Forget ChatGPT... New research shows travellers still prefer human advice when planning holidays

Published: 06:45 EDT, 30 September 2026 | Updated: 06:46 EDT, 30 September 2026 In a world where technology is growing extraordinarily fast, scams are on the rise and bot-generated content is everywhere, it's perhaps unsurprising that travellers still value human interactions. Hilton's 2027 Trends Report has found that jetsetters seek out 'first-hand recommendations and local insight' over artificial intelligence.Indeed, while AI certainly has its benefits, and is helping transform how we travel with booking and planning tools, real human experience and expertise is still coming up trumps. Concierge and hotel staff, for example, are still very much valued for their insight into an area, including which restaurants are worth visiting, the spots where locals go and attractions that live up to the hype.In fact, 70 per cent of travellers trust hotel workers as a planning resource for their trip. The same degree of trust simply isn't held with AI. Although 63 per cent believe technology can be a useful tool for making travel decisions, only 22 per cent trust it enough to create an itinerary tailored to their interests. Travellers trust the recommendations from hotel staff more than AIFurthermore, just 20 per cent of holidaymakers trust AI to give recommendations for restaurants or bars, and 18 per cent would use it for lesser-known local experiences. 'Concierge and team member recommendations aren't crowdsourced – they're shaped by years of local knowledge and an instinct for matching guests with experiences they'll genuinely enjoy,' says Hilton, adding: 'travellers are still seeking a human touch.'The results of the survey also go to show the ways in which age plays a part in how we travel.Of those surveyed, Millennials proved the most likely to trust AI recommendations – compared with baby boomers who still turn to human expertise. Trust in AI varies globally, too. Chinese travellers are turning more towards the handy tech – 35 per cent plan to use AI tools for their trips – whereas in America, trust lies firmly in the hands of hotel staff.But overall it's family members who travellers trust the most, at 87 per cent. Partners are the most highly respected within the family (51 per cent), followed by siblings (16 per cent) and mothers (13 per cent). Gen Z travellers are twice as likely as Millennials to ask their parents for holiday advice, despite being raised in an era of growing technology. Holidaymakers are also more likely to turn to their family members for travel adviceYet despite AI's undeniable resourcefulness, the results of this year's report are perhaps unsurprising given the negative impact that the technology has also had on the travel sphere.From fake hotel sites to forged claims of damage, there are numerous ways in which artificial intelligence can be used to deceive honest people. Indeed, as the technology continues to grow and advance, more nefarious tricks are emerging.The latest development involves fraudsters using artificial intelligence to figure out where tourists went on holiday from images shared on social media, and then use this information to create more realistic scams.Scammers are also now reportedly using AI to locate exactly where holidaymakers have been based on the snaps they have posted online, The Telegraph reports. Then, they wait for travellers to return home before sending a text message or email pretending to be from the bank.The message alerts them that their card has been 'compromised' in the location they have just returned from, making it seem more realistic.