Consumers Trust AI to Plan Travel More than Any Other Task

Survey finds travel planning is the top use case for generative AI among consumers.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A survey of over 1,000 consumers by travel publisher Matador Network found that 36% of respondents said they have complete or near-complete trust in AI to provide good travel recommendations and itineraries - higher than any other use case for AI including shopping, work, and health. The findings highlight the growing trust in AI for travel planning, with Matador's GuideGeek AI platform rapidly scaling to over 1 million users since launching in 2023.

Why it matters

As AI becomes more integrated into consumers' daily lives, the high levels of trust in AI for travel planning represent a significant opportunity for travel brands and destinations to leverage AI-powered tools and integrations to better serve their customers. The survey results suggest travel is one of the most effective and lowest-stakes applications of generative AI technology.

The details

The survey asked respondents to rank their trust in AI across a variety of use cases on a scale of 1 (no trust) to 5 (complete trust). Travel planning topped the list, with 36% of respondents saying they have complete (5) or near-complete (4) trust in AI to provide good travel recommendations and itineraries. This was followed by 33.6% for shopping, 33.2% for information/explanation, 18.8% for work, 16.9% for health, and 15.9% for general life advice. Since launching in 2023, Matador's GuideGeek AI travel platform has rapidly scaled to over 1 million users, with the company partnering with leading destination marketing organizations to develop custom AI tools.

  • GuideGeek launched in 2023.
  • The survey was conducted in 2026.

The players

Matador Network

A leading travel media brand and creator of the GuideGeek AI travel platform.

Ross Borden

CEO of Matador Network.

Greg Oates

Director of AI Advocacy at Matador Network.

Morna Brown

A traveler from Orlando, Florida who used GuideGeek for a trip to Honolulu.

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What they’re saying

“Since we first launched GuideGeek three years ago, I've viewed travel as one of the most effective ways to use AI, and also one of the most fun and lowest stakes.”

— Ross Borden, CEO, Matador Network (prnewswire.com)

“It gave me ideas on where we could go, which was helpful since my son is autistic. It suggested several places we could go and activities he might enjoy. It even created an itinerary based on the activities we booked and places we could see nearby. It was by far the best trip I've been on in awhile. It was my son's best trip ever.”

— Morna Brown (prnewswire.com)

“When GuideGeek first started partnering with DMOs, AI was new and a lot of people were encountering it for the first time. AI has become a routine part of a lot of people's lives in many different ways. Given that the levels of trust in AI among travel consumers are so high, there's a real opportunity for travel brands to focus on new AI integrations and conversions to better serve their business objectives.”

— Greg Oates, Director of AI Advocacy, Matador Network (prnewswire.com)

What’s next

Matador Network plans to continue expanding the capabilities and integrations of its GuideGeek AI travel platform to meet the growing consumer demand for AI-powered travel planning.

The takeaway

The high levels of consumer trust in AI for travel planning, compared to other use cases, highlight the significant potential for travel brands to leverage AI-powered tools and integrations to enhance the customer experience and drive business results.