Marriott Research Reveals That Half Of European Travelers Are Using Ai For Holiday Planning, Transforming The Travel Experience

Published on October 27, 2025

The recreation scenery crossed Europe, nan Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) is undergoing a singular transformation, driven by shifting preferences and emerging trends. This displacement has been meticulously captured successful nan 2026 EMEA Ticket to Travel Report, based connected a study of much than 22,000 adults crossed 11 cardinal markets successful nan region. The findings connection a heavy dive into nan quickly changing behaviors of travelers, underscoring nan expanding domiciled of technology, evolving desires for unsocial experiences, and an ever-growing attraction connected sustainability. These changes awesome a important translator successful nan world recreation industry, urging businesses to accommodate successful bid to meet nan caller demands and expectations of modern travelers.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence connected Travel Planning

The surge successful artificial intelligence (AI) usage for travel readying is 1 of nan astir important trends highlighted successful nan report. A increasing number of travelers crossed nan EMEA region are utilizing AI devices to shape their vacations. The proportionality of travelers utilizing AI has accrued to 50%, up from 41% nan erstwhile twelvemonth and 26% nan twelvemonth before. This surge is peculiarly pronounced among younger travelers. A striking 71% of individuals aged 18-24 person already utilized AI for recreation planning, while 24% of those aged 25-34 study utilizing AI connected a regular basis. Even among older demographics, nan take of AI is increasing. 29% of individuals aged 55-64 now usage AI for organizing their trips, a marked summation from conscionable 18% successful nan erstwhile year.

This displacement is having a profound effect connected really travel destinations and accommodation providers prosecute pinch travelers. AI is not only enhancing nan trip planning process but is besides revolutionizing really travelers book their stays. About 50% of respondents expressed comfortableness pinch booking accommodations done AI-powered platforms. However, 18% stay cautious, reflecting nan truth that while AI is gaining ground, it is still met pinch immoderate skepticism. These changes bespeak that nan travel industry must accommodate to this technological shift, focusing much connected tech-enabled services to cater to modern travelers.

New and Emerging Travel Destinations successful EMEA

As EMEA travelers go much adventurous, they are progressively seeking retired non-traditional destinations. Cities for illustration Oslo, Algiers, Muscat, Split, Zagreb, and Copenhagen are gaining traction, expected to pull much visitors successful 2026. This represents a broader displacement towards much authentic recreation experiences. The desire to research destinations beyond nan emblematic tourer hubs is rising, arsenic travelers activity unique, little commercialized places that connection a much genuine consciousness of section culture.

This caller liking successful lesser-known destinations presents a important opportunity for local businesses and tourism boards. By promoting these cities arsenic hidden gems, they tin stimulate section economies and create a much divers recreation market. For businesses successful these emerging destinations, adapting their trading strategies to item nan unsocial aspects of their offerings will beryllium important successful attracting nan increasing number of travelers seeking replacement experiences.

The Growing Popularity of Lux-Scaping and Personalized Experiences

Lux-scaping is an emerging inclination wherever travelers opt for luxury experiences either astatine nan opening aliases extremity of their trips, and it has been gaining sizeable traction. About 20% of travelers reported participating successful lux-scaping complete nan past year, pinch younger travelers starring nan charge. Specifically, 35% of travelers aged 25-34 and 29% of travelers aged 18-24 are peculiarly keen connected incorporating luxury into their travels. This displacement reflects a increasing request for personalized and unique luxury experiences, moving distant from accepted luxury resorts towards much tailored and specialized offerings.

Moreover, nan passion-led travel inclination is gaining momentum. According to nan report, 68% of travelers now scheme their vacations astir individual interests specified arsenic cultural events, sports, and adventure activities. This inclination is peculiarly evident among Gen Z and Millennials, pinch much than 80% of Gen Z and 77% of Millennials saying they attraction connected individual passions erstwhile selecting a holiday. The expanding attraction connected passion-driven recreation signals that nan manufacture must germinate to connection much niche and customized recreation experiences that bespeak these individual interests.

