In a context of increasingly frequent disruptions, tourism must learn to manage the unexpected. AI is becoming a key ally to support travelers in real time.
For more than twenty years, tourism stakeholders have focused their efforts on the same objective: simplifying reservations. This battle is largely won. Another is now opening up: that of support in a world where the unexpected becomes permanent. Rising air transport costs, geopolitical tensions, extreme weather events, airspace closures or social movements: disruptions are no longer exceptional events. They are an integral part of the environment in which professionals in the sector operate. In the first quarter of 2026, 20.6% of planned planes did not take off, compared to 1.4% during the same period in 2025. Cancellations were thus multiplied by 16.
At the same time, travelers have changed profoundly. Accustomed to the immediacy of digital services, they expect rapid, personalized and accessible responses at any time. A smooth booking is no longer enough to guarantee their satisfaction. What matters is a brand’s ability to support its customers when the journey doesn’t go as planned.
Nearly one in two travelers today plans to use generative AI to plan their trips. A figure that illustrates the evolution of expectations: travelers are looking for immediate, contextualized and accessible answers at any time.
The end of transactional tourism
The digital revolution has profoundly transformed the travel industry. For years, innovation has focused on optimizing the purchasing process: comparing offers, online booking, dematerialization of travel documents.
But the experience no longer ends at the time of booking. Modifying a ticket, understanding the consequences of a disruption, obtaining reliable information or quickly finding a solution when plans change have become decisive moments in the customer journey.
The rise of conversational interfaces accompanies this evolution. Travelers are getting used to communicating in natural language with tools capable of understanding their request and providing them with an immediate response. They now expect the same level of fluidity from airlines, travel agencies, hoteliers and booking platforms.
The center of gravity of the customer experience is gradually moving towards these moments of exchange and support. In this context, the quality of the service provided throughout the trip becomes a differentiating factor as important as the offer itself.
Faced with the unexpected, AI becomes a tool for resilience
This development is particularly visible during crisis situations. A strike, a major climatic episode or an airspace closure can generate thousands of simultaneous requests in a few hours. During the French air traffic controllers’ strike on July 3 and 4, 2025, more than a million passengers were affected and nearly 200,000 were unable to travel as planned. For customer services, these peaks in activity represent a considerable challenge.
In these situations, travelers are primarily looking for visibility. Understanding what is happening, knowing the options available, and knowing what steps to take often becomes more important than resolving the problem immediately. Informed quickly, they generally accept the constraints imposed by the situation better. Conversely, the absence of information or the impossibility of reaching a contact fuels dissatisfaction and lastingly weakens the relationship with the brand.
It is precisely in this context that theartificial intelligence finds its place. Conversational assistants make it possible to absorb large volumes of requests, disseminate updated information in real time and provide a first level of response, whatever the time of day.
The issue is not only operational. It becomes strategic. In a sector facing increasingly frequent disruptions, the ability to inform, reassure and guide travelers is gradually establishing itself as a major competitive advantage.
Support becomes a competitive advantage
Traveling remains a profoundly human experience. When a client is faced with a complex cancellation, an emergency abroad or a sensitive situation, an advisor’s listening skills, empathy and decision-making skills remain irreplaceable.
The contribution of artificial intelligence lies elsewhere. It makes it possible to simultaneously manage hundreds, even thousands of requests for information in the event of disruptions, such as flight cancellations, while providing travelers with personalized answers on the steps to take with their company. This allows teams to devote more time to situations that truly require their expertise.
The challenge therefore lies in the complementarity between artificial intelligence and human expertise. The most successful organizations will be those able to mobilize technology to absorb peaks in activity while preserving human intervention where it provides the most value.
Ultimately, the most profound transformation is perhaps there. The performance of tourism players is no longer measured solely by the quality of their offer or the efficiency of their reservation process. It now relies on their ability to support their customers continuously, throughout the journey, and to remain present when conditions change or an incident occurs.
In an environment where uncertainty becomes a lasting fact, managing the unexpected is no longer just an operational constraint: it becomes a lever for differentiation, loyalty and value creation. Artificial intelligence does not provide all the answers, but it is a valuable tool for maintaining fluid and personalized support on a large scale, even when disruptions multiply.
The competitiveness of the sector is therefore no longer determined solely by price or destination. It is also based on the ability of brands to be present at each stage of the traveler journey, before, during and after departure.
