New research from WTM London finds that more than half of Gen Z travellers now trust AI to complete bookings on their behalf, signalling a potential tipping point for agentic AI in travel.
The WTM Global Travel Report, released at WTM London 2026, found that 54% of 18-34-year-olds trust agentic AI to complete a booking autonomously, compared with just 18% of those aged 55 and over. Overall, 36% of travellers across all age groups said they trusted AI to book on their behalf.
Broader AI adoption is accelerating. Use of AI chatbots for international trip planning has more than doubled from 10% in 2024 to 24% in 2026, with under-35s almost five times as likely as those aged 55 or over to have used AI for inspiration or itinerary planning. More than half of travellers already trust AI tools to search and compare prices (58%) or generate recommendations (53%).
The report, which aggregates data from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, alongside findings from other research organisations, also notes that AI’s influence on bookings may be under-reported. Travellers who research with an AI assistant and then book directly are not counted as AI referrals, meaning much of AI’s role in shaping decisions goes unrecorded.
On the industry side, 87% of tourism organisations were using AI in early 2026, with operational efficiency the most cited effective use. Royal Caribbean Group has used AI for revenue management on late bookings, lifting net yields by 2%, and deployed predictive models to forecast food production in 15-minute windows, cutting food waste by close to half. Booking Holdings cut customer service costs per booking by around 10% in 2025 even as bookings grew at a similar rate, while more than 30% of Expedia Group’s 250 million annual service interactions are now powered by AI.
Chris Carter-Chapman, event director of WTM London, said: “The WTM Global Travel Report provides a range of data-based reference points, all confirming that AI is not an emerging trend, it is an established part of the travel and tourism industry. Its influence is only going to grow, not only in terms of how travellers search and book, but also in how the industry operates.”