More than three-quarters of travelers want to use artificial intelligence in their accommodation journey, but overwhelmingly travelers don’t want all accommodations-related processes to be overtaken by machines, according to a new report from SiteMinder.
The global hotel distribution platform and revenue platform, released their “Changing Traveller Report by 2025” on Tuesday. The report is based off responses from 12,000 travellers across 14 markets including the United States. Spain, China. Australia and Thailand.
Trent Innes is the chief growth officer of SiteMinder. He said: “In a world where guests are increasingly in control of their stay, it’s obvious that their needs have evolved to be both broad and specific.”
The report covered a wide range of topics relating to the “everything-traveler,” a phrase coined in order to refer to a “new, multifaceted traveler” who “reflects the dynamic shifts in travel with plans that combine trending and traditional.”
In an era when guests are increasingly in control of their stay, their needs have become both more general and more specific. SiteMinder stated that these travelers will change the way hospitality providers operate in order to accommodate their wants and desires. This includes technology implementation, search behavior, and other traveler trends.
Innes said, “Our research signals hoteliers that accommodating nuanced preferences doesn’t just mean adapting to a new trend. It’s about committing yourself to a deep understanding how specific traveler behaviors and preferences are changing and keeping your finger on the pulse.”
“In this landscape it is critical that hoteliers have data-driven insights to anticipate their guests’ needs and provide the stay they desire.”
Perceptions of hotel AI integration
Since the launch of ChatGPT on November 20, 2022, 51 percent of respondents have said that they believe hotels are at the forefront of adopting new technology, including AI. This has been the hottest topic in hospitality tech for the past two years.
The majority of travelers are on board with AI’s involvement in their accommodation journey. 78% of respondents to the survey said they were open to AI usage during planning, booking, and during their hotel stay in 2025.
SiteMinder found on properties that travelers are in favor of AI handling tasks such as room service and housekeeping, but they would not want a machine responsible for cooking.
Despite the fact that many travelers are in favour of AI, a large majority do not support a total takeover by technology when it comes hospitality operations. Only 12% of respondents agreed that all hotel functions would be managed by machines by 2025.
The adoption of technology varies by region
According to survey results, while travelers are generally on board with adopting new technology, the rate of adoption varies from region to region.
In regions with high growth, 90% of travelers are interested in AI. In China, 98% of travelers are open to AI, as are 94% of travelers in India and 90% in Mexico.
Around 60% of travelers from “traditional destinations,” as SiteMinder describes them, are more open to AI. This includes 62% in Canada, Australia and 63% each in Germany and United Kingdom. The United States had 69%.
Travelers’ search and booking habits
While travel inspiration is everywhere — including through influencers and social media platforms — 36% of travelers plan to start their hotel research for 2025 with a search engine, SiteMinder found, up from 26% this year. The baby boomers are leading the trend, with 42% of them planning on starting with a platform for search.
Travelers also use many other sources to plan their trips. 11% of respondents said they use online forums, such as Reddit or Quora. Other forms of social media were also used by 11%. However, 7% said they plan to rely on tips from friends and family. This is a decline for the third consecutive year.
When it’s time to make a booking, 42% use an online travel agency — up 3% — and 27% book directly with the supplier, down 1% compared to the prior year. A good booking experience is key to fostering loyalty among travelers.
More than half of travelers — 52% — reported they have abandoned an online booking after a bad experience, a problem mentioned in prior SiteMinder reports. This number is even higher among younger travelers. Sixty-one percent of Gen Z and 70 percent of millennials said they had cancelled a booking because of a bad experience.
SiteMinder cited lack of site security and payment issues, slow loading times, poor design, and lack of friendliness to mobile users as reasons travelers abandoned bookings.
