AI on the march, as its use for holiday inspiration doubles in a year

• 8% now using AI for holiday ideas, rising to as high as 18% in one age group
• Nearly one in five people (19%) took a holiday on their own in the past year

According to new data from ABTA's Holiday Habits 2025-26 report, released today, more people are experimenting with new tools when deciding where to holiday. The proportion of people using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to inspire their trips has doubled in the past 12 months, up to 8% from 4% the previous year - meaning that AI is now being used in this way by one in 12 people.

Younger generations are leading the way in using AI - 13% of 18-24 year olds sought inspiration from the technology, rising to 18% of 25-34 year olds and compared with just 3% of 55-64 year olds.

While internet searches (48%) and recommendations from friends and family (41%) remain the most common ways to choose where to go, and more traditional sources such as holiday brochures are still used by a quarter of holidaymakers (25%), AI is beginning to play a bigger role in shaping decisions about travel.

ABTA expects this to increase over the coming years, as its research also found that 43% of people say they'd be confident to some degree letting an AI tool plan their holiday, with 38% saying they'd be confident letting it book for them.

This acceleration in the use of AI comes as ABTA identifies a very different and more gradual change in consumer behaviour - that more people have been on a solo holiday over the past year than ever*, with nearly one in five people (19%)¹ taking a holiday by themselves.

*ABTA says it is the highest level of solo travel recorded since it started tracking this in 2014 as part of its Holiday Habits reporting, when 13% of people took a solo trip, and overtakes last year's peak of 17%.

It's the under 45s who are driving the increase, with 23% of 25-34 year olds having travelled alone, and 20% of both 18-24 and 35-44 year olds.

ABTA says this reflects people's determination to take the trips they personally want, without compromising or waiting for them to align with other people's plans. What's more, technology makes it easier to stay in touch with friends and family from abroad - the solo traveller of today is likely to feel less 'alone' than before.

Looking at trips taken by those who went on a solo holiday this past year, more than three quarters (76%) visited Europe, with France the most popular country at 44%. City breaks came out as the top trip choice among those who had taken a solo holiday, with over half (52%) opting for a short break in some of Europe's most famous cities.

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, said:

"ABTA's Holiday Habits report shows just how committed people are to their holidays, with 87% taking a trip over the past 12 months. The fact that so many are heading off on their travels by themselves is also testament to that.

"While travelling solo can mean going completely independently of others, there are other ways to have a social connection while away. Many ABTA members offer organised tours and trips that give travellers the chance to travel by themselves while still meeting like-minded people.

"The increasing use of AI as a source of holiday inspiration reflects how consumer behaviour is changing - both in travel and other industries. For our sector, the challenge is to harness the potential which AI has to support our businesses, while continuing to celebrate and champion the value of the personal touch and expertise which comes with booking with a travel agent or tour operator."

ABTA Holiday Habits 2025-26 report is available to download from https://www.abta.com/holidayhabits2025-26

Notes to editors1 Statistics are from ABTA's annual Holiday Habits survey, carried out each summer by The Nursery Research and Planning (https://www.the-nursery.net) with a nationally representative sample of 2,001 UK adults. The 2025 survey took place between 21st July and 1st August.

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