Tourexpi
WTM London’s tech audience backs AI as a force for good in travel – with some reservations
Artificial intelligence is a net positive for travel,
according to an audience vote that concluded a lively debate at the Technology
Summit during this year’s WTM London.
Two teams went head-to-head on the motion “AI is the
enemy of travel.” The opposing camp, led by Christian Watts of Magpie Travel,
prevailed over the proposition team led by Stephen Joyce of Protect Group.
While critics argued that AI “removes the magical human chaos of being
somewhere new,” supporters countered that AI is already transforming how people
plan, book, and experience travel.
AI in travel: from operations to experience
Advocates noted that AI is freeing travel
professionals from administrative workloads, improving destination
recommendations, and enhancing in-trip services. The audience vote — decisively
in favour of AI — reflected optimism about its future potential. Watts joked
that it had been “a tough day for the humans,” but acknowledged that sentiment
was driven more by where AI is going than where it currently stands.
Across multiple sessions, speakers shared insights
into how AI is being integrated into every layer of travel. James Spalding from
Trip.com described an AI-enabled global support system that tailors responses
to local markets and knows when to transfer complex queries to human agents. Qais
Amori from Almosafer discussed AI’s growing role in fraud detection, while Melissa
Skluzacek of easyJet said AI now supports “all commercial and operational
functions,” acting as “an extra pair of hands.” Sally Bunnell from NaviSavi
revealed how AI curates and tags user-generated content to make it usable for
brands — with integrated booking options.
A bigger picture of growth and opportunity
Opening the summit, Dave Goodger of Tourism Economics
presented findings from the WTM Global Trends Report 2025, showing that 30% of
travellers believe AI will increase their travel spending. With global tourism
continuing to grow, he said, AI will have an even greater opportunity to
benefit both travellers and businesses.
WTM London’s Technology Partner, Holafly, represented
by CEO Pablo Gómez Fernandez-Quintanilla, noted that the convergence of
international travel, hybrid work, and the need for constant connectivity is
driving demand for seamless digital solutions like global eSIMs.
However, Filip Filipov of OAG raised a red flag for
the industry: AI’s efficiency could dramatically alter look-to-book ratios for
online travel agents — from the current 1,000:1 to potentially 1 million:1 once
agentic AI becomes mainstream.
Personalisation remains key
While AI dominated the discussion, many speakers
highlighted that personalisation and contextualisation remain essential.
Understanding why travellers go somewhere, not just who they are, was described
as the next frontier for meaningful digital engagement.
Looking ahead: disruption with purpose
Summit organiser Timothy O’Neil-Dunne of T2Impact
reflected on the event’s main theme: “Travel has a lot on its plate — from
global uncertainty to rapid technological disruption. But amid this change, the
industry’s focus is clear: to use AI and innovation not for the sake of
automation, but to make travel better for real people.”
Image
Credit: © WTM
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