What do travellers want from AI? Room rates, not personalised itineraries, study says
Just 44% of travellers feel comfortable letting artificial intelligence plan out their holidays.
A recent survey conducted by Mews, a hospitality management software, reveals that while travellers are generally receptive to AI technology, their expectations are limited. Out of the 3,250 tourists polled across various European countries, only 44% expressed willingness to let AI plan their itinerary. The most common uses for AI were found to be watching hotel room rates (63%) and real-time translation (56%).
Data customisation is another area where AI proves beneficial, as it can compile a comprehensive picture using various data sources, thereby saving time. However, travellers' comfort level with AI's use of their data varies. While 43% are comfortable with AI using data collected through online behavior, only 34% are okay with it using data from social media. Conversely, 61% are comfortable with AI using stated preferences, and 56% with AI using data from past stays.
Interestingly, comfort with AI's usage differs among countries. Italians are the most optimistic about AI's role in the next five years (51%, compared to an average of 39%), followed by Spain (58%). Josef Starýchfojtů, Mews' Chief Product and Technology Officer, emphasizes that while "clever technology is great," it should be used in a manner that respects guests' preferences.
He suggests that AI should handle mundane, repetitive tasks, allowing hotel staff to focus on providing a more personalized experience for their guests.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
