- 29% of travel professionals want more technology to boost their efficiency at work.
- Automation tools top the wish list for 49%, with demand highest among small agencies.
- AI-powered personalization is seen as pioneering by 34% and is especially valued in larger companies.
- Generational shift: 40% of newcomers want mobile tools, compared to 28% of experienced professionals.
Although 92% of travel industry professionals say they are satisfied with their work, a new RateHawk survey reveals that many still face significant operational challenges. The biggest obstacles are intense competition, rising customer expectations, and the time-consuming process of manually searching for the best deals. Securing higher commissions is also a top priority. One in five respondents said technology is considered a complete solution, though desired innovations vary widely depending on regional, generational, and corporate differences.
This information comes from the second part of RateHawk’s report, “What Empowers Travel Professionals.” RateHawk, a B2B online platform for booking hotels, flights, and transfers, conducted research among more than 1,300 travel professionals across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, and the Gulf countries. The report highlights the main pain points of the industry and the specific technological needs of different segments of the global travel community.
Top challenges: competition and manual tasks
A quarter of travel professionals worldwide cited intense competition as their biggest challenge, with pressure mounting in fast-growing markets such as the Gulf (49%) and Asia (30%). Rising customer expectations pose another hurdle, with 24% of professionals struggling to keep up. In open responses, many expressed frustration at travelers’ expectations for pre-pandemic pricing, which they consider unrealistic.
Maintaining income levels is the third most difficult aspect, with 15% identifying it as a key concern. In addition, 33% said achieving higher commission levels is the most desirable change.
“The travel industry is known for its low profit margins, and with rising travel costs, every opportunity to earn additional commission is vital. Technology platforms can provide that flexibility to support sustainable growth for partners. For example, our users can set their own commission levels, as well as loyalty points and other rewards,” says Astrid Kastberg, CEO of RateHawk.
Nearly half of respondents described searching for competitive travel offers as their most time-consuming task — particularly in the GCC region (52%) and Asia (49%), but also notable in Europe (40%), Latin America (44%), and North America (39%). Other time-consuming factors globally include managing booking changes (17%) and repetitive administrative work (16%).
“Finding the right option in such a fragmented market is a real challenge. That’s why we continuously expand our offerings and introduce advanced filters to make agents’ work easier. Every day, we process up to 10 billion hotel prices, using Artificial Intelligence for smart search and price matching, personalized recommendations, automated translation of millions of hotel descriptions, and even pre-booking AI bot checks to prevent potential issues. These technologies help agents deliver more reliable and competitive options to their customers,” notes Kastberg.
Technology and AI seen as essential drivers of change
Despite its reputation as a conservative sector, travel professionals show increasing interest in adopting technology. Almost one-third (29%) say better access to technology for daily tasks would be the most meaningful improvement in their work. Data from various markets highlights opportunity gaps in Latin America and Asia, where demand for new solutions is highest (44% and 31% respectively). At the same time, many agents still struggle to keep up with innovations — 19% admitted difficulty adopting the latest tools. This challenge is most evident in Asia (nearly one in four agents), but is also a major concern in Latin America and North America.
“Travel professionals believe smart tools can help them manage administrative and time-consuming tasks more efficiently. In a rapidly evolving market, innovations can help them remain competitive and deliver more value to customers, which is why supporting travel agents in adopting technology is so important,” adds Kastberg.
Among the most desired technologies, half of respondents prefer various automation tools, such as new online booking solutions, CRM systems, and mid-/back-office platforms. Demand for these solutions is highest in North America (61%), followed by Europe (50%), Asia (47%), and Latin America (46%).
About one-third of professionals also expressed interest in improved mobile booking capabilities (33%), with the strongest demand in the GCC (53%) and Asia (44%).
“The survey results align closely with our internal data: RateHawk’s mobile app, initially developed in response to the digital transformation during the pandemic, fits perfectly with today’s market reality. We continue to see steady growth in monthly active users, doubling in 2025 compared to 2024. As new generations enter the travel sector, demand for mobile tools is quickly becoming the new norm. In fact, 40% of early-career agents want mobile solutions, compared to 28% of industry veterans — a clear sign that digital convenience is a priority for tomorrow’s workforce,” says Kastberg.
Responding to shifting customer preferences and the trend toward personalization, travel professionals also show strong interest in advanced analytics and AI-powered solutions (34% for each). Demand for AI is highest in North America (45%), Asia (41%), Latin America (41%), and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (35%).
Interest in specific technologies also varies by company size: only 33% of professionals in small teams (2–5 people) consider AI personalization desirable, compared to 55% in companies with 101–500 employees. Small businesses focus more on routine automation (48%) and mobile tools (32%).
“It is encouraging that travel professionals see innovation as a positive force rather than a threat,” concludes Kastberg. “As technology transforms our sector, tomorrow’s agents will need a mix of customer service skills, data knowledge, and technological expertise. This is an exciting time for the industry and, with the right digital solutions, travel professionals can unlock even more opportunities in the years ahead.”
RateHawk is an innovative B2B travel booking platform developed by the Emerging Travel Group. It offers hotels, flights, train tickets, transfers, car rentals, and more — all in a single, user-friendly system. With 24/7 support and powerful booking tools, RateHawk helps travel professionals create efficient, comprehensive, and competitive itineraries.
Its partners have access to over 2.9 million accommodations, including more than 220,000 directly contracted hotels and 330 global suppliers, along with flights from over 400 airlines and transfers in more than 150 countries.
