How is Gen Z using AI to explore and experience travel?

85% of Gen Z describe themselves as “familiar” with AI technology, while 20% say they have a good understanding of how AI works, and the remaining 65% understand the basic concepts. This deep familiarity and trust makes them see AI not just as a tool but also as an indispensable companion on their journey.

Branavan Aruljothi, Country Manager of Booking.com in Vietnam, said that this is the latest research result on artificial intelligence (AI) of online travel platform Booking.com. This result shows that artificial intelligence (AI) plays an important role and influences the travel habits of Gen Z. Young people today have grown up with AI as an essential part of their daily lives, not only using technology to plan their trips but also applying it in every stage of the journey.

Gen Z's AI usage habits

“ AI is changing travel habits, from planning to experiencing activities,” said Branavan Aruljothi. “Gen Z is showing us how this technology can naturally integrate into everyday life, from personalized search results to smarter recommendations. With Gen Z travelers setting new expectations, we will continue to leverage AI to not only simplify choice, but also inspire and empower the confidence to create meaningful trips for everyone.”

According to experts, AI is part of their daily lives. A Booking.com survey found that Gen Z interacts with AI tools multiple times a day, for both work and play.

Every day, up to 75% of Gen Z people use AI-integrated search engines. (Illustration photo: CTV/Vietnam+)

Every day, up to 75% of Gen Z people use AI-integrated search engines; 66% use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude; 59% rely on AI-powered recommendation tools on streaming platforms such as Netflix or Spotify; 70% interact with smart devices (security cameras, temperature controllers, facial recognition...).

This familiarity even extends to lifestyle choices, with 48% using AI to monitor their health, 43% receiving smart shopping recommendations, and 37% using AI to recommend restaurants. With AI becoming an integral part of everyday choices, it’s no surprise that 44% of Gen Z use AI to find travel inspiration and help book trips.

How does Gen Z apply AI in tourism?

For Gen Z, AI is part of their entire travel journey. This trust is reflected in how they travel and how they use AI at every stage of their trip. Before a trip, nearly all Gen Z (99%) use AI to prepare for their trip, from getting personalized recommendations based on their specific needs (42%) to researching new destinations and the best time to go (40%).

During their trip, 99% of Gen Z also trust AI at their destination, especially to translate local languages, signs, menus, or conversations (53%) and get interesting information about attractions along the way (47%). After their trip, 96% of Gen Z continue to use AI to get personalized recommendations for future trips (49%) or write reviews (46%).

99% of Gen Z want AI to help them plan new trips. (Illustration photo: CTV/Vietnam+)

In the future, 99% of Gen Z expect AI to help them plan new trips, from researching destinations (42%), suggesting local experiences (40%) to recommending the right restaurant (38%).

Despite being key drivers of AI, Gen Z still approaches the technology with a certain caution and clear expectations about how technology providers operate, prioritizing fairness, accountability, and transparency.

Despite their trust in AI, nearly all (93%) Gen Z share a few concerns about AI, including: the risk of AI replacing human jobs, including their own (51%); personal privacy and how companies use their data (46%); the potential for AI to introduce bias or unfairness into experiences (44%); travelers with lower budgets may be downgraded (49%); feeling uncomfortable with AI making completely independent decisions (18%).

These results show that Gen Z is both open to technological advancements and smart in their application. For the tourism industry, this opens up a future direction that AI development needs to be practical and accessible, while ensuring convenience, ease and comprehensiveness./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/gen-z-dang-su-dung-ai-de-kham-pha-va-trai-nghiem-du-lich-the-nao-post1061183.vnp