While artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting travel marketing, the best use cases are still being determined.
AI-supported digital travel marketing can work—as long as it still has a human touch, according to Rob Torres, SVP of media solutions and retail partnerships for Expedia Group.
In October, Expedia Group released research that examined which content is driving traveler choice. The company showed
participants a mix of non-AI-enhanced, AI-enhanced and fully AI content.
“A good percentage of the travelers really didn't mind, and actually, I don't want to say they preferred [it], but they did not mind the AI-enhanced content as long as it did have some human touch in it as well,” Torres said during an interview in the
PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference.
As responses were positive, Expedia Group determined that content creation could benefit from some level of AI implementation.
“Good content creators are not going away, good marketing is not going away because … that art is a big part of the creative process,” Torres said.
However, he cautioned that it is still early days, and testing is key to identify effective AI tactics in travel marketing.
Expedia Group, which appointed its first chief AI and data officer this month, has been actively pursuing AI implementation. In November, the company was listed as a partner on Google’s pending agentic travel booking capabilities.
In October, it announced it a partnership with OpenAI to bring apps into ChatGPT. Expedia Group also shared AI updates at its product release in
the spring after CEO Ariane Gorin outlined its 2025 AI strategies in February.
During the interview, Torres also discussed commerce media, bookable itineraries, intent media, personalization, agentic AI and more.
Watch or listen to the full discussion with PhocusWire executive editor Linda Fox below.
The Phocuswright Conference 2025: Evolution in digital travel marketing