An expert has answers for you about how AI is revolutionizing travel planning.
Not long ago, planning a trip meant juggling guidebooks and hours of searching the internet for the best restaurants and must-see sights. Now, travelers are turning to artificial intelligence tools to do the heavy lifting.
“We’re not going back.”
Seden Dogan, University of South Florida assistant professor of instruction in the School of Hospitality and Sport Management, says this shift is more than a trend. It’s the new normal. Dogan’s research examines how travelers are increasingly relying on AI-generated recommendations.
“Early results show that even though language learning models are known to occasionally hallucinate or provide incorrect information, people still place a high level of trust in them,” she says.
The appeal lies in these tools’ ability to process massive amounts of information instantly, such as comparing prices, reading reviews, and identifying patterns that would take a traveler hours to complete.
“If I ask it to plan a five-day solo trip to New York and tell it I’m a vegetarian who wants to stay in the city center and use public transit, it’ll generate a customized minute-by-minute itinerary based on my preferences,” Dogan says.
While this level of personalization is why AI has quickly become a go-to resource for modern travelers, Dogan warns that this convenience comes with concerns, especially around data privacy and algorithmic bias.
“These models are learning from everything we feed them, including personal data,” she says.
“Your location, past searches, even demographic factors like income or age can influence what results you get. So, two people searching for the same hotel in Tampa may see very different prices and options.”
The impact goes beyond the traveler—hotels and airlines are adopting AI to manage dynamic pricing and customer service too. But even as technology becomes more integrated, Dogan believes hospitality’s human element will stay central.
“Hospitality is, at its core, about making people feel welcome and like they’re at home,” she says. “Technology should support that, not replace it.”
She sees a future shaped by what she calls “phygital” experiences, meaning a hybrid of physical and digital service.
“Think of a smart hotel room that knows your preferences but still has a human staff ready to help. It’s about balance,” she says.
Significant improvements and enhancements are being made to generative AI programs, allowing them to chat more naturally, remember things, and carry out complex reasoning with text, images and potentially video. With AI tools advancing rapidly, Dogan says travelers and professionals alike need to adapt.
“We’re not going back,” she says. “Some jobs may disappear, but new roles will emerge. Just like we didn’t have social media managers 20 years ago, the next wave of careers will center on how we use, regulate and communicate with AI.”
Source: University of South Florida
