Artificial intelligence has rapidly changed the game in many industries, and the hype of AI in the travel industry is no different. From itinerary planning to customer service automation, AI has a number of realistic applications in the multi-day tour operator space. But will AI plateau at a more modest and supporting role just like other emerging technologies or will it have a more profound and lasting impact on how we do business? The Gartner Hype Cycle provides useful insight on where AI currently stands in its journey.
The Gartner Hype Cycle outlines five key phases in a technology’s evolution: Technology Trigger, Peak of Inflated Expectations, Trough of Disillusionment, Slope of Enlightenment, and Plateau of Productivity.
Although still up for debate, according to Gartner.com, AI now appears to be shifting past the Peak of Inflated Expectations towards the Trough of Disillusionment–a pattern seen with many past technologies such as chatbots, virtual reality, and 3D printing. There is an initial overhype followed by more realistic and simple use cases of the technology.
So, where does AI truly fit in specifically for multi-day tour operators? Let’s take a deeper look at how AI can serve not as a replacement, but as an assistant in enhancing multi-day tour operations and guest experiences.
The Role of AI in the Travel Industry
Will AI replace travel planners some day? Short answer is no. However, it can significantly help with task automation and efficiency.
A 2024 USTOA-PWC survey found that:
- 75% of USTOA members agreed GenAI helps staff by automating routine tasks.
- 65% believe AI enhances their ability to improve operations and personalize itineraries.
AI Tools Shaping the Travel Industry Today
Below are some real-life ways businesses in the travel industry are currently taking advantage of the efficiency AI brings to their own daily operations.
- CV Villas (vacation villa rentals) uses AI in their own marketing strategy:
- Perplexity AI analyzes client profiles to create detailed personas and rank marketing messaging effectiveness.
- Adido (digital marketing agency in travel) uses multiple AI tools to enhance their communication efficiency and effectiveness:
- Relevance AI monitors and flags relevant client calls for employee reviews—saving time and improving training.
- Heygen.com + Zapier creates personalized AI videos and automates email follow-ups after form submissions.
- Otter AI captures and records customer calls, reducing administrative work and improving itinerary personalization.
- Vamoos (a mobile app for custom tour operators and a PEAK 15 partner) recently launched “Imsert,” an image-sourcing tool that speeds up itinerary building by pulling relevant images from stored files, saving hours of time to create visually appealing itineraries.
- Globus Journeys (international multi-day tour operator) developed an automated chatbot to prepopulate reservation details which increases the speed of the self-service option in their own travel agent portal.
- Collette (multi-day tour operator) uses AI to review guest surveys and flag items that can influence changes to current tour offerings. As of 2024, this company also created a dedicated AI committee to oversee the use and implementation of AI tools to ensure its accuracy.
- Travel Deliciously (multi-day tour operator focused on culinary trips) utilizes ChatGPT to analyze contracts, which saves hours of manual time for their employees.
Why AI Isn’t the All-in-One Solution
While AI offers several benefits as seen above, it has limitations. The travel industry thrives on human expertise, and over-reliance on AI for multi-day tour operators could lead to an impersonal experience for guests.
A 2024 Contiki survey revealed that while Gen Z travelers embrace AI for travel research (56% use it to discover local activities, 60% for discounts), only 7% would trust AI to book an entire trip. This highlights the importance of the human touch in trip planning. AI is a technology that should be embraced to improve efficiency but will never fully replace the operations of a multi-day tour operator.
PEAK 15’s Take: The Balance of Technology and Personalization
At PEAK 15, we see AI as a powerful asset—when used strategically. Our own software is designed to support multi-day tour operators, helping them save time so they can focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences. The same idea applies to AI.
Founder & President, James O’Leonard speaks to the rise of AI in the travel industry.
“AI is simply a tool–start with the problem and then find the best solution. There are many pragmatic uses of AI and though saving 10 minutes on one task may seem insignificant at first, multiplied across teams and over time, it can change your business. However, always make sure you are prioritizing the guest experience. A solution that saves your business time but leaves guests frustrated isn’t worth it—just look at the many failed AI chatbot examples”
At the 2024 annual PEAK 15 Summit, we explored the future of AI in our software specifically with tools like Zapier and Claude AI. Practical applications for PEAK 15 include improving online help, streamlining automation, and organizing data more efficiently.
As a software company, we at PEAK 15 embrace the simple uses of AI for multi-day tour operators while also maintaining integrity with the human connections and expertise that make travel experiences unforgettable.
AI is Here to Assist, Not Replace
AI is transforming the travel industry, and multi-day tour operators have the chance now to take advantage of it. It should be embraced strategically–used to enhance efficiency, automate routine tasks, and personalize itineraries, which then leaves more room to focus on creating incredible travel experiences.
Want to learn more about PEAK 15’s integrations? Contact us today.