Research from eDreams finds widespread appreciation for AI-enhanced travel planning from consumers across the world. Rose Dykins reports

According to research from online travel agency eDreams, 73 per cent of global consumers are already using AI tools for travel-related tasks – or are interested in doing so.

eDreams shares these findings to celebrate its 25th anniversary and mark a decade since the launch of its travel subscription company eDreams Odigeo, with its pioneering AI-first approach.

Dana Dunne, CEO of eDreams Odigeo, says: “Over a decade ago, in an era when AI for travel was hardly thought of, we boldly ventured into this space, driven by our commitment to innovation.

“Our early investment in integrating AI into e-commerce has since established us as recognised pioneers and has enabled us to explore more intelligent, personalised, and exciting ways for people to discover the world.”

eDreams conducted external market research with 10,000 global consumers from eight countries: the UK, the US France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

The results show how AI is transforming the travel experiences of global consumers today, and acting as a catalyst for an era of hyper-personalised experiences.

According to the research, Under-35s are leading the way when it comes to digitally enabled travel. Globally, 86 per cent of respondents aged 18-24, and 84 per cent of those aged 25-34 report using or being open to using AI tools to enhance their travel experiences. This drops to 43 per cent of those aged 65 and over.

Focusing on the UK market, 78 per cent of consumers aged 18 to 24 and 70 per cent of those between 25 and 34 years old are either already using AI-powered tools for their travel needs or are open to the idea of using them in the near future.

“Young travellers today are the first generation of a new AI age, which means they have completely different horizons for what exceptional travel experiences should look like,” says Dunne.

“It is the expectations of this generation that will determine what our industry looks like in 25 years and we are proud to be leading this with such innovative features and services for travellers.”

The research also finds  consumers are increasingly recognising the role and value that technologies like AI play in personalising their online shopping experiences. Half of the global respondents (50 per cent) said they are fully or partially aware of AI’s role in enhancing their online experiences and greatly appreciate the ease it brings.

This awareness and appreciation greatly increases among younger age groups, with 61 per cent of 18-24 year-olds and 64 per cent of those aged 25-34 expressing this. By contrast, 23 per cent of those over 65 shared the same level of awareness and appreciation for AI.

Only a very small proportion of 18-24-year-olds globally (4 per cent) said they do not believe in the potential of tech and AI to enhance the online shopping experience, compared to 18 per cent of Baby Boomers.

 In the UK, awareness of AI’s influence on shopping experiences varies significantly with age. While 25 per cent of respondents across all age groups report full or partial awareness, this number soars to 64 per cent among 18-24-year-olds, compared to 12 per cent of those over 65.

This shows younger people are much more likely to acknowledge the tremendous value that AI can add to the online shopping experience.