“Just ask ChatGPT!” These days, you’ll hear that phrase almost as often as someone mentions “Google it”, often followed by a raised eyebrow or a sceptical laugh. AI might not be perfect for everything (it’s not about to replace your doctor or therapist), but when it comes to simplifying which routes to take on during a road trip, what to order in a restaurant, or churn out a list of ‘must-visit attractions’, it’s quietly becoming indispensable.
According to research by Marriott Bonvoy, 52 percent of travellers in the UAE and 50 percent in Saudi Arabia have used AI to research or plan a holiday. Looking ahead, 77 percent in both countries say they’re likely to do so in the future. Among those who’ve already used AI, the impact is clear: 93 percent in the UK, 92 percent in France, and 95 percent in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia said AI influenced their travel decisions, particularly around destination choice, accommodation, and transport.
But how is the travel and hospitality industry navigating a tool that still feels futuristic to some, even as it quietly becomes a go-to for a new generation of travellers? Read on to find out.
Google’s new AI travel tools, launched earlier this year, are designed to help you plan smarter and travel easier.
How are travellers and businesses mastering the art of AI?
For two months in 2026, David and Christina, two remote IT professionals from Dallas, Texas, plan to travel across Asia with a different style of itinerary for each country. One of them is a week-long stay at the Kopan Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist temple near Boudhanath, where dharma practitioners can find themselves surrounded by a community of experts who carry on the teachings of monks and resident meditation instructors.
But where did David and Christina find this monastery, especially when they spent less than a day planning the Nepal leg of the trip? “Since we had measly hours to flesh out the details of the trip, we had to ask AI,” Christina told Travel + Leisure Asia (India, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau). “David fed ChatGPT scribbles of our itinerary, along with how much time we have and, most importantly, the fact that I want to spend slow, intentional days deepening my knowledge about Buddhism, and this first suggestion was Kopan, which we ran with.”
Are we there yet, or is AI making this up too?
Belgrade, Serbia | Image credit: Ivan Aleksic/Unsplash
While the initial virality of AI in early 2023 saw many plunge headfirst into the pool for superficial reasons or to follow the trend, that is slowly changing. “In the space of a year, we are already seeing AI start to solve for the problem of choice and decision overload, with a real opportunity to bring enjoyment back to the arduous process of discovering and purchasing memorable travel experiences,” shared Emily Weiss, senior managing director and global travel lead at Accenture.
“For the travel industry, the AI opportunity goes beyond securing bookings. Consider that, instead of being overwhelmed by countless options and conflicting reviews, Gen AI can act as a personal travel concierge, providing bespoke recommendations based on your preferences, budget, and location. It can consider factors such as a person’s previous travel history, loyalty programme status and even real-time data on local events and attractions.”
Generative AI is also starting to help with one of travel’s oldest questions: Where should I go next? “Skyscanner has been helping wanderlust adventurers with its Everywhere search for the last 17 years. One in two travellers globally come to Skyscanner without a specific destination in mind. And as reported in Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2024, we’re now seeing AI being adopted to help in this travel inspiration space,” Piero Sierra, Chief Product Officer at Skyscanner, commented.
How is AI doing right now in the hospitality space?
Image credit: Tino Burkhardt/Unsplash
Because personalised service and attentiveness remain central to what defines a great hotel, introducing AI into the mix is a creative challenge that many hotels embrace confidently, as the pros often outweigh the cons.
“At Shangri-La Bengaluru, we view AI as a powerful tool, not to replace the human connection, but to refine it,” Shireen Sheriff, Director of Marketing & Communications, Shangri-La Bengaluru, told Travel + Leisure Asia (India, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau) over email. “However, the heart of our guest experience remains deeply personal. Guests are still greeted in person, escorted to their rooms, and personally engaged at every touchpoint.”
Shangri-La Bengaluru uses guest intelligence platforms like SevenRooms and TotalEngage — strictly on an opt-in basis — to deepen personalisation: SevenRooms tracks dining patterns across outlets like Caprese and Ssaffron to automate bookings and anticipate preferences, while TotalEngage consolidates room, spa, and feedback data to enable AI-powered, timely, and customised communication across the guest journey. Pretty cool, right?
Mohamed Shafraz Hafiz, Director of Digital Technology & Marketing at Pulse Hotels & Resorts, who leads digital innovation at Kandima Maldives, told us how the resort uses AI to boost guest loyalty through convenience and personalised service while being mindful of data privacy: “A great example is our 24×7 virtual concierge chatbot, which offers real-time assistance on our website with a 95 percent understanding rate, helping us efficiently handle guest inquiries and provide essential information around the clock.”
