A new survey from the TravelTech Show reveals a decisive shift in how travel operators are investing their technology dollars. Mobile app integration has dropped sharply, from 30 percent of operators in 2025 to just seven percent this year, as the sector pivots toward artificial intelligence as its primary engine for customer engagement and revenue growth.
The data, drawn from responses by 103 travel company representatives in April 2026, shows 64 percent of operators planning to increase AI investment over the next year, up from 52 percent the prior year. Twelve percent growth in AI investment is being driven by a belief that intelligent systems can improve customer experience, lift booking conversions, and cut operational costs simultaneously.
From Booking Assistant to Booking Manager
AI is already doing heavy lifting across the travel ecosystem. Forty-three percent of operators report using AI technology as a booking assistant today. The next frontier is more ambitious: 18 percent of operators say they want AI to have the biggest impact on booking conversion rates within the next one to two years, effectively promoting AI from support role to deal-closer.
Stripe’s James Lemon, Global Industry Lead for Hospitality, Travel and Leisure, framed the moment plainly at this year’s TravelTech Show. “2026 has seen an explosion of innovation across the travel ecosystem, fuelled by financial services, payment technology and AI,” he said. “Travellers are changing the way they discover, search, book and pay for travel, and the industry is preparing for agentic commerce playing out across new AI channels.”
That language matters. Agentic commerce describes AI systems that act on a traveller’s behalf — not just surfacing options but executing bookings, managing spending limits, and handling payment decisions autonomously.
Virtual Cards and Programmable Money Gain Ground
Behind the scenes, payment infrastructure is evolving to match. Virtual credit cards are becoming more sophisticated and programmable, giving travel operators granular control over how funds move through a booking. Lemon noted that innovative treasury tools and stablecoins are giving companies new options for managing money digitally. Those tools are expected to complement virtual cards in ways that benefit travellers, intermediaries, and suppliers alike.
On the customer-facing side, multiple payment options and virtual card integrations have increased as travellers demand greater choice and flexibility. That aligns with broader research showing 77 percent of users now rely on AI during their shopping journeys — a figure that translates directly to travel, where booking cycles are long and payment decisions are complex.
A Coalition Takes Shape
The shift is drawing coordinated attention at the government level. The United States has joined forces with a coalition including the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, India, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Canada to address AI-driven changes in travel payment systems. Visa and Mastercard have both announced automated digital agents that will comply with self-imposed spending controls, giving consumers oversight while streamlining transactions.
Airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa, Delta, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines are actively preparing for a fundamental shift in service distribution and pricing models as AI-driven systems become standard.
What Is Holding Operators Back
The opportunity is large, but so are the obstacles. The TravelTech Show survey identified high transaction fees as the top pain point, cited by 21 percent of operators. Integration complexity ranked second at 17 percent, followed by user experience limitations at nine percent.
The Global Business Travel Association has flagged limited AI adoption, fragmented data systems, and inconsistent traveller experiences as structural barriers. Industry observers at the Skift Data + AI Summit have stressed that successful AI implementation requires clear ownership, robust technical foundations, and transparency.
The Amex GBT Sale Adds Context
The recent announcement that American Express Global Business Travel is being acquired by Long Lake Capital Management has added urgency to the conversation. Industry watchers say the deal reflects the evolving role of AI in corporate travel management and may prompt other travel management companies to accelerate adoption to remain competitive.
What Operators Should Do Now
The survey makes the direction clear: AI investment is not optional anymore, it is the primary vector for differentiation. For travel merchants and operators, the practical steps are becoming evident.
First, evaluate virtual card infrastructure. Programmable payment controls can reduce fraud exposure while enabling new pricing models. Second, audit booking conversion touchpoints where AI could close gaps — particularly the gap between browsing and completing a transaction. Third, watch the stablecoin and treasury tool space. Early adopters of digital-native payment instruments are likely to gain cost and operational advantages over the next 18 months.
The shift from mobile-first to AI-first is not a prediction anymore. It is happening in the data, in the investment plans, and in the boardroom rhetoric. The question for travel operators is no longer whether to participate, but how fast they can move.
Sources: Breaking Travel News / TravelTech Show Survey | ePlane AI | The AI Journal
