TLDR: A recent global study by London Research, titled ‘Data and AI – The Twin Forces Shaping the Future of Travel Marketing,’ indicates a significant divide in the travel industry’s commitment to artificial intelligence. Only 21% of travel companies are fully exploiting AI for predictive decision-making and modeling, despite data management leaders recognizing AI as mission-critical. Key challenges include technology integration, lack of in-house expertise, and fragmented data.
A new global study by London Research, in collaboration with Supermetrics and Relay42, has unveiled a stark disparity in the adoption and commitment to artificial intelligence (AI) among travel brands worldwide. The report, ‘Data and AI – The Twin Forces Shaping the Future of Travel Marketing,’ highlights a widening gap between data-savvy travel companies and those lagging in leveraging AI to enhance customer experiences.
The study, based on a survey of 200 senior travel marketers globally, found that a mere 21% of travel companies are fully utilizing AI for predictive decision-making and modeling. This figure underscores an emerging divide, even as early adopters are already employing predictive AI for common marketing tasks across various sectors, including airlines, hotels, airports, tour operators, and cruise lines.
Data management leaders within the travel industry are significantly more inclined to view AI as a critical component for future marketing success, with 33% holding this view, compared to just 12% of mainstream companies. These leading brands consistently outperform their counterparts, demonstrating superior capabilities in personalization, orchestration, and decision-making by effectively unifying and activating customer data.
Specifically, data management leaders are:
Nearly three times more likely to enhance customer profiles with predictive insights (39% vs. 14%).
Twice as likely to leverage machine learning to anticipate customer behavior and value (36% vs. 17%).
Almost three times more likely to deliver timely, personalized responses (43% vs. 15%).
Despite the clear advantages, the widespread adoption of advanced AI faces significant hurdles. The study identifies three primary challenges: limitations of existing technology platforms that complicate integration with legacy systems, a notable lack of in-house expertise required to effectively implement and manage AI solutions, and the pervasive issue of fragmented or low-quality customer data.
Christiaan van der Waal, general manager data activation at Supermetrics and CEO at Relay42, commented on the findings, stating, “Only one in five travel marketers has fully adopted AI—a gap that represents both a challenge and an unprecedented opportunity. Those who hesitate risk falling behind as competitors shift from static campaigns to dynamic, data-driven customer journeys powered by intelligent decisioning. The industry leaders emerging today aren’t treating AI as a supplementary tool—they’re embracing it as a core strategic capability that will define the future of travel marketing.”
The report emphasizes that AI’s potential extends beyond marketing, serving as a ‘growth engine for the entire business.’ By integrating causal, predictive, agentic, and generative AI across organizational functions, companies can achieve improved operational efficiency, optimized pricing strategies, more effective risk management, and an elevated overall customer experience.
Linus Gregoriadis, director and co-founder of London Research, added, “Data management leaders are blazing a trail with machine learning for predictive analytics and decisioning. However, we are still only at the start of the AI journey, particularly for generative and agentic applications.”
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This research highlights the urgent need for travel brands to invest in robust infrastructure, develop specialized skills, and establish a unified data foundation to fully unlock AI’s transformative potential and remain competitive in an evolving market.