He added that the team is “deeply committed to safeguarding guest data, recognising that AI systems often handle sensitive information, and any mishandling or breach could compromise guest trust and our brand’s reputation.” Hafiz also noted the importance of vigilance around “technical glitches or system downtime, which, even if brief, can negatively affect guest satisfaction”.
Image credit: Marquise de Photographie/Unsplash
None of the hotels in India and abroad we interviewed have used a chatbot to replace the human touch in the hospitality industry. However, Karan Ahuja, Co-founder and CEO of AiVANTA, a Mumbai-based MarTech company, made an interesting case for how it, if not now, could become a potential alternative for processes we currently think of as in-person in the future. When asked whether AI-generated videos risk replacing the personal touch of hospitality, the response was clear: he explained how they can be thought of like “a complement rather than a replacement.” While they may not yet match the full emotional depth of human interaction, they can still feel “surprisingly authentic” with “carefully chosen language and thoughtful personalisation”. One leading Indian hotel brand saw this in action when its tailored AI video messages led to a 12 percent increase in loyalty point redemptions.
Rabih Chehade, Founder and CEO of Slangit Technologies, echoed this sentiment, adding, “By joining forces with AiVANTA, we are redefining AI-powered customer communication in the Arabic-speaking world.#newshttps://t.co/Qv7VuB4152
“In today’s fast-paced, digital-first world, not every guest interaction happens in person. Many guests now prefer self-check-ins and contactless experiences, which can limit opportunities for traditional personal touches. AI-generated videos step in as a thoughtful, personalised extension of your service, helping maintain warmth and connection even when face-to-face interaction isn’t feasible,” he added.
Are AI tools becoming more popular than other search platforms?
The simple answer would be yes, because they’re out there, introducing themselves.
While most of these AI implementations are often literally behind closed doors (or hotel gates), the most consumer-facing solutions we are seeing that mark the rise of AI in travel have been independent tools from experienced travel agencies and aggregators. Booking.com has been leveraging AI and machine learning for over a decade to deliver more personalised and frictionless travel experiences. “Technology is no longer a convenience but a trusted co-pilot for guiding travel decisions for memorable experiences,” said Santosh Kumar, Country Manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia at Booking.com.
Image credit: Booking.com
Among Booking.com’s AI-driven tools are the AI Trip Planner, currently live in the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, which offers curated itineraries and real-time support, powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT API. Features like Smart Filter, property-page Q&A, automated chatbots, and the ‘Help Me Reply’ function for partners are designed to make trip planning faster, smarter, and more tailored to individual travellers.
“[Our AI Trip Planner] leverages our robust machine learning infrastructure and integrates large language model (LLM) technology from OpenAI’s ChatGPT API to introduce a conversational and intuitive way for travellers to begin planning their journeys,” he added.
Travel operators and curators, like hotels, manage a large volume of requests, face demand for personalisation at speed, and deal with real-time changes. Luckily, while AI is not perfect, it can excel in this field by showcasing skills such as natural language processing (NLP) and predictive analytics.
“We use AI to analyse past preferences, global trend shifts, and even micro-seasonal data to create itineraries that feel like they were meant for individual clients — because they were. Behind the scenes, generative AI speeds up the heavy lifting of proposal creation, allowing our team to spend more time on the creative details that make trips magical,” shared Simran and Bharat Seth, founders of OneLatitude, an agency specialising in tailor-made luxury holidays.
However, it’s not always quick responses and 10-second solutions. “The biggest challenge we’ve encountered is just how complicated multi-day trip planning is. It’s not like booking a flight or a hotel room — there are so many moving parts. You have to consider how the group moves together, what they want to eat, their level of activity, when they need to rest, and how the story of the trip unfolds. Translating that into something AI can meaningfully assist with requires both structured inputs and nuanced context,” highlighted Sanjith Mukund, founder, JrnyOn, an online travel marketplace crafting expert-led, multi-day itineraries.
“That said, even in its early stages, AI has already proved valuable for our internal teams. It’s helping our operations and content teams speed up repetitive tasks, maintain consistency across itineraries, and generate helpful prompts when crafting trip outlines. It’s also pushing us to rethink our content architecture, making it more modular and adaptable to future AI tools.”
