A solid majority of U.S. travel managers are using AI tools in some form in their travel programs, and they largely are satisfied with the results, according to a survey of 300 travel managers conducted by Sabre and Serko.
The survey, conducted in December and limited to travel managers representing companies with more than $50 million in revenue, showed 90 percent of travel managers are using AI or generative AI tools within their programs. The most widespread use was for AI to streamline the booking process, reported by 73 percent of respondents. Seventy percent of buyers said they used AI for pricing optimization, and 64 percent said they are using AI traveler experience tools such as chatbots.
Just over half of buyers surveyed said their AI tools have exceeded their expectations, according to the report.
"These results show that the value of Al isn't new to the travel industry," Serko head of AI Andrew Revell said in the report. "We've leveraged its potential well for years, particularly in areas like predictive analytics and personalization. So, as the incredible capabilities of Generative Al accelerate, our industry is in a good position to go beyond the hype and find practical, valuable applications that deliver real impact."
The technological complexity of AI was the biggest barrier to implementation for buyers in the survey, with 46 percent of buyers citing the specialized knowledge and skills needed to integrate AI solutions. A lack of talent and internal capabilities was noted as a challenge by 19 percent of respondents, and 14 percent said budget constraints was hindering progress with AI.
In terms of goals, cost savings rated as the top goal for travel managers with AI, listed as an aim by 71 percent of respondents. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said enhancing the traveler experience was a goal with AI, and 63 percent hoped AI would improve data analysis.