The world of travel and tourism is changing rapidly under the influence of successive technological transformations, as the artificial intelligence agent is emerging as a revolutionary element that changes the rules of the game in all aspects of life, including, of course, the tourism industry.
While a traditional chatbot can provide recommendations on travel plans and recipes, AI agents go further and can carry out tasks on behalf of users with minimal human intervention.
Therefore, artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool whose mission is limited to technical assistance, but rather it has become a strategic partner that travels with humans, understands their habits and preferences, and even makes many decisions on their behalf.
In this context, a report issued by McKinsey Consulting concluded that the artificial intelligence agent will redraw the relationship between the traveler and travel companies, becoming part of every travel experience, from planning it to making it, and even returning from the trip.
Travel agent
An AI agent is a modern intelligent system capable of operating independently without waiting for direct instructions from humans, unlike traditional models.
The AI agent acts flexibly and analyzes data and context to make instant decisions, and can monitor flight changes, automatically modify or cancel reservations, and also suggest suitable trip alternatives for the traveler.
This agent can even communicate with hotels or airlines to solve any problem during the trip without direct human intervention.
The AI agent technology creates a digital profile for each user, collecting their behaviour, taste, budget and details of travel preferences.
Over time, the digital agent becomes more familiar with your personality, and meticulously manages your journeys from first idea to return without the hassle of searching or tedious follow-up.
Travel experience
According to a McKinsey report, the near future will witness a radical shift in the method of travel planning. The traveler will not need to use dozens of applications or digital platforms to compare travel offers and options. Rather, it is sufficient for him to inform the artificial intelligence agent of his desire to travel to a specific destination in a specific period, for the agent to book flights, choose the optimal hotel, suggest activities and restaurants that suit taste and budget, and follow up on everything. Fine details until the end of the trip.
The role of this emerging technology is not only limited to providing information, but also extends to making influential decisions based on user history, balancing convenience, cost and time factors.
Gains for companies
Hotels and airlines have come to regard an artificial intelligence agent as a necessity rather than a luxury, and the McKinsey study indicates that using an agent contributes to reducing operational costs and increasing the efficiency of services, as it automatically handles repetitive tasks such as rebooking, automated responses to customers, and real-time flight pricing.
In the hospitality sector, this intelligent system can allocate rooms based on guests’ preferences and anticipate problems before they occur.
amazing..
As an experience…it actually gets things done for you without leaving the app, as if it were your secretary!I gave him this command:
“Book me a one-way ticket from Riyadh to Paris on March 5, then book me a train trip the day after that from Paris to Geneva.”Surprisingly, he would open a reservations website and take a screenshot of me while he was sitting and booking for me, and then he would come back and ask me questions… pic.twitter.com/E8xORTxsJ2
– Abdulaziz Al-Hammadi (@Abdulaziz_Hmadi) February 21, 2025
As for airline companies, they benefit from the agent in adjusting prices and developing offers based on daily demand. Travel agencies are also able to manage thousands of requests at one time without errors, and provide accurate recommendations that enhance customer loyalty and reduce marketing costs.
Application challenges
However, despite the enormous benefits of this technological leap, companies face several challenges, the most prominent of which is the dispersion of data across many digital platforms and companies. This dispersion makes it difficult to consolidate information and utilize it effectively.
There are also challenges related to traveler confidence, as some remain reluctant to hand over their decisions to intelligent systems, especially when making personal or costly decisions.
Another challenge is that the corporate culture of many companies sees artificial intelligence as a whole as only an auxiliary tool, and not an essential element in the business model followed in those companies, in addition to the lack of technical competencies capable of developing and integrating the artificial intelligence agent into the old structure of some companies.
Adoption steps
The American company McKinsey recommends 5 main steps to successfully adopt an artificial intelligence agent:
- Building an advanced cloud architecture and processing legacy data.
- Develop a unified digital strategy that links the operational and marketing departments.
- Training employees to deal with artificial intelligence as a coworker.
- Test models internally for the AI agent before making them available to customers.
- Redesigning the company’s processes to fit new intelligence instead of cramming those processes into old systems.
Traditional agent
Despite the global enthusiasm for this transformation, some anxiety prevails in the Arab region, especially the Gulf region, where a report by the Connecting Travel platform issued last September indicated that 55% of traditional travel agents in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries fear for their jobs from artificial intelligence, although those with experience among them see this technology as an opportunity for development and not a threat.
Experts believe that the main challenge lies in enhancing human expertise with artificial intelligence, not replacing it.
In fact, the travel industry in the Arab region depends on personal relationships and direct trust to a greater extent than what exists in Western markets, which makes adopting the latest artificial intelligence trends a step that requires gradual progression and continuous awareness.
The future of travel
In the end, it remains to be emphasized that agentic intelligence will not replace the human element, but rather will give him a wider space to live and enjoy the experience.
Instead of worrying about the details of booking and transportation, the traveler can focus on exploring, connecting and enjoying.
The biggest change will not be in “Why do we travel?”, but in “How do we travel?” Trips will become smoother, services will be more tailored to the needs of travelers, and their choices will be more aware.
Just as electronic booking applications have turned travel standards upside down over the past decade, it seems that the next decade will be the era of the artificial intelligence agent, who will accompany the traveler and chart the route for him, leaving him more space to enjoy every moment of his journey.
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