Since Maija de Rijk-Uys first began experimenting with AI tools at Go2Africa, an award-winning African safari travel company, she has viewed them not as a threat to human service but as something quietly working in the background, a kind of support system. While many in the luxury travel space discuss AI as a disruption, she views it as reinforcement: “a powerful support system to help us work smarter and elevate the exceptional, human-centred service our travellers cherish.”
“In our experience, especially in luxury and safari travel, human connection is paramount,” she says. “No algorithm can replace the intuition, empathy, and invaluable local expertise of someone who’s walked the land.” That clarity comes from more than a decade of first-hand work. As a Safari Specialist and now Managing Director of Go2Africa, Maija has travelled to 17 countries across the continent, often with her two children in tow.
When asked if she thought artificial intelligence might ever replace a seasoned guide or ranger, she didn’t hesitate: “Oh, I don’t believe that AI will take over the role of an experienced guide. There is too much humanness in that very important role that a machine cannot replace.”
AI, though, might help you book that popular airline with the best in-flight meal you love but could never find online, and let your hotel know exactly how you like your spa treatment after a red-eye.
Sneha Chakraborty is a journalist and photographer covering how travel intersects with food, culture, ..Read Moreand identity. Her reporting has appeared in National Geographic Traveller India, Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue India, and Hindustan Times, where she spent two years on staff as a correspondent covering travel and culture. She is an alumna of the University of Westminster`s Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design. Currently based in Delhi, she grew up in various cities across India and has lived in Amsterdam, and London. Read Less
Tour Packages in Kerala: Exclusive & Affordable Getaways
Discover the magic of God’s Own Country without breaking the bank by exploring the top tour packages in Kerala—designed to offer unforgettable experiences that are both exclusive and affordable. Whether you crave serene backwaters or vibrant culture, these tour packages in Kerala make planning your dream getaway effortless and budget-friendly.
Discover the Top Tour Packages in Kerala: Your Guide to Cost Effective and Trendy Travel
Kerala, often called “God’s Own Country,” has long been a favored destination among travelers seeking scenic beauty, rich culture, and tranquil backwaters. For those planning their next vacation, exploring the top tour packages in Kerala can be an excellent way to experience the best this southern Indian state has to offer. Whether you’re after cost effective options or are on the lookout for trendy itineraries, this guide will help you select the perfect package and suggest places in Kerala that you simply cannot miss.
Why Choose Tour Packages in Kerala?
When planning a trip to a diverse destination like Kerala, a structured itinerary saves you time, money, and stress. Tour packages are curated by experts who understand the nuances of the region—from weather patterns to local festivals—and can tailor a trip to suit every type of traveler. With numerous options available, you can pick packages that focus on adventure, wellness, culture, or even luxury experiences. Additionally, these packages often include accommodations, transportation, guided tours, and meals, making them truly cost effective.
Cost Effective Tour Packages in Kerala: How to Get the Best Value
While Kerala is known for luxury resorts and expensive houseboat stays, there are plenty of cost effective options that do not compromise on the experience. Look for packages that include:
Economy accommodations: Homestays and boutique hotels offer authentic experiences at friendly prices.
Group tours: Shared group packages reduce per-person costs while allowing you to meet fellow travelers.
Seasonal deals: Traveling in the off-season (monsoon months or early summer) can score you big discounts on transport and lodging.
Local transport: Packages that utilize buses, ferries, and non-private transfers help keep budgets in check.
Tour operators specializing in budget Kerala tours often include must-see destinations like Munnar, Alleppey, and Fort Kochi without charging a premium.
Trendy Kerala Tour Packages for Modern Travelers
Kerala’s tourism sector evolves continually to meet traveler interests. There’s a growing trend toward eco-tourism, wellness retreats, and offbeat cultural experiences. Trendy tour packages often feature:
Ayurvedic wellness: Multiday packages emphasizing detox, yoga, and traditional healing.
Adventure activities: Guided trekking in the Western Ghats, kayaking in backwaters, and wildlife safaris in Periyar.
Culinary tours: Foodie-friendly itineraries blending cooking classes with market visits.
Photography tours: Curated routes that explore scenic spots at optimal times for capturing Kerala’s natural beauty.
For travelers who want to combine Instagram-worthy locations with meaningful interactions, these contemporary tours can make the trip unforgettable.
Suggest Places in Kerala You Shouldn’t Miss
When considering which tour package to pick, the destinations included can be a deciding factor. Here are some places in Kerala that top itineraries consistently feature:
Munnar: Famous for sprawling tea plantations and misty hills perfect for trekking and sightseeