AI chat is set to redefine how we discover, personalise and book travel as conversational commerce – powered by autonomous AI agents – prompts a seismic shift to disrupt the industry. How can advisors get ahead of the curve?
Sabre’s new perspective, Chat as the New Influencer: From Conversations to Clicks, forecasts that chatbots will redefine the traveller journey, unlocking massive growth across the industry.
Sabre’s research shows that half of travellers using GenAI chatbots will discover options they wouldn’t have found otherwise.
While social media already influences the dreaming and planning stages, so far it hasn’t been able to harness the look-to-shop pipeline until now.
This is because of the complex nature of syncing flights, hotels, ground transport, groups and availability according to where travellers live, where they want to go and how they’ll get there.
Conversation commerce will close this gap, turning intent into action with travel sold not just through websites and apps, but co-created in chat windows, voice assistants and AI agents as trust in AI increases.
Sabre Chief Marketing Officer Jen Catto said: “Conversational commerce is more than ‘just’ a tech trend for the travel industry; it’s a generational leap.”
“It will collapse the distance between desire and delivery, turning complexity into conversion and transforming every traveller into their own influencer. Talk is no longer cheap. It’s AI-powered and driving revenue.”
Recent Phocuswright research found 75 per cent of travellers say GenAI improves trip planning over traditional search and one in four would let AI complete booking on their behalf.
As demand expands the market by inspiring a broader range of people to book, travel retail advisors, brands and suppliers need to act now to incorporate what’s coming.
This means using GenAI chat as a co-pilot: embracing conversational AI interfaces and rethinking merchandising and doubling down on what travel advisors do best: trust.
As traveller expectations evolve with AI agents, advisors who meet them inside the conversation with speed and confidence will stay relevant in a new era of travel tech and ever-changing retail travel landscape.
Find out how to use AI for better client consultations and communication here.
Read the full whitepaper here.
