Spain: Agentic AI moves into travel booking - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond travel inspiration and recommendations into the transaction itself. Emerging AI agents can increasingly plan itineraries, compare products and potentially make bookings on behalf of travellers, raising a fundamental question for the tourism industry: who will own the customer relationship and control the transaction when machines become active participants in the booking process?

The impact of this shift on travel agencies, OTAs, tour operators and technology platforms will be a central topic at the Travel Agencies and Distribution Forum during TIS – Tourism Innovation Summit. Taking place from 6 to 8 October at FIBES in Seville, the event is expected to bring together more than 8,000 tourism professionals.

AI enters the entire travel process

The emergence of AI agents capable of handling several stages of a journey could redistribute roles across the tourism value chain. Rather than merely influencing purchasing decisions through recommendations, these systems could participate directly in product selection and ultimately complete transactions.

Ricardo Fernández, CEO of Destinia, Mario Gavira, CMO of Travelier, and Pere Vallès, CEO of Exoticca, will examine how booking behaviour could evolve as consumers delegate parts of the process to AI agents. Their discussion will address control of transactions, access to customers and the future positions of agencies, suppliers, OTAs and technology companies.

Some applications are already moving from theory into everyday operations. Travel agencies and larger tourism groups are using AI for customer acquisition, quotation generation, administrative automation, content creation and improving conversion without corresponding increases in staffing.

Joan Barceló, CIO of World2Meet, will present practical examples of AI applications within travel agencies. Francesco Ciuccarelli, CISO of Alpitour Group, will examine how integrated tourism companies are replacing legacy systems with AI-powered platforms and the resulting effects on customer experience, distribution, operations and decision-making.

Travel agencies face a changing competitive landscape

The technological shift comes at a time when the travel distribution sector is already experiencing consolidation, pressure on margins and changes in the relationship between sellers and customers.

Brigitte Hidalgo, Director of the Tourism Innovation Global Summit, describes the current period as one of the most significant transformations travel agencies have faced in decades. While AI is changing how travellers search, compare and book, she believes agencies have an opportunity to strengthen their traditional advantages in expert advice, personalisation and trust. The challenge will be to integrate technology in ways that increase the value offered to customers.

The future role of agencies in Spain will also be examined by Carlos López, Director of AVASA, José Manuel Lastra, President of CEAV, and Jorge Espinós, founder of VBO Group.

Specialisation emerges as another competitive strategy

Technology is not the only force reshaping distribution. Specialised travel platforms focusing on clearly defined customer needs are also gaining ground alongside larger diversified businesses.

Long stays, wellness travel, family entertainment and rural experiences are among the segments around which specialist companies have developed their business models. Etienne Goujot, CEO of Thalasseo, Tom Dunkley, CEO of MagicBreak, and Luis Osorio, CEO of Stayforlong, will discuss whether such vertical platforms can maintain an advantage against large online travel agencies.

Their debate will focus on whether detailed expertise within a particular segment can remain a competitive asset as AI makes product discovery and comparison increasingly sophisticated.

More than 8,000 professionals expected in Seville

TIS 2026 will bring together agency networks, management groups, tourism associations, OTAs and international travel companies. Speakers connected with the distribution sector include Wilfred Fan, CCO of Klook; Fabio Bin, co-founder and CMO of WeRoad; Lisa Delaney, Regional Head of Marketing and Lifestyle Europe at Cathay Pacific; Beatriz Sajón, General Manager Continental Europe at Virtuoso; Judith Eyck, COO of HolidayPirates Group; and Joan Roca, CEO of Essentialist.

Representatives from World2Meet, Radisson Hotel Group, Destinia, Travelier, Exoticca, Ávoris, CEAV, AVASA, VBO Group, Stayforlong, MagicBreak and Thalasseo are also scheduled to participate.

Who will control the customer?

Ultimately, the arrival of agentic AI raises a question that reaches beyond the technology itself. Suppliers, traditional agencies, OTAs and technology companies are all competing for access to travellers who increasingly expect personalised and frictionless services.

Rodolphe Lenoir, CEO of Impact Consultants, will examine whether intermediaries will retain their importance as these boundaries shift and which functions they could perform in the emerging distribution ecosystem.

For travel agencies, the challenge will be to adopt increasingly capable technology without surrendering the qualities on which their role has traditionally depended: professional judgement, specialist knowledge, personal service and customer trust.

Image Credit: © AI generated illustration using material courtesy of TIS