The new travel agent: AI is taking over, but at what cost to your privacy?

Should you trust an AI chatbot with your next holiday itinerary?

More people are using AI for travel tips. Pictures by Shutterstock

By Sarah Falson

Updated November 13 2025 - 9:16am, first published 7:00am

As more Aussies use artificial intelligence (AI) for travel advice, we need to be careful about the data we are handing over, an expert has warned.

Payment and e-commerce company Adyen found 28 per cent of Australian travellers now use AI to research holidays, a 73 per cent jump from last year, according to the company's 2025 Hospitality and Travel Report.

What is AI travel advice?

AI-driven travel advice can come from generative AI chatbots, AI travel companions on travel websites, and even AI travel agents.

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But when it comes to the data we input to get our recommendations, it pays to be wary.

Software company Qlik's senior vice president of APAC, Maurizio Garavello, said the market for using AI to come up with ideas for your holiday is "explosive".

"It's becoming kind of our companion," Mr Garavello said.

While in the past, you would have consulted your friends, family members, online bulletin boards and social media posts before going on a trip, now you can ask AI to draft an itinerary that fits with your interests.

Mr Garavello said when you consult an AI travel companion that is part of a bigger travel platform, the more information you input about yourself, the better and more targeted the travel advice.

Some people trust AI more than family for travel recommendations. Picture by Shutterstock

"The problem becomes who are you sharing [that] with, right? That's the big problem, the transparencies of what they do with [your] data," he said.

Should you trust it?

A new survey from Qlik shows 73 per cent of Aussies aged 18 to 24 trust AI over family or friends for travel advice, compared to eight per cent of those aged 50 to 64.

The survey, conducted in Australia with more than 1000 respondents in August 2025, found Aussies are picky about what they share with AI, with more willing to hand over their vaccination status and health information (32 per cent) than public social media posts about their travels (19 per cent).

An expert says you should not reveal unneccesary details to AI when researching travel. Picture by Shutterstock

Mr Garavello said using AI for travel advice can be safe, with companies that have ethical data use policies, but "we need to be cautious".

"The more you share, the more you get, but we don't share just randomly, right?" he said.

"Share where you feel comfortable, share where the platform feels solid and trustworthy."

Sharing information about where you want to go, and the sorts of things you want to do when you get there, makes sense, but Mr Garavello advised against sharing "excessive or irrelevant data" like your home address and what your income is.

Words bySarah Falson

Sarah is ACM’s travel producer. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!.

My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me.

Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life.

My top travel tip is … Don’t plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what’s within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.