Agentic AI: Shaping the Future of Travel with Trust at Its Core

Introduction

Agentic AI refers to autonomous systems capable of setting goals, making decisions and taking actions to achieve those goals without constant human oversight. Unlike traditional AI reactive and task-specific agentic AI proactively plans, adapts and learns over time, breaking complex objectives into manageable steps and refining its approach based on real-world feedback.  In the travel industry, this ability promises to transform how trips are planned, booked and managed, delivering fluid, responsive experiences that today’s travellers increasingly expect.

Key Benefits for Travel

1. Personalised Experiences at Scale
   
   Agentic AI can draw on a traveller’s past preferences, real-time context and broader data sources to craft bespoke itineraries. Whether recommending off-the-beaten-track excursions or seamless multi-city trips, it shifts from one-size-fits-all suggestions to deeply personalised plans.
   

2. Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings
   
   By automating routine tasks—such as booking confirmations, payment processing and check-in management—agentic AI drastically reduces manual workload and minimises human error. Travel businesses can redeploy staff to higher-value roles, while travellers benefit from faster, more reliable service.
   

3. Real-Time Responsiveness
   
   Flight delays, cancellations or local disruptions can derail a trip. Agentic AI continuously monitors itineraries and external data feeds, alerting travellers and rebooking arrangements instantly. This proactive, data-driven agility is essential in a world where schedules change at a moment’s notice.
   

4. Enhanced Risk Management
   
   By analysing geopolitical events, weather forecasts and health advisories, agentic AI can surface potential risks and recommend adjustments—be it alternative routes, protective measures or insurance upgrades, boosting traveller confidence and safeguarding provider reputations.

The Trust Imperative

Despite these advantages, trust remains the cornerstone of any travel experience. A recent Bain & Company survey found that, while 72 per cent of consumers have used some form of AI, only 24 per cent would feel comfortable allowing an AI agent to complete a purchase on their behalf today. Early generations of large language models have also demonstrated occasional inaccuracies, undermining confidence in mission-critical contexts where precision and repeatability matter.

For generations, travellers have relied on human agents to navigate complexity, resolve unforeseen issues and offer empathetic support. The human-to-human bond establishes accountability and reassurance, qualities that no algorithm, however sophisticated, can fully replicate.

A Hybrid Path Forward

The travel industry’s challenge is to harness agentic AI’s strengths while preserving human trust. Practical steps include:

• Transparent Collaboration: Clearly communicate which tasks are automated and maintain easy access to human experts for nuanced decisions.

• Auditable Workflows: Implement logging and oversight mechanisms so actions taken by AI agents can be reviewed and, if necessary, reversed.

• Gradual Adoption: Introduce agentic AI in low-risk areas, such as post-booking notifications or personalised content, before expanding into core booking functions.

• Ethical Frameworks: Adopt data governance and privacy standards that ensure travellers’ personal information is used responsibly, reinforcing a culture of trust.

In this way, agentic AI becomes a tool that augments, rather than replaces, the expertise and empathy of skilled travel professionals.

Conclusion

Agentic AI stands poised to revolutionise travel, offering unprecedented personalisation, efficiency and proactive support. Yet, its true value hinges on blending technological innovation with the enduring trust that travellers place in human agents. By adopting a hybrid model, where autonomous systems handle routine, data-intensive tasks and humans focus on complex, empathetic interactions, the travel industry can deliver seamless, memorable journeys without sacrificing the confidence that only personal care provides.