In the era of AI, consumers still prefer established online travel agencies or direct supplier sites for transactions involving high costs and complex decisions.
David Hoctor the Irish born Director and Head of Verticals at TikTok US told the Phocuswright Conference in San Diego in November that, over the past two decades, social media platforms failed to capture travel bookings despite heavy user engagement. Efforts like booking widgets on Facebook or Google’s Book on Google feature saw low adoption and eventual abandonment.
Travel bookings demand trust in pricing comparison, provider reliability, and support resolution. Social sites lack deep supplier integrations and accountability for issues. Inspiration startups and influencer links on YouTube or TikTok generate interest but rarely convert to direct sales.
Agentic AI faces parallel challenges in revolutionising trip planning and booking. Travellers may use AI for initial ideas but revert to known brands for final payments and modifications. Large language models could facilitate rather than own transactions.
David Hoctor shared “Obviously travel is more complicated than retail.”
