Representative ImageA recent survey by Accenture has highlighted a significant shift in consumer behaviour, with nearly 60% of US travellers expressing readiness to let generative AI handle their holiday travel planning and booking. The 2025 Holiday Shopping Survey, which involved 584 travel consumers, found that almost nine in 10 US travel shoppers are open to AI agents making shopping decisions on their behalf.
The survey revealed that 59.1% of respondents are comfortable with AI mostly or fully automating their travel planning and purchasing. Additionally, 26% prefer AI to manage most decisions whilst retaining some level of review or approval. The integration of AI tools is already evident, with 36% of travellers using airline AI tools for planning, 24% employing assistants like ChatGPT or Gemini, and 22% utilising hotel or online travel agency-based AI tools.
Emily Weiss, managing director and global travel industry lead at Accenture, noted, “This holiday season, American travellers are showing a new level of comfort with technology doing the planning for them. AI agents can transform travel planning and booking from a complex task into an enjoyable part of the journey itself.”
The survey underscores the growing acceptance of AI in simplifying the travel planning process, which is often fragmented and time-consuming. For travel companies, the focus should be on integrating AI to make the process seamless and personalised, allowing travellers to spend less time organising and more time experiencing their holidays. As AI continues to evolve, its role in travel planning is expected to expand, offering a more streamlined and efficient experience for consumers.
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