Generative AI Helps Travelers Plan Vacations, Study Finds

New research from the University of Surrey indicates that generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools can assist travelers who feel overwhelmed by the planning process. The study, conducted by the university’s Department of Computer Science in partnership with a travel‑technology firm, examined how AI‑driven applications helped participants organize their travel ideas, evaluate alternatives, and finalize itineraries that they might otherwise have abandoned.

The researchers surveyed 250 frequent vacationers and provided half of them with access to a generative AI platform capable of summarising preferences, generating side‑by‑side comparisons of destinations, accommodations and activities, and offering step‑by‑step planning prompts. Participants using the AI reported a 38 % increase in completed travel plans and expressed greater confidence in decision‑making. The findings suggest that integrating generative AI into travel‑planning services could reduce decision fatigue, improve itinerary completion rates, and potentially reshape how the tourism industry supports consumers in the pre‑booking stage.