Travelers Trust AI for Bookings, Report Finds
The WTM Global Travel Report 2026 finds trust in AI-completed travel bookings is strongest among younger travelers.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Travel — General
Live Poll
Would you trust an AI assistant to complete your travel bookings for you?
The WTM Global Travel Report 2026, released at WTM London and produced with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, found 54 percent of travelers aged 18-34 trust AI to complete bookings. Overall, 36 percent of all respondents said they trust AI to complete travel bookings.
Why it matters
The findings point to a shift in how travelers search for and book trips, with AI increasingly involved in price comparison and recommendations. For the travel industry, growing trust among younger travelers signals that AI-driven booking may become a larger share of how trips are arranged.
Survey data shows 58 percent of respondents would consider AI for price comparison and 53 percent would consider it for recommendations, while 87 percent of tourism organizations were using AI in early 2026. Booking Holdings reported AI referrals account for less than 1 percent of its room nights, so the gap between stated interest and realized bookings remains unclear.
The players
WTM London
WTM London is the travel trade event where the WTM Global Travel Report 2026 was released.
Tourism Economics
Tourism Economics is a research firm within Oxford Economics that produced the report in partnership with WTM.
The details
Respondents were asked about their trust in AI completing travel bookings on their behalf. The report found wide age differences, with trust falling from 54 percent among those aged 18-34 to 18 percent among those aged 55 and over.
Timeline
2024: AI chatbot use for international trip planning stood at 10 percent.
Early 2026: 87 percent of tourism organizations were using AI.
2026: AI chatbot use for international trip planning reached 24 percent.
November 3, 2026: WTM Global Travel Report 2026 released at WTM London.
Travel Outlook
The WTM report's tracking of AI chatbot use rising from 10 percent in 2024 to 24 percent in 2026 places this survey in a multi-year pattern of growing AI use in trip planning. Booking Holdings' figure that AI referrals account for under 1 percent of room nights shows that adoption in planning is running ahead of completed bookings.
Travelers using AI tools to compare prices can cross-check AI-suggested fares against direct airline and hotel sites before booking. Younger travelers who trust AI for bookings should confirm final reservation details and cancellation terms with the provider.
The takeaway
Trust in AI for travel planning is rising fastest among younger travelers, but actual AI-completed bookings remain a small share of total room nights. Reviewing each AI-generated booking's terms before confirming remains a practical safeguard.
Further reading
For broader context on how travel planning is changing, see Travel — General.
Live Poll
Would you trust an AI assistant to complete your travel bookings for you?
