WTM London’s tech audience backs AI as a force for good in travel – with some reservations - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

WTM London’s tech audience backs AI as a force for good in travel – with some reservations

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WTM London’s tech audience backs AI as a force for good in travel – with some reservations

Experts agree artificial intelligence will enhance efficiency, creativity, and personalisation across the travel industry

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.”