The Rise of Country Hopping

Another important inclination is nan emergence of country hopping—where travelers sojourn aggregate countries wrong a azygous trip. This believe is expected to go much celebrated successful 2026, arsenic travelers progressively activity multi-destination vacations. The entreaty of exploring neighboring countries wrong 1 travel allows travelers to acquisition a assortment of cultures, landscapes, and activities without nan request for aggregate trips. This increasing liking successful cross-border recreation is apt to alteration really tour operators and destination marketers creation recreation packages, encouraging much regional itineraries that link neighboring destinations.

This inclination could besides lead to an summation successful interconnected tourism wrong nan EMEA region, fostering taste speech and promoting location cooperation. As much travelers opt for multi-country journeys, nan recreation manufacture will request to create elastic and divers packages that cater to this caller request for cross-border exploration.

Evolving Preferences successful Accommodation

The factors influencing travelers’ accommodation choices are shifting. Cleanliness, price, and location proceed to beryllium important, but caller preferences are emerging. 58% of travelers now prioritize accommodations that are solo-travel friendly, reflecting a increasing liking successful personalized recreation options. Similarly, 47% of travelers are specifically seeking pet-friendly options, indicating a displacement towards much inclusive and family-oriented travel.

Additionally, nan request for all-inclusive recreation packages is connected nan rise. Travelers are progressively opting for broad packages that see everything from accommodations to activities, offering a much convenient and stress-free experience. This displacement distant from accepted resort stays, city breaks, and wellness retreats signals a increasing desire for convenience and value successful nan recreation experience. Accommodation providers will request to set by offering more inclusive and versatile packages that entreaty to these changing demands.

Sustainability successful Travel: A Growing Priority

Sustainability is becoming an progressively captious information for travelers erstwhile making decisions astir their trips. The study reveals that nearly three-quarters of travelers now facet successful nan environmental impact of their holidays erstwhile planning. In addition, 32% of respondents actively cheque nan sustainability credentials of their accommodations earlier booking. This increasing attraction connected eco-conscious travel demonstrates that sustainability is nary longer conscionable a passing trend, but an integral portion of travelers’ decision-making processes.

The recreation manufacture faces some challenges and opportunities arsenic travelers prioritize sustainability. Tour operators, hotels, and airlines must accommodate by adopting greener practices and ensuring that their services align pinch nan expectations of environmentally conscious consumers. Destinations that neglect to prioritize sustainable tourism consequence alienating a increasing conception of travelers who are progressively focused connected reducing their biology footprint. As nan request for eco-friendly travel continues to grow, nan full manufacture will request to germinate to meet these expectations.

Implications for nan Future of nan Travel Industry

The findings of nan 2026 EMEA Ticket to Travel Report propose that nan early of nan recreation manufacture will beryllium defined by personalization, technology, and sustainability. As AI continues to style nan measurement travelers scheme and book their trips, nan recreation manufacture must attraction connected tech-enabled services that cater to these caller demands. The increasing liking successful luxury experiences, passion-driven travel, and multi-country trips calls for nan improvement of much niche and customized recreation offerings.

For destinations, nan accent should beryllium connected showcasing unique, local experiences that cater to circumstantial traveler interests. Cities for illustration Oslo, Algiers, Muscat, Split, Zagreb, and Copenhagen are expected to use from this trend, offering caller alternatives to much accepted tourer spots. Accommodation providers will besides request to set by offering solo-travel friendly, pet-friendly, and sustainable options, on pinch all-inclusive packages that connection convenience and value.

Ultimately, nan EMEA region’s recreation marketplace is evolving towards a much dynamic, personalized, and sustainable future. The recreation manufacture must accommodate to these changing expectations by offering tailored experiences that meet nan desires of modern travelers. As AI plays a much important domiciled successful travel planning, nan request for unique and sustainable recreation experiences will proceed to reshape really businesses successful nan recreation manufacture prosecute pinch their customers.

As these trends summation momentum, it is clear that nan early of recreation successful nan EMEA region will beryllium defined by innovation, technology, and a increasing accent connected sustainability and personalization. Travel businesses must enactment swiftly to enactment applicable successful this quickly changing landscape.

Source: Hotel Management Network