More than half of vacation planning starts in AI

AI-powered property management is moving beyond automation into the guest discovery phase.

More than half of trip planning now starts in AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, shifting where short-term rental operators need to compete for visibility, a new report has revealed.

“AI has crossed the threshold from curiosity to utility,” said Pete Comeau, managing director of Phocuswright.

Comeau said AI has moved beyond the trial phase for travelers and is now becoming part of how they research, plan and shape trips.

He described the change as a fast-moving shift in traveler behavior, unlike anything the company has seen in the last 10 years.

The concept of AI-bookable properties centers on how AI agents interact with booking systems, according to Kismet Travel, a platform launching tools to make hotels and vacation rentals discoverable inside conversational AI interfaces.

When AI recommends a property through an OTA, guests see a price and rating with no detail or reason to book direct.

Even as AI becomes more useful for travel planning, travelers are not ready to hand over the entire process. Many still want to verify recommendations themselves, especially before booking or making bigger trip decisions.

Only 8 percent of AI users said the answers were enough on their own, while 51 percent said they usually verify recommendations by visiting the source websites, per the study.

Additionally, the majority of millennials (74%) report using AI, followed by Gen Z (72%), Gen X (50%), and baby boomers (27%).

AI protocol changes the booking landscape

Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol creates a technical standard for AI agents to transact directly with properties.

Operators using property management systems that integrate with these protocols may capture bookings before guests ever reach Airbnb or Vrbo.

Related: Airbnb launches boutique hotels and AI review tools

Properties that optimize listings for AI discovery and reservation workflows position themselves to control the direct booking path rather than defaulting to OTA channels.

The shift matters because AI synthesizes reviews, cancellation policies, amenities, and pricing before guests click into traditional booking platforms.

Operators who treat AI personalization as a channel strategy rather than a novelty may capture a growing share of bookings as conversational search replaces keyword-based discovery.

Properties not structured for AI agent access risk becoming invisible in the one place more than half of travelers now start their search.