Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world in an unprecedented way, and the tourism industry is no exception. From intelligent screening of travel destinations to recommendation of specialty foods; From booking flights to selecting hotels; From demand forecasting, dynamic pricing, to customer service chatbots, AI's tentacles have almost extended to every corner of the tourism industry. This transformation is accelerating: both tech giants like OpenAI are expanding their territories, and startups like "Journey of the Mind" are emerging. They have successively launched AI agents to tailor travel plans for users, challenging traditional travel agencies. AI is reshaping the global tourism industry. European News Network pointed out in a recent report that AI is rapidly reshaping the global tourism business. The core of this transformation lies in personalized services. By analyzing travelers' browsing history, booking history, and social media footprints, AI agents can accurately draw unique travel blueprints for them. Taking "Journey of the Soul" company as an example, its AI agent only requires users to input simple keywords to generate a complete itinerary containing hotels, restaurants, attractions, and activities within seconds. Travelers can also book every step of the itinerary in the application. CEO Andy Moss stated that users no longer need to repeatedly switch search engines, and all travel related information can be accessed in one place. In addition, OpenAI has developed an AI agent operator. It can automatically perform a series of tasks such as holiday planning, form filling, restaurant reservations, etc. Anthropic's Claude model can provide intelligent itinerary planning. Traditional tourism platforms are also actively embracing AI technology. Yikexing launched its intelligent assistant Romie last year. It can understand users' travel preferences, assist in completing a series of booking steps, and update itineraries in real-time. The "intelligent filter" launched by competitor Binke Company can accurately match special needs such as "Amsterdam Canal Landscape House". Yuka Letamaki, a professor at New York University specializing in the tourism industry, stated that the transformation of travel booking methods aligns with people's pursuit of personalized experiences. AI can not only simplify the booking process, but also respond in real-time to changes in itinerary - no need to call anyone, just input the changes into the system, and the system will immediately update the itinerary. A survey conducted by Adobe Analytics shows that 32% of travelers have used AI agents to complete related tasks. According to data from Salesforce, 68% of travelers are willing to use AI agents to plan their trips by 2025. AI agents are reshaping the operational model of the tourism industry with astonishing efficiency, saving time and creating benefits. With the help of massive data analysis and instant response capabilities, AI not only improves service quality, but also creates significant time and economic benefits. Alex Bulnova, Chief Digital Officer of AccorHotels Group, emphasized the deep integration of AI in company operations. He stated that all business emails of the company are generated by AI and sent out after manual review, saving a lot of time. He emphasized that the application of AI agents is not to replace employees, but to optimize hotel operation processes through intelligence. For example, by accurately pushing personalized content through data analysis, we can create an efficient and thoughtful experience for our customers. Coincidentally, the French giant Club Med has also launched a chatbot based on WhatApp to answer customers' practical questions in real-time. The chairman of the company, Henry Giscard d'Estaing, revealed that traditional human customer service requires an average of 1.5 hours to respond to questions, but now AI chatbots can provide instant answers. According to Gartner, AI applications in the tourism industry will save 634 million working hours in 2023. Marriott International has found that AI customer service has reduced support costs by 70%. Traditional travel agencies still have advantages. In today's AI wave sweeping the tourism industry, will traditional travel agencies be replaced? The European News Network's report suggests that it will not happen in the short term. Because true travel planning goes far beyond simple booking of airline tickets and hotels, it lies in a deep understanding and satisfaction of personalized needs. Taking multi country travel for families with special needs as an example, it is necessary to consider both specific dietary requirements and the travel needs of people with limited mobility. This complex planning requires not only rapid response from AI, but also meticulous consideration and experiential judgment from human consultants. AI can serve as a starting point for inspiration, but it is difficult to replace the due diligence and personalized services of professional travel agencies. Intrepid Travel's UK Director Hazel McGuire explains the essence of the industry, which ultimately boils down to services between people. AI may improve efficiency, but it can never replace humanized services. In his view, the best positioning of AI is as an auxiliary tool, which handles daily bookings, monitors flight changes, and other transactional tasks, allowing professional consultants to focus more on creating unique itineraries. Professor Letamaki from New York University pointed out that the high-end tourism market should particularly highlight the importance of humanistic service value. For customers who pursue the ultimate experience, deep interaction with professional consultants is irreplaceable. Traditional travel agencies are expected to maintain a competitive advantage in the field of ultra luxury tourism. In the era of AI, traditional travel agencies need to reposition their core values - perfectly combining technological efficiency with humanistic warmth, providing travelers with a truly warm travel experience. (New Society)