The New Travel Agent in Your Pocket
The way Indians plan travel is undergoing a significant transformation. Forget spending hours sifting through websites; the new starting point for many is a conversation with an AI. Recent industry reports highlight a massive shift, with one survey indicating
that 82% of Indian travellers have either used or plan to use artificial intelligence to organise their holidays. Another report suggests that while a third of travellers already use AI, 68% are likely to use it for their next trip. This trend is driven by a desire to manage the increasing complexity and costs of travel, from dynamic flight prices to visa rules. For a tech-savvy population, especially younger, mobile-first users, AI is becoming a practical assistant rather than a novelty. It's a natural progression for a generation accustomed to planning their lives through a screen.
From Search Bars to Conversations
The tools at the forefront of this change range from general-purpose AIs like ChatGPT to highly specialized, integrated platforms from major travel players. Online travel agencies (OTAs) in India have moved quickly to embed generative AI into their services. MakeMyTrip's AI assistant, Myra, now handles millions of conversations quarterly, allowing users to plan and book trips using conversational Hindi and English. Notably, over 45% of its usage comes from tier-II and smaller cities, showing that this trend extends well beyond the metros. Similarly, EaseMyTrip has integrated its booking services directly into ChatGPT, allowing users to find flights and hotels without leaving the chat interface. These platforms are shifting the user experience from a manual, filter-based search to a more intuitive, conversational flow. Users can simply state their needs—like a budget-friendly trip to Goa with a beach-facing hotel—and let the AI do the initial legwork.
The Promise of Hyper-Personalisation
The biggest draw for users is the promise of a truly personalised itinerary. AI algorithms can analyse past travel behaviour, interests, and even saved social media reels to suggest destinations and activities tailored to individual tastes. Indian travellers are using these tools not just for inspiration, but for detailed planning. Surveys show they want AI to help with creating personalised itineraries (37%), recommending local attractions (38%), and even managing budgets (22%). This technology excels at uncovering hidden gems and suggesting places one might not have considered, moving beyond templated holiday packages. AI can also handle the tedious logistics, like grouping activities by location to save travel time and suggesting the best times to visit popular spots to avoid crowds. This efficiency is a huge plus, slashing the decision fatigue that often accompanies trip planning.
Navigating the Pitfalls: Hallucinations and Bias
Despite the advantages, relying on AI for travel planning comes with its own set of challenges. One of the main risks is that AI models can "hallucinate," or invent information, such as incorrect opening hours for an attraction or a non-existent restaurant. Recommendations can also be generic, as many AI tools pull from similar data sources, potentially leading to repetitive suggestions. There are also valid privacy concerns, as personalization relies on collecting and analysing significant amounts of personal data. Furthermore, AI-generated plans can lack the flexibility and nuanced understanding of a human expert. While AI can process vast amounts of data, it may miss the cultural context or emotional nuance that a seasoned travel agent provides. For this reason, many view AI not as a replacement for human judgment, but as a powerful assistant to handle the initial, time-consuming research.
Reshaping the Indian Travel Industry
The rapid adoption of AI is forcing the Indian travel industry to adapt. Major OTAs are heavily investing in their AI capabilities, recognising that a conversational, personalised experience is the future. MakeMyTrip reported that users engaging with its AI assistant show a 10% higher conversion rate compared to traditional booking methods, proving the commercial benefit. This shift doesn't necessarily spell the end for human travel agents. Instead, their role is evolving. While AI handles the data-heavy lifting, human experts can focus on providing value through creativity, complex problem-solving, and the kind of personal touch technology cannot replicate. For travellers, the best approach seems to be a hybrid one: using AI to build an efficient, data-driven first draft, then applying human insight and verification to finalise the details.
