Travel AI is past the hype, but it still isn't closing bookings

This week's Skift Data + AI Summit in Europe left an uncomfortable takeaway for the triumphalist narrative: AI is already moving things inside the industry, but booking volume hasn't moved at the same pace, Skift reports.

What is really changing, according to the analysis, sits on two fronts. First, distribution: how inventory is shown, who intermediates and how the purchase decision happens. Second, internal operations: customer service, back office, revenue, content. AI already works there. The issue is the final funnel. Visibility is not the same as conversion.

My read is blunt: we are in the prove-it phase. It is no longer enough to say you use AI, you have to show the number. How many extra bookings? How much lower is cost per acquisition? Without an answer, it is marketing under another name. Airlines, hotels and OTAs that win the next two years will be those that measure, compare and cut what doesn't work.