of 10 respondents (11%) stated they would be very confident using AI to choose a destination and book a vacation, and 29% stated they would be somewhat confident. Of the 60% who lack confidence in AI for trip planning, a little over half (51%) cited accuracy concerns, 39% said the information would be generic, and 38% referenced a lack of personalization.

“The research shows us that people are seeking a balance between at-their-fingertips digital tools and trusted human expertise,” said Katy Rockett, Explore Worldwide’s regional director of North America. “With curation and personalization assistance from a trusted travel advisor, consumers have the confidence to go in new directions and experience more.”

Squaremouth’s research similarly found that trust in AI is relatively low — although its survey showed slightly higher confidence levels. Approximately 1 out of 6 (16.7%) of respondents said they have “high or complete trust” in AI when booking travel, while 36.5% said they have “average trust” in the technology. For this survey, respondents were asked about using AI for tasks such as entering payment information or buying tickets.

According to the research, AI usage for planning travel doubled in 2026 compared to 2025, with the number of respondents who said they have never used the tech to plan a trip dropped from 63.1% to 27.6%.

“AI usage for travel planning continues to grow; however, just because travelers use it doesn’t necessarily mean they trust it,” explains Jacquelline Mondelli, chief marketing officer at Squaremouth. “Travelers still want to be the ones making important decisions, so they’re more interested in AI when it’s helping them better understand their options rather than deciding for them.”

Gen Z Are the Most Skeptical of AI for Travel Planning

Explore Worldwide’s survey was conducted with empty-nesters over the age of 50 years old who travel internationally at least once a year. The data, therefore, focused on Gen X, Boomer, and Silent Generation travelers. Of those, 58% said it was extremely or very important to them that their travel itinerary was reviewed or designed by someone who had visited the destination.

In response to the data, Explore Worldwide has launched Made by Humans, an online hub with information on the experts who design and operate the tour operator’s itineraries. This includes destination experts, members of the product team, and even the tour leaders who accompany travelers on Explore’s small group tours.

Squaremouth took a different approach with its survey, polling travelers about AI use for travel planning and separating the findings by generation. Interestingly, Gen Z had the lowest adoption rate, with 38% strongly agreeing that AI was integral to how they travel, and 31% strongly disagreeing. By comparison, 45.5% of Boomers stated the tech belongs in their travel experience versus just 21.2% who did not.

In general, the Squaremouth research suggests that travelers want to use AI to explain complex information rather than to make decisions for them. For example, 71.2% would like to see travel insurance providers use AI for plain-English summaries of what each plan cover, and 50.7% a chat feature to answers questions about coverage.