by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 10:25 AM ET, Fri October 16, 2026
New research from Mews finds travellers are happy to use AI for price tracking and translation, but less comfortable handing over personal travel decisions.
Travellers may be warming up to artificial intelligence, but there's a limit to how much control they're willing to give it, particularly when it comes to their hotel stays.
A new survey of 3,250 travellers by hospitality technology company Mews found that 63% would use AI to monitor hotel rates, while 56% would welcome real-time translation assistance.
Just 44% would use it to plan an itinerary, while 41% would allow it to personalize their hotel room.
Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they would rather remain in control of their trip than leave decisions to AI.
Travellers Want Control Over Their Data
The survey also found that travellers are more comfortable with AI using information they've deliberately shared with a hotel than data collected through other sources.
Some 61% were comfortable with AI drawing on stated preferences, while 56% were willing to have it use their previous hotel stay history.
That comfort level dropped to 43% for online behaviour and just 34% for external or social media data.
"Guests have told us where AI helps, and where it doesn't," said Josef Starýchfojtů, CPTO of Mews.
"Having clever technology is great, but firstly, we should know whether guests want a task done for them or want to be part of it. Get that wrong and even good AI feels intrusive. We're building for human hospitality: technology handles the mundane, repetitive admin, and hotel teams have more time for their guests."
57% would rather stay in control of their trip than hand decisions to AI (Photo Credit: Mews)
Finding the Balance
For hotels, the findings suggest that introducing more AI isn't necessarily the same as improving the guest experience.
Automating routine tasks such as rate monitoring, translation and guest communications may be welcomed, but travellers appear less willing to give up control over decisions that shape their stays.
The results also point to the importance of transparency, particularly when hotels use guest information to personalize services.
For travel advisors, the findings offer another reminder that while technology can make travel planning more efficient, clients still value having a say in how their trips unfold.
The Mews survey was conducted in July 2026 among 3,250 travellers in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Canadian travellers were not included in the research.
Topics From This Article to Explore
