Artificial intelligence (AI) is influencing travel marketing, though the most effective applications are still being identified. AI-supported digital travel marketing can be successful—as long as it maintains a human element, says Rob Torres, SVP of media solutions and retail partnerships for Expedia Group. In October, Expedia Group published research investigating which types of content influence traveler choices. Participants were shown a mix of non-AI-enhanced, AI-enhanced, and fully AI-generated content. “A significant portion of travelers didn’t mind, and I wouldn’t say they preferred it, but they accepted the AI-enhanced content, provided it retained some human touch, ” Torres stated during an interview at The Phocuswright Conference in the PhocusWire studio. Given the positive feedback, Expedia Group concluded that content creation could effectively incorporate some degree of AI. “Talented content creators won’t disappear, and good marketing remains essential, as creativity is a vital part of the process, ” Torres added. Nonetheless, he noted that it is still early in the journey, and ongoing testing is crucial to determine which AI strategies work best in travel marketing. Expedia Group, which recently appointed its first chief AI and data officer, has been actively advancing AI integration. In November, it was named a partner in Google's forthcoming agentic travel booking features.

In October, Expedia announced a collaboration with OpenAI to bring applications into ChatGPT. The company also shared AI-related updates during its spring product release, following CEO Ariane Gorin’s February outline of their 2025 AI plans. In the interview, Torres also touched on topics including commerce media, bookable itineraries, intent media, personalization, agentic AI, and more. Watch or listen to the complete conversation with PhocusWire executive editor Linda Fox below.