Travel agents hit out at claim by Booking.com boss that ‘AI can find the best holiday for you'
The boss of the global accommodation platform told the BBC Today programme: 'This is the most transformative type of technology in the world has ever seen.
' AI enables our customers to go to our site, Booking.com. They go to the text box and they can just type in natural language, just like you would be talking to a human travel agent – 'I'd like to have a hotel that's a three star, I'd like it to be on the beach with a view of the water and I'd like to have a gym'. It's so much easier, that natural search, it's just the simplest thing.'
Mr Fogel then claimed artificial intelligence could find a traveller's ideal holiday. He said: 'We have a thing called the Booking.com AI trip planner, which can go back and forth like you're having a conversation with a human travel agent.
'It's not a human travel agent, it's our AI doing it, but it's just like you're dealing with a human travel agent to come up with what really is going to be the best holiday for you.'
But Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, said: 'At its heart, travel is and always will be about human connection. It's about understanding individual needs, crafting experiences that resonate emotionally, and offering a level of care that technology alone cannot replicate.
'This is where the irreplaceable value of a human travel agent shines: combining years of experience, professional insight, and a deep commitment to consumer protection.'
Ashley Quint, director of the Hertfordshire agency Travel Time World, said: 'I would suggest that the best travel agents would call the majority of the clients friends, and know what they would like more than they know themselves.
'This kind of technology is only as good as what you feed it, and that could lead it down the wrong avenues. Human agents are pretty good at coming up with left-field suggestions based on their experience and know would be ideal.
'When there's a problem or emergency with empathy, there isn't a substitute for really good, personal customer service.'
Ms Lo Bue Said concurred, saying: 'In today's increasingly complex and unpredictable world, travel disruptions are not just possible, they're inevitable. And during those stressful moments, travellers don't want to be left navigating automated systems or chatbots.
'They seek empathy, reassurance and real-time problem-solving from someone who genuinely understands their situation. There's immeasurable comfort in hearing a familiar voice say, 'Don't worry, I'll take care of this'.
'It's about being present, accountable, and responsive when travellers need it most. AI can assist, but it cannot replace the human ability to listen, adapt and act with compassion and urgency and we shouldn't pretend it can.'
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