The role played by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping travel trends is being explored by Booking.com, through a set of questions answered by Natasha ten Cate, SVP Marketplace at Booking.com, and Justin de Graaf, Director of Research at Booking.com. The topic is being shared with partner businesses to help them use these developments when planning their growth strategies.
What do travelers really want?
Justin: Most travelers actually look for just three things:
They want a good deal – they want to know they’ll get good prices and availability for the places they want to stay. Second, they want to be sure their shopping experience is smooth, so they can navigate the website or app easily. And finally, they want to know they’ll find information, help, and support if they need it.
Anything that gets in the way of those three things creates friction. So how can partners help eliminate friction? By including the right details in their listings, they increase the likelihood of being matched with travelers looking for exactly that.
Most travelers are looking for three things:
- A good deal
- A simple, seamless customer experience
- Information and support
Natasha: We’ve seen the volume of searches increase significantly over the years. People look for different things — sometimes they plan a family vacation, other times a short solo getaway.
Justin: Travelers are looking for comfort — places where they can relax — and also for experiences that excite them. These motivations are reflected in how they search.
Travelers still want to visit amazing destinations, but what’s completely different now is how they expect to make their choices — and generative AI (GenAI) is at the center of many of these changes.
How is GenAI reshaping the way travelers plan their trips?
Natasha: One of the trends we’re seeing is the growing use of GenAI for trip planning. According to our “Travel Trends 2025” report, 50% of global travelers have used some form of GenAI tool to plan their trips. That number rises to 75% in regions such as Southeast Asia and the United States.
Use of Artificial Intelligence is increasing:
50% of travelers worldwide
75% of travelers in Southeast Asia and the U.S.
have used GenAI to plan their trips
Justin: Travelers want to search and see relevant results. They want to find accommodations that fit their needs, and they want the ability to compare. That comparison becomes much easier and more accurate thanks to GenAI.
Natasha: Planning a trip is a complex journey, and one of the magical things about GenAI is how it simplifies very complicated tasks.
Justin: We’re hearing from more and more users that they’re discovering new possibilities as they explore these tools. It’s exciting to see how this process evolves — and, of course, keeping up with that trend from our side is a thrilling challenge for our teams.
What helps travelers find the right accommodation?
Natasha: What’s really changing is that people now expect a better experience. We work hard to achieve this by using GenAI to personalize search results and give travelers the ability to compare across many different aspects.
At Booking.com, we do this by using all the information provided by our partners — detailed, accurate data about what’s truly available — to make the process of narrowing down choices simpler for guests.
Justin: Our users love using our filters because they help them choose the best accommodation for their needs. We find that price is the most commonly used filter, followed by location, check-in/check-out times, and guest reviews.
Top filters used on Booking.com:
Price
Location
Check-in and check-out times
Guest reviews
Justin: Guest reviews are very important. People read them and want to feel confident that the property will meet their needs. Partners should encourage guests to leave more reviews.
We’re moving toward an environment where GenAI draws from a large amount of content within property listings and makes recommendations. A great way for travelers to answer the question, “Is this right for me?”, is by reading those reviews.
How can Booking.com’s AI tools help partners?
Natasha: At Booking.com, we have millions of property listings. We want all those offers to be available and visible to travelers whenever they match what they’re looking for. GenAI truly gives us that matching capability.
We’re investing heavily in GenAI to improve the experience for both travelers and partners. One example is the “Help Me Respond” feature — a tool that drafts replies to traveler messages. A quick, well-written response improves the guest experience and saves a lot of time.
We’ve found that with “Help Me Respond,” 75% of suggested answers are used without any edits. Travelers appreciate fast and accurate responses, and the resulting increase in business activity is clearly visible.
Another example is our photo recommendation tool, which suggests which images to use — photos that best reflect what travelers are looking for and help make the property easier to find and book.
We’re also seeing great success with features like Smart Filters and natural language search, where users describe their ideas in everyday language to find relevant results.
How can partners make their property stand out?
Justin: Highlight the features, amenities, and any unique or special characteristics of the property. These details must be accurate and up to date. We also know that people look for photos of amenities — they want to see them to believe them.
Even if you think a specific photo might not matter, it could be very important to certain travelers. We can help users realize that — because for some, small details can make a big difference.
What advice would you give to partners?
Justin: Listen to what travelers need, find ways to meet those needs, and make sure your information matches what they’re asking for and is easy to access. That’s a great way to achieve the results you want. I always say it simply: the more needs you meet, the more growth you’ll see.
Natasha: Listening to customer feedback is powerful. My advice to partners is to communicate with travelers — ask them what they liked and what they didn’t — and work with Booking.com to keep improving their experience.
Justin: I’d encourage all partners to listen and respond to more traveler needs. Ask yourself, “What could be 10% better?” The more you use that question, the more it pays off in many ways.
Natasha: With that information and by understanding traveler needs, we can create those magical experiences they’re looking for.
