Question
What do travellers actually use AI for?
Short answer
Researching attractions, restaurants and transport (60%), comparing prices (56%), in-trip translation (45%), building itineraries (43%) and destination research (38%). Synthesis tasks dominate; transaction tasks lag.
- AI use for researching attractions, restaurants and transport60%
Sojern · April 2026 · United States
- AI use for comparing prices56%
Sojern · April 2026 · United States
- In-trip AI use for translation45%
Booking.com · April–May 2025 · Global (33 markets)
- AI use for building and organising itineraries43%
Sojern · April 2026 · United States
- Pre-trip AI use for destination research38%
Booking.com · April–May 2025 · Global (33 markets)
The task-level data is more actionable than any adoption headline, because it tells you which questions a model will be asked on your behalf.
A consistent pattern runs through every survey. AI is strongest where the job is synthesis across many scattered sources — what is worth seeing, where to eat, what a reasonable price looks like, how to sequence five days. It is weakest where the job is a transaction with money and dates attached.
In-trip use is higher than most operators expect and is frequently overlooked. 96% of travellers who use AI in travel use it while actually travelling: translation at 45%, activity suggestions at 44%, navigation at 40%. The traveller who planned without AI will still ask it where to have dinner once they have landed.