Artificial IntelligencePublished October 11, 20261 min read

AI itineraries are landing on the travel agent's desk

JSBy Joan SanzCurated by Joan Sanz. · October 11, 2026 · Follow on LinkedIn

Voice reading · ~1 min

Travelers are showing up at small agencies with a day-by-day itinerary already written. Not by a friend, not by a cousin who visited last summer: by AI. According to Hosteltur, Juan Díaz, director of BidTravel in Asturias, sees it every week: clients arrive with a printed plan, or paste the same text straight into an email form.

The itinerary looks solid on paper, until you check opening hours, transfer times or whether that restaurant actually takes bookings in August. That gap is where the agency earns its fee. The AI produces the skeleton, the agent verifies, adjusts and takes responsibility when a flight moves or a hotel overbooks.

In my view, this reshapes the pitch. Selling a list of monuments is a losing game now. Selling certainty, local contacts and a human who answers at 11pm is not. Small agencies that lean into that hand-holding have a sharper story than any generic chatbot.

Quick questions

What is BidTravel doing about AI itineraries from clients?

BidTravel, a small agency in Asturias led by Juan Díaz, now receives clients who arrive with AI-written day-by-day plans, either printed or pasted into forms. The agency's job shifts to verifying, fixing and taking responsibility for the trip.

Why do travelers bring AI itineraries to travel agencies?

Because AI tools generate a plausible plan in seconds. The problem is that the plan often ignores opening hours, real transfer times or whether venues accept bookings, so travelers still need someone to confirm the details.

What should small travel agencies sell if AI writes the itinerary?

Certainty, local contacts and real human backup. The AI gives the skeleton, the agent verifies bookings, fixes logistics and answers when something breaks at 11pm, which is the service clients actually pay for.

Does AI replace travel agents for leisure trips?

Not for trips where something can go wrong. AI is good at drafting a generic plan, but agencies still handle bookings, rebookings and on-the-ground problems that a chatbot cannot resolve when a flight changes.

How does this trend affect hotel distribution and direct bookings?

It pushes hotels to compete on verified availability and direct confirmation, not just on being listed in a generic AI plan. Hotels with accurate data and easy direct booking channels win when the agent starts checking the AI draft.

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