More than half of travel agents worldwide believe that artificial intelligence (AI) could become their competition and even replace them in the long term as AI becomes more popular among travellers, according to RateHawk’s latest research.
RateHawk, a B2B platform for bookings of hotels, flights, and other travel services, released these findings in conjunction with World Tourism Day which was celebrated on 27 September. RateHawk’s study examines the attitudes of travel agents towards the tools of AI and shares the company’s perspective on how the sector can embrace innovation, while at the same time preserving the value of human contact.
More agents in Asia and GCC believe AI will replace them in future
The opinions regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the role of travel professionals are divided worldwide: even though the majority (56%) believe that AI will not replace them, 44% consider that such a thing is a real possibility in the future. In Asia and the Gulf, this percentage is higher, reaching 60% and 55% respectively.
On the contrary, in Europe (58%) and Latin America (55%), most travel agents do not share this opinion. Professionals in North America appear more sceptical, with only 20% believing that artificial intelligence may take over their jobs. RateHawk also found that the respondents in the USA and Canada show the greatest interest in the adoption of new personalisation tools through AI (45%).
Astrid Kastberg, Chief Executive Officer of RateHawk said, “The travel sector, which was valued at $10.9 trillion in 2024 by the WTTC, is going through significant changes. According to research by Kantar, 40% of travellers worldwide have already used AI tools for the planning of trips, while 62% state that they are open to using them in the future. Although this may seem worrying for the tourism professionals, the rise of generative AI creates greater demands for personalised experiences.
In fact, studies show that more than half of young travellers want a travel agent or a trusted advisor to help them plan their big trips. For the agents, this means that professional expertise and human contact become even more valuable as the demand for personalised services increases.”
The future of travel will combine human expertise and innovative technology
The opinions about AI differ according to the experience in the sector. The younger professionals (with less than 3 years’ experience) see AI as a possible substitute, with 51% believing that it may replace them. The more experienced (with more than 15 years in the sector) are more reassuring, with only 40% sharing this opinion.
“We see the future of travel as a combination of human expertise and innovative technology. It is encouraging that one out of three professionals is willing to use more tools of artificial intelligence in their work. We believe that as long as the agents continue to adapt and to innovate, their skills and their knowledge will remain irreplaceable,” concludes Kastberg.
Key challenges faced by travel agents
In the previous sections of the study, RateHawk revealed that 92% of travel professionals state satisfied with their career. However, they face daily challenges, such as intense competition, increasing demands of clients and time-consuming manual search for the best offers.
To overcome these obstacles and to make their daily work more effective, 29% of travel professionals are positive towards the greater use of technology. Beyond artificial intelligence, the respondents prefer automation, advanced data analysis and mobile booking tools.
Nearly half of the respondents identify manual searches for the best deals as their biggest time waster, often due to juggling too many platforms. Some 27% consider adapting to regulations to be one of the key challenges, while 23% identify financial instability, including those of suppliers, and 19% also mentioned the challenges of tech adoption.
Other key highlights of the study include:
- 42% of travel professionals have more than 15 years of experience, with loyalty is strongest in Europe (Italy 68%, Germany 64%, Spain 52%).
- 50% work in small businesses of 2–5 people, while only 5% in GCC and Asia are solo; these regions are dominated by mid-sized companies.
- 92% report being satisfied or very satisfied in their roles, driven by passion and client connection.
- Among the top motivators, 51% report creating memorable experiences, 42% cite curiosity and human interaction, and 39% point to positive client feedback.
The findings are based on research on more than 1,300 participants throughout Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
Photo Credit: Kaspars Grinvalds / Shutterstock.com
