New research reveals generative AI has become travellers' preferred discovery method, with more than half ready for autonomous agents to plan and book entire trips. Olivia Palamountain reports

Generative AI has surpassed social media and online travel agencies as the leading source for travel discovery, according to new research from Accenture's Consumer Pulse survey.

The study of 18,000 consumers across 14 countries found that 80% of travellers now use generative AI tools, signalling that AI adoption has moved beyond early adopters to become mainstream amongst those booking flights, hotels and travel platforms.

More than half (57%) of travellers are seeking AI assistants that can work across multiple brands and services to autonomously solve their travel needs, whilst 93% would trust generative AI to support their purchasing decisions.

The findings represent a significant shift from last year's research, which revealed that 73% of consumers faced "information overload" when booking travel, with many finding hotel booking harder than buying a car and flight selection nearly as difficult as choosing a mortgage.

Emily Weiss, Accenture's global travel lead, says: "In the space of a year, we are already seeing AI start to solve for the problem of choice and decision overload, with a real opportunity to bring enjoyment back to the arduous process of discovering and purchasing memorable travel experiences."

The research indicates that 86% of travellers want to shape their own experiences, with 93% of active generative AI users saying this is important to their personal connection with brands. Additionally, 78% are open to using a trusted AI-powered personal shopping assistant that understands their needs and goals.

Travellers also increasingly value personalisation, with 79% wanting brands that make them feel special by remembering them personally. They are 1.7 times more likely to pay higher prices for emotionally engaging experiences.

"Consider that instead of being overwhelmed by countless options and conflicting reviews, gen AI can act as a personal travel concierge, providing bespoke recommendations based on preferences, budget and location," Weiss adds.

The emergence of "agentic" AI promises to further streamline travel booking by monitoring price changes in real time and integrating loyalty points.