60pc of travellers still prefer human trip planning over AI: Civitatis survey

Wed, 11 Mar 2026

Despite the rapid rise of generative AI tools in travel planning, 60% of travellers still prefer human-curated recommendations and verified information, according to a survey of more than 7,000 users conducted by Civitatis, a global marketplace for guided tours and excursions in Spanish and Portuguese.

The study also highlights growing concerns about the reliability of AI-generated travel advice. Nearly half of respondents who have used AI to help plan a trip say they have encountered incorrect or outdated information, particularly when it comes to dynamic details such as opening hours, prices, or real-time availability.

These findings suggest that while artificial intelligence is increasingly used as a starting point for travel inspiration or logistical questions, travellers still rely heavily on trusted platforms and human verification before making final decisions.

AI as inspiration, human verification for decisions

According to the survey, AI is most commonly used by travellers as an initial research tool — for example to generate ideas, itineraries or general destination information. However, once recommendations are received, users tend to immediately verify them through search engines or specialised travel platforms to confirm accuracy.

Respondents who reported encountering errors in AI-generated information cited outdated schedules, broken links, incorrect pricing, or attractions appearing open when they were actually closed as some of the most common issues.

“While AI is a powerful ally for inspiration, real travel planning requires certainties that only the expert judgment of our teams and the real experiences of our customers can provide,” says Andrés Spitzer, CEO of Civitatis. “In a digital environment saturated with content, our value lies in the credibility and expert opinion of our community. Technology can suggest options, but trust and accuracy can only be guaranteed by the human factor.”

Travellers still value personal planning

The survey also reveals that a majority of travellers are not yet actively using AI to organise their trips. More than 60% of respondents say they still do not rely on AI tools for travel planning.

Among the reasons cited are a preference for designing itineraries independently and a lack of familiarity with how AI tools can be applied to travel planning.

The results come from a particularly experienced traveller profile: more than 65% of respondents are over the age of 46 and typically take between two and five trips per year, indicating that even frequent travellers continue to value direct planning and verified information sources.

Highlighting the role of human curation in travel

In response to these insights, Civitatis has launched a new campaign titled “Travel is Human,” aimed at highlighting the importance of human curation and verified travel experiences in an increasingly automated digital landscape.

As part of the initiative, the company created a fictional destination — the Island of San Elías — to illustrate how easily unverified or AI-generated information could lead travellers to places or experiences that do not actually exist.

The campaign also coincides with the launch of the company’s updated mobile app, designed to provide real-time travel information and access to millions of verified traveller reviews, two features identified by users as essential to ensuring the quality and reliability of their travel experience. -TradeArabia News Service