Our survey on the impact of AI on travelers

Summary of results

Seeing isn’t always believing

One in three travelers (33%) have felt misled by a travel listing, whether due to overly edited imagery, missing or inaccurate descriptions (36%), or false reviews (27%). Danish consumers in particular are the most attuned to these misrepresentations. Despite this, more than half (54%) still turn to photos when making booking decisions, with Danes again leading the charge.

The new trust triad

When assessing the legitimacy of a destination, travelers place their faith in a trio of sources: official websites (60%), peer reviews (57%), and word-of-mouth recommendations. In contrast, AI-generated content is sparking unease.

A crisis of confidence in AI

A staggering 78% of consumers report concerns about fake or AI-generated reviews, with 58% saying such content makes it harder to trust what they see online. Only 19% would book a destination if the main images appeared AI-generated – though nearly half (44%) say they’d reconsider based on strong reviews.

Red flags and dealbreakers

Beyond high prices, travelers are most turned off by negative or inconsistent reviews (51%), AI-generated or “too good to be true” listings (48%), and photos that feel overly staged or unrealistic (42%).

Surprises, both good and bad

While one in five consumers (21%) have disputed a booking that didn’t live up to its promise, more than two-thirds (68%) have had the opposite experience – delighted to find that reality exceeded expectations.

Authenticity is the real luxury

What makes a destination feel genuinely “real”? For most, it’s tasting local cuisine (59%), exploring cultural landmarks (51%), browsing local markets (47%), and connecting with the region’s history and traditions (42%).

Cautious curiosity toward AI in travel planning

Though headlines tout the promise of AI in travel, just 12% of consumers currently use it to plan their trips. And nearly half (47%) believe destinations shouldn’t be allowed to use AI to enhance their tourism marketing at all.

We conducted a separate survey in the UK, and learnt the following:

• One in five holidaymakers have booked a trip based on a review that was misleading, exaggerated.
• Three in 10 of those deceived said the location wasn’t up to scratch compared to what others had described.
• 24% believe the images they’d seen had been artificially enhanced or even generated by AI.
• As a result, 29% complained to the review platform, while 28% took it up with the hotel.
• The study also found 85% of travellers believe they’re going to increase their levels of caution when booking in the future.
• 65% think they have seen a travel photo that looked ‘too good to be real’.
• And only 43% would be generally confident they could spot an AI-generated travel image, from a real one.
• As a result, 58% rely most on word-of-mouth from friends or family when it comes to travel reviews.
• Just 11% trust those found on social media.
• Of those who have spotted a review they believed was fake or AI generated, 30% have reported it.
• And as many as 70% would be less likely to book a trip through a platform if they suspected it might be home to untrustworthy reviews.