Most travellers expect artificial intelligence to play a limited and carefully controlled role in travel planning, with human judgment, personal experience and independent verification continuing to dominate decision-making, according to the Global Rescue 2026 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey.
Overall, 36% of travellers say they expect to use AI in some capacity when planning their travel, whether to generate inspiration, narrow options or, in rare cases, make decisions on their behalf. However, a clear majority remain cautious: 36% say they will not use AI for travel planning at all, while 25% plan to rely mostly on human recommendations.
“Travellers are interested in AI, but they are not ready to hand over control,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies. “AI is viewed as a helpful assistant, not a trusted authority, particularly when safety, cost and risk are involved.”
Gender differences highlight varying levels of comfort with AI. Men are more likely than women to use AI as a decision-support tool, with 25% of men saying AI will help narrow options before they make final decisions, compared to 19% of women. Women are more inclined to avoid AI altogether, with 36% saying they will not use AI for travel planning, slightly higher than men at 35%. Women are also more likely to rely mostly on human recommendations (26%) versus 23% of men.
Geographic differences reveal distinct patterns in how travellers approach AI rather than differing levels of resistance. Many travellers are likely to avoid AI altogether, with 37% saying they will not use AI for travel planning. However, non-US respondents show a stronger preference for human guidance, with 31% relying mostly on human recommendations compared to 22% of US travellers.
US travellers are more inclined to use AI as a decision-support tool, with 24% saying AI will help narrow options before they make final decisions, more than double the 11% reported by non-US travellers.
Reluctance grows when AI suggests destinations travellers have never considered. Overall, 41% say they would be unlikely to travel to a destination recommended by AI. Another 30% say they would be somewhat likely, depending on cost and safety considerations, while 20% would consider an AI-recommended destination only after independent verification. Just 1% say they would be very likely to trust the recommendation outright.
“Trust and verification are essential,” Richards said. “AI may introduce travellers to new ideas, but it rarely closes the deal without human confirmation.”
Women express slightly higher levels of skepticism than men, with 43% saying they would be unlikely to follow an AI destination recommendation, compared to 39% of men. Men are more willing to independently verify AI suggestions, with 29% saying they would consider a destination after verification, versus 18% of women.
“AI will influence how travellers discover destinations, but it will not replace human judgment,” Richards said. “For travellers focused on safety and resilience, technology must support informed decisions, not substitute for them.”
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