36% of loyal travelers would switch brands because of AI | News
Accenture’s latest Consumer Pulse Research, featured in the report “Talk to My AI Agent,” offers insights into consumer readiness for AI agents and implications for brand value. This media alert focuses on the travel sample (2,999 respondents).
KEY FINDINGS:
A shift is underway in travel, and it is not just about AI-powered trip planning. Travelers are increasingly willing to let AI agents influence, negotiate and even make booking decisions on their behalf, potentially reshaping how loyalty, discovery and brand preference work in the industry.
Nearly 3 in four consumers (74%) would trust a personal AI agent more than their best friend to make a purchase on their behalf. Not a chatbot. Not a search engine. An agent that acts, decides and buys at their instruction, at scale.
87% of travelers are open to collaborating with an AI-powered travel agent to find the best option.
Nearly 3 in ten (29%) of travelers would let an AI agent make the final booking decision on their behalf (before payment is made by the consumer), within defined boundaries such as price and preference.
Fully autonomous trust is still early, but notable: 7% of travelers would empower the agent to shop autonomously on their behalf, making booking decisions and even completing purchases.
71% of travelers say that at least half of their spend for hotels or airlines will be influenced by AI over the next 12 months.
Brand loyalty is at risk. If brands fail to meet travelers at the moment of intent, they risk long-term brand affinity.
More than half (55%) of travelers would instruct their AI agent on which brands to consider, but 36% of loyal travelers (those who typically choose from 1-3 preferred brands within a particular category- hotel/airline) would let an agent switch from their favorite brands for a better fit.
44% of travelers want to stay involved in at least one part of the journey because they enjoy the browsing experience or feel an emotional connection to the travel brand
EXAMPLE:
Ascott, a Singapore-based global hospitality company and lodging operator, is changing the way the brand’s online systems and channels work so it can show up in the places where AI tools are making or shaping decisions on behalf of customers. By building agent-ready infrastructure that connects its inventory, personalization and booking capabilities directly to leading AI platforms, Ascott is ensuring it can be discovered, evaluated and booked through whichever AI assistant a traveler chooses to delegate to. Its AI concierge is evolving beyond a conversational tool into an agent capable of planning and completing bookings end-to-end.
QUOTES:
“Last year, Accenture’s research showed that AI was becoming a common way for travelers to search for and plan trips. Travelers are now not just using AI for ideas; they are ready to let AI agents take action. They set their preferences and limits, and then let the agent compare options, suggest choices and sometimes even complete the booking for them.” said Emily Weiss, Global Travel Lead and Senior Managing Director at Accenture.
“This changes how travelers choose brands. Loyalty is no longer assumed. Instead, brands are judged in the moment, on price, relevance and how well they meet the traveler’s needs” added Emily.
“For travel companies, the message is simple: be present where these AI agents are making decisions, make your offers easy to compare and understand, and prove your value clearly. At the same time, keep investing in the human experiences that build trust and emotional connection.” said Emily.
ABOUT THE RESEARCH:
Now in its seventh year, Accenture’s Consumer Pulse Research explores how consumer sentiment, behaviors and expectations are driving change for consumer-facing industries. This year’s research offers insights into consumer readiness for AI agents and implications for the consumer-brand relationship, with a particular focus on consumer goods and services, retail, travel, auto, telco, insurance and utilities industries. The travel research surveyed a representative sample of 2,999 consumers in 16 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Greater China, Italy, India, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, UAE, UK and USA. The survey was conducted online between January 7 and January 22, 2026. Analysis allowed for comparisons across various demographic factors such as age or income, as well as behavioral attributes like an individual’s use of technology or brand preference. Further testing of hypotheses was conducted with a synthetic panel adapted to match the dates of January 7 and January 22, 2026 and via AI-moderated interviews with 50 consumers in 5 countries between April 20 and May 7, 2026.
We use Generative AI in our research production process. Our research experts review and validate the generative AI outputs with traditional research methods where possible, applying Accenture’s Responsible AI standards.
