Two Thirds of Travelers Have Used AI or Plan to
Those who have used the technology to plan trips report greater satisfaction in their travel
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – In a survey of 1200 travelers, nearly two-thirds – 64 percent – said they expect to use AI to research or plan travel in the future or have already done so. The survey was conducted by leading travel publisher Matador Network, which is the creator of the personal AI travel assistant GuideGeek.
”We all want to get the most out of the limited time we have to travel and explore the world,” said Matador Network CEO Ross Borden. “GuideGeek helps its users stay on budget, avoid crowds (an increasingly important part of trip planning these days) and shape their travel to their unique preferences, all while saving time.”
More than 16 percent of those surveyed said they had already used AI to help plan their travel with a majority of those respondents saying they used AI tools to save time planning (60%) and to find activities or attractions they wouldn’t have known about (70%).
“It did save time,” said Elle E., a survey respondent from Miami, Fla. “Instead of exploring multiple sites, I was able to consolidate my search for information in one place and ask follow-up questions on the information I was reading.”
The survey also found that those who travel more were more likely to use AI. Among summer travelers, those who vacationed more than 10 days were up to 30 percent more likely to use AI in their planning than those who traveled less. Business travelers reported similar numbers.
Overall, those who used AI were more satisfied with their accommodations and activities. Summer travelers who have not used AI to plan travel were 57% more likely to be dissatisfied with their summer vacations.
“On our recent trip to Switzerland we were there during a public holiday,” said James S. and Anna M. from Columbia, S.C. “GuideGeek was able to not only inform us about places that would be open, but also tell us about some special events and activities that would help us experience the holiday as if we were locals.”
While travel assistants can help with accommodations and actual travel — over 58,000 GuideGeek users have relied on the service to find the best flights — a large number of users are using the technology to wayfind once they are at their destination. According to internal data, many GuideGeek users rely on the AI travel assistant (which can be messaged directly on Instagram or WhatsApp) to figure out what to eat (28%) and where to find entertainment (45%).
“I used AI to come up with an activity schedule for our trip to Seville, Spain this past May,” said Karina R. from Orlando, Fla. “It listed some interesting options that I hadn’t previously considered.”
As travelers approach the first winter holiday season since generative AI hit the mainstream, more are looking to adopt the new technology. More than a quarter of respondents said they plan to use AI to help plan their holiday vacation.
“AI has the potential to transform the way people think about holiday travel,” says Borden. “With a tool like GuideGeek, families can plan destination vacations as a group that are right for every generation. Many GuideGeek users are planning family travel by asking things like, ‘What hotels would you recommend for us since my kids are 4 and 7 years old?’ Anyone heading home for the holidays can use these tools to discover a new restaurant or attraction in their hometown.”
About Matador Network
Matador Network is the world's No. 1 media brand for modern adventurers. With more than 14 million followers across social media, Matador has become a leading travel brand through its production of article features, city guides, creator-first content and original videos. Matador is the top-ranking travel brand on TikTok and its videos are viewed more than 180 million times per month. It has content distribution deals with American Airlines, Hearst Media and GSTV and works with brands like Ford, REI, Samsung, YETI, Southwest Airlines, Visit California and Microsoft. matadornetwork.com