Can AI replace the need for Human Intelligence in Travel?

As the world gleefully throws itself into the brand-new era of artificial intelligence (AI), I take comfort in the underlying message of the blockbuster 80’s film The Terminator: ‘There is always hope for mankind’. A cursory glance at virtually any news site delivers debates over whose jobs will be devoured by AI tools first. But in reality, it is still a leap for me to imagine a future in the tourism industry where Artificial Intelligence is valued over Human Intelligence.

AI may seem like an ideal solution for automating travel programs, family holidays, honeymoons… After all, it has long been used to help travellers find flights and hotels that fit their budgets and time frame. And this is just scratching the surface of what it can do. In theory, with enough sophisticated algorithms and data sets, AI is well on its way to take on the full travel spectrum; from itinerary optimization, booking and risk management.

But, as someone who has been involved in the travel industry for 20 years, I wonder – can AI really replace human judgment when it comes to making perosnalized decisions about travel?

Technology has certainly revolutionized the way we plan our travels today, but it is important to remember that, as things stand, AI is designed to support humans in the decision-making process, not to supplant them.

Travel managers (or advisors, curators, planners…) are responsible for understanding a lot about another human, such as cultural norms, local customs, fears, hopes, dreams… AI may be able to detect patterns and make predictions, but can it fully account for the nuances that come with planning the most valued time in our lives – our holiday?

And would we want to take a holiday which is based on the aggregation of a group of people, whose behaviour is similar to ours, according to our online behaviour? Would we be happy holidaying in our own echo chamber?

My answer is certainly not. I prefer to have access to another human beings’ personal insights, lived experiences and real stories.

In considering this opinion piece, we discussed many instances where only human intelligence could have made-the-day, or saved-the-day, for our guests. Some of the highlights were:

• Prize possessions left behind luggage delays with trekking gear mislaid by airlines
• complex personalised gratuity recommendations for large families
• planning a holiday two days before arrival
• arranging battery back-up for personal sleep apnoea machine
• getting travellers home safely at the beginning of lock down
• not enough passport pages
• flooding of a lodge and needing a new place to sleep…
• and the cherry on top; countless instances of personal care and insight and knowing that different types of people need different types of love.

My team and I are ready to turn travel dreams to memories of a lifetime.