On 27th September, we marked World Tourism Day and it has been interesting to note how far the industry has come since last year.
While the application of sustainable practices had a major role to play in the industry’s growth over the past 12 months, the value of travel technology and the innovations that have come up in recent times cannot be understated.
Indeed, it is safe to say that global tourism’s evolution has accelerated considerably thanks to travel tech.
For us at Travel Daily Media who have been covering a variety of events as well as developments throughout the world, we’ve seen how technologies are making a difference in terms of convenience, thought leadership, automation, and even the development of more personal experiences for target markets.
Will AI-enhanced searches supersede conventional search engines when it comes to travel planning?
At Digital Travel APAC 2025 as well as the Singapore MICE Forum 2025, we had the opportunity to sit in on discussions wherein experts pointed out how some travellers are using AI platforms like ChatGPT to aid in the travel planning process.
Indeed, some have even gone as far as to book their trips from flights and accommodations to tour experiences on these platforms, essentially eschewing conventional search engines or even online travel platforms.
Indeed, having AI at one’s fingertips is akin to having a personal travel management assistant who can help at the drop of a hat.
This is what prompted epam’s Darya Efimova to say: “When planning your trip, an AI assistant can help you do everything, from booking your hotel to adding the dates to your calendar. Think of an AI travel assistant as a travel agent, but without an actual human on the other end.”
However, does this mean that AI will eventually send search engines and OTAs on the path of the dinosaurs?
There are two schools of thought on this, with one side saying no and that these options will be used in tandem or alongside each other, and the other vehemently saying yes.
Canadian entrepreneur Arlen Ritchie, co-founder and president of venture studio 3Genius, is firmly in the direct use of AI platforms for booking; however, he feels that it will take a while before the technology gains widespread use and acceptance.
Reacting to a related op-ed by Workmatrix GmbH founder Stephan Elsner, Ritchie opined that, at present, OTAs are the easiest path for AI engines to monetise the travel industry.
As he puts it: “Travel [is] a very popular category for AI queries, and one of the most lucrative in ecommerce… AI engines will continue to operate free and paid models, which will mean they will be looking for ways to monetise free users.”
Ritchie pointed out that low or zero commission models like Agent to Agent (A2) are not easily monetisable by AI engines.
At the same time, A2A lacks broad access to real time rates and inventory; also, for A2A tech to work for user searches higher up the travel planning funnel such as hotel shopping, these would require an enormous considerable number of queries to formulate options for users.
Ritchie says: “There are various attempts to address this but ultimately it all comes down to incentives and I struggle to see the incentives for AI engines to promote A2A or other alternatives that aren't as easy to tap into or monetise as OTAs.”
While those on the other side of the fence say that we will eventually see A2A platforms being used on the regular even as standard search engines and OTAs remain operational, consumer preference and access will dictate what happens in the long run.
As Ritchie puts it: “Suppliers cannot shift the market on their own. Supply will follow demand.”
The dawn of self-service tech in travel and hospitality
We have seen how self-service technology has become part and parcel of the global travel experience over the past half-decade.
While initially offered as a way of limiting interpersonal contact as the pandemic waned and borders reopened, self-service kiosks in airports, hotels, and even attractions have made the process easier for many travellers, particularly when it comes to checking in and acquiring documents like boarding passes.
On the side of companies and service providers, self-service kiosks have also paved the way for greater operational efficiency as these reduce the need for fallible human intervention whilst streamlining key processes.
For travellers, the benefits of self-service technology in tourism goes beyond mere autonomy and convenience; indeed, such technologies have also been instrumental in crafting more personalised experiences for their enjoyment, recognising their specific requirements to customise travel plans.
At the same time, going the self-service route decreases the time wasted whilst waiting in queues or hunting down relevant information.
On the flip side, companies can take advantage of the information gathered at self-service portals to easily access and analyse customer data.
This allows for a better understanding of trends and behaviours which will be instrumental in creating more impactful marketing campaigns and even working solutions in the future.
Self-service kiosks may also lead to the creation of new revenue streams and potentially pave the way to future-proof operations for companies in travel, aviation, and hospitality over time.
And now…
Admittedly, many people balk at the way technology seems to be creeping into the travel experience and they are not very comfortable with it.
If you ask us, however, knowing how technology is playing a role in the growth of sectors severely impacted by several years of lying fallow thanks to a global pandemic benefits everyone: not just those employed by companies operating in travel, aviation, and hospitality, but also us as ordinary travellers making our way from one port to another.
As with many things that have changed the game over the centuries, we know that there will be resistance to anything new.
But one thing is certain: change is inevitable and, with it, industrial, societal, and economic growth.
