The Global AI Sentiment Report
At a glance
- 91% of global respondents express excitement about AI, yet only 6% fully trust it; 91% also report at least one concern about its implications.
- 89% of consumers want to use AI in future travel planning; AI assistants rank as more trusted sources (24%) than travel bloggers (19%) or influencers (14%).
- Latin America leads in AI enthusiasm (98% excited, 89% familiar), while North America and Europe show higher distrust (32% and 29% respectively).
- Only 12% feel comfortable with AI making independent decisions; 42% always fact-check AI outputs, signalling demand for human oversight.
- 67% of consumers have used AI in travel; most apply it for destination research (38%), local experiences (37%), and restaurant recommendations (36%).
What the report covers
Booking.com's quantitative survey of 37,325 consumers across 33 markets, conducted April–May 2025, explores attitudes towards AI in everyday life and travel. The report maps sentiment cohorts, regional variations, trust levels, and use cases in trip planning and on-trip activities, reflecting how consumers balance enthusiasm with caution as AI reshapes travel experiences.
Key findings
Excitement masks underlying distrust. The survey finds 91% of respondents excited about AI and 79% familiar with it, yet 91% report at least one concern about its implications. Only 6% fully trust AI, revealing a sharp gap between aspirational sentiment and actual confidence. The report identifies five consumer cohorts: 36% are AI Enthusiasts, 13% are Advocates, 13% are Cautious, 9% are Skeptics, and 25% are Detractors.
Consumers demand human oversight over autonomy. Just 12% feel comfortable with AI making independent decisions; 25% remain unsure and 10% refuse it outright. The report notes 42% always fact-check AI outputs and 29% do so sometimes. This reflects a clear preference for AI as an assistant enhancing human judgment rather than replacing it.
Regional divides are pronounced. Latin America leads in enthusiasm (98% excited, 89% familiar), followed by Asia Pacific (95% excited, 82% familiar). North America and Europe are sceptical: 32% in North America and 29% in Europe rarely or never trust AI-generated information, versus 15% in Latin America and 16% in Asia Pacific.
Travel is a primary and expanding AI use case. According to the report, 67% of consumers have used AI in some travel context, with 98% using it for planning or booking and 96% while travelling. Pre-trip, AI is most used for destination research (38%), local experiences (37%), and restaurant recommendations (36%). In-trip, translation (45%), activity suggestions (44%), and navigation (40%) dominate.
AI assistants are displacing traditional influencers in travel planning. The survey finds AI assistants now rank as a more trusted planning source (24%) than colleagues (19%) or influencers (14%). Notably, 71% of travellers appreciate AI recommendations avoiding overcrowded destinations, and 60% want experiences benefiting local communities, indicating a shift toward responsible travel.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Global respondents expressing excitement about AI | 91% |
| Consumers familiar with AI and how it works | 79% |
| Respondents with full trust in AI | 6% |
| Consumers comfortable with AI making independent decisions | 12% |
| Consumers wanting to use AI in future travel planning | 89% |
| Latin America respondents excited about AI | 98% |
| Consumers who have used AI in some travel aspect | 67% |
| Travellers appreciating AI recommendations to avoid overcrowded destinations | 71% |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
AI-driven travel planning is mainstream; 89% want it integrated. Destinations must prepare for AI-influenced visitor behaviour: 71% seek recommendations avoiding overtourism, and 60% want experiences benefiting local communities. DMOs should embed sustainability and community narratives into AI-indexable content to compete for AI-assisted travellers and shape algorithmic recommendations toward responsible tourism.
Hotels & hospitality
Trust in AI assistants is rising (24% prefer them over influencers), but humans remain essential. Only 12% accept autonomous AI decisions; hospitality must position AI as a service enhancer—translation, activity suggestions, personalised recommendations—rather than a replacement. The 42% who always fact-check outputs signal that transparency and human accessibility remain competitive advantages.
Travel tech & distribution
Regional sentiment varies sharply: Latin America (98% excited) versus Europe and North America (29–32% distrust). Platforms must localise trust-building: transparency in recommendation logic, fact-checking features, and human fallback options are expected. AI's role in travel planning is accelerating, but adoption is conditional on demonstrated responsibility and user control.
Methodology and limits
Online quantitative survey conducted April–May 2025 among 37,325 respondents across 33 markets (sample sizes 500–2,033 per country). The study captures self-reported attitudes, experience, and trust levels towards AI in everyday life and travel contexts. Figures are observed survey responses, not forecasts. This brief is based on the publicly available summary; full report methodology is available through Booking.com's official channels.
Official source
The report is © Booking.com. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
Check the official statistics on Pulse
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