The hospitality industry has always been focused on creating personalised experiences. From concierge recommendations and curated itineraries to bespoke guest services, the goal has always been the same: helping travellers discover experiences that feel tailored to them.
Today, a new concierge has joined the conversation – and from my friends, to industry insiders, everyone is using it. It is, of course, AI.
Whether through ChatGPT, other AI platforms, social search or the next generation of intelligent assistants, travellers are beginning to rely on AI not simply to answer questions, but to guide decisions. From choosing the perfect destinations and hotels to building itineraries and discovering restaurants, AI is becoming an influential part of the customer journey.
For the travel industry, this goes beyond a technological shift to a behavioural change.
Travellers Are Seeking Answers, Not Just a List of Options
Historically, travel planning has always been fragmented and involved a combination of search engines, review platforms, guidebooks, social media and recommendations from friends. Today, as travellers are even more time poor than before, they want simplicity. They want recommendations that feel relevant, personalised and immediate.
Instead of searching for “Luxury hotels in Mallorca”, they’re asking things like “I’m looking for a relaxed luxury hotel in Mallorca with great food, a strong wellness offering and easy access to local culture. Where should I stay?” The expectation has changed from discovery to guidance.
This is where AI excels as it can interpret context, understand preferences and provide recommendations that feel tailored to individual needs creating instant convenience for consumers. For brands, it creates a new competitive landscape.
The Trust Economy Is Entering a New Phase
One of the most interesting implications of AI-powered discovery is its relationship with trust.
For decades, travel brands have worked to earn credibility through media coverage, reviews, awards, partnerships and word-of-mouth recommendations. Those trust signals continue to matter and now matter more than ever before.
AI systems are not creating recommendations from thin air. They draw on information that already exists across the internet, interpreting signals from authoritative sources to build their responses. In the AI driven era earned media, third-party reviews and brand reputation are becoming increasingly valuable assets to ensure your brand is part of the conversation.
The destinations, hotels and travel brands that consistently appear in trusted publications, expert recommendations and credible conversations are often the ones most likely to be referenced.
In many ways, the future of AI visibility may be built on some of the oldest principles in communications: credibility, consistency and authority.
AI Driven Travel Trends
Hyper-Personalisation as Standard
One of the clearest trends emerging from AI adoption is the shift towards hyper-personalisation. Travellers are no longer searching by category alone. They are searching by lifestyle, values and intent to discover recommendations that reflect who they are.
This shift is making generic positioning less effective. Broad messaging aimed at everyone is increasingly difficult to surface in environments where consumers are asking highly specific questions.
With AI flattening generic category search terms, the brands that stand out are those with clearly defined propositions. The brands that successfully highlight their USPs are the ones most likely to thrive; the boutique hotel known for food experiences, the destination celebrated sustainability and the resort renowned for wellness. The more distinctive the narrative, the easier it becomes for both consumers and AI systems to understand and recommend.
Conversational Destination Discovery
Travel inspiration has always been emotional. Traditionally, destinations relied on beautiful imagery, aspirational campaigns and editorial features to spark interest. These channels remain important, but the discovery process is becoming increasingly conversational.
Consumers are now asking:
- Where should I travel if I want fewer crowds?
- Which European cities are best for wellness breaks?
- Where can I experience authentic local food?
The behaviour change creates an opportunity for destinations to move beyond broad tourism messaging and focus on the stories, experiences and cultural nuances that make them distinctive. The destinations that succeed will be those that can clearly articulate what they offer and why it matters.
The Power of Human Connection
Ironically, as AI becomes more prevalent, authenticity becomes more important. Travel remains emotionally driven and people don’t remember hotel descriptions, they remember how a place made the feel, the unexpected moments and personal connections that created a story.
As AI takes on a greater role in discovery and planning, brands have an opportunity to focus even more on the human experiences that technology cannot replicate. The brands that use AI to amplify stories, experiences and relationships that already resonate with people.
What Comes Next?
The rise of the AI concierge is still in its early stages. Consumer behaviour will continue to evolve. Platforms will become more sophisticated and expectations around personalisation and relevance will continue to increase.
However, one thing already feels clear. The future of travel discovery will be shaped by a combination of technology and trust. AI may influence recommendations, but reputation will influence whether those recommendations are made in the first place.
For hotels, destinations and travel brands, the challenge is not simply understanding the technology. It’s understanding how their story, credibility and expertise show up in an increasingly intelligent digital ecosystem.
While the concierge may be changing, the fundamentals of great travel marketing remain remarkably familiar; be memorable, build trust and give people a reason to choose you.
About Palm PR
Founded in 2015 by Emily Keogh, Palm is an award-winning PR, digital and communications agency specialising in travel, hospitality, property, and food and drink. The agency combines strategic communications, digital expertise and data-led insights to create campaigns that build brand visibility, strengthen reputation and support business growth. Palm works with clients across the UK and internationally, delivering measurable results through an integrated approach to PR, content, search and digital marketing.
Website: https://www.palm-pr.com/
About Emily Keogh
Emily Keogh is an award-winning female entrepreneur specialising in creative communications strategy for the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality sectors.
She has 20 years of PR experience, starting her career at global agency Ogilvy and launching her independent agency Palm in London 16 years ago.
A passionate advocate for creativity, she launched the ‘Palm Academy of Disruption’ incubator at the agency, and was shortlisted as PRCA’s “Consultancy Head of the Year”.
A Cambridge University graduate from all-female college Newnham, Emily supports gender equality & women in business.
