AI could make holiday planning easier for overwhelmed travelers

Generative AI could help overwhelmed travelers organize their thoughts, compare options and complete vacation plans they might otherwise abandon, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

The study, published in Journal of Travel Research, presents a conceptual framework based on interviews with a group of U.K. adults who had used generative AI to help plan a real or recent trip. The framework shows how AI can act as a form of “cognitive scaffolding,” taking on part of the coordination work while travelers remain in control of their decisions.

The benefits were particularly apparent among travelers who found planning harder to manage. For some, AI turned vacation planning from a task they might delay or give up on into something they felt able to complete.

The research identifies three main ways generative AI can support travelers:

• Reducing the mental effort of organizing, tracking and coordinating plans while easing feelings of overwhelm.
• Creating room to pause, compare options and reflect before making decisions.
• Helping travelers get started, keep the planning process moving and bring it to completion.

Dr. Yoonjung Kim, a doctoral researcher in hospitality and tourism management at the University of Surrey and lead author of the study, said, “Planning a vacation involves a series of connected decisions about transport, accommodation, budgets and activities. This can quickly become overwhelming, particularly when travelers are faced with endless information and choices.”

“Our research finds that generative AI can provide structure, help people stay focused and make it easier to move forward without taking the final decision out of their hands.”

The researchers describe this as a redistribution of mental work rather than its removal. The technology can organize information and keep track of details, freeing travelers to focus their attention on comparing options and making judgments.

Professor Iis Tussyadiah, dean of Surrey Business School and coauthor of the study, said, “For some travelers, generative AI is more than a convenient shortcut. It can make a demanding decision-making process feel manageable and, in some cases, make planning feel possible.”

“These findings show how travel technology could become more inclusive by being designed around the different ways people think, plan and make decisions.”

The findings point to the potential for more cognitively inclusive travel technology that better accommodates diverse ways of thinking and planning, including support for neurodivergent travelers. The researchers emphasize, however, that the cognitive demands of travel planning can affect any traveler, particularly when a trip involves large amounts of information, multiple constraints and interconnected decisions.

Dr. Bora Kim, associate professor in Surrey Hospitality and Tourism Management and coauthor of the study, said, “The real promise of AI in travel planning is not simply speed or convenience. The same tool can support different travelers at different points of difficulty while allowing them to retain control over their decisions.”

“Travel technologies should be designed to provide personalized cognitive and emotional support while protecting travelers’ autonomy.”

Who’s behind this story?

Sadie Harley

BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries.

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Robert Egan

Bachelor’s in mathematical biology, Master’s in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language.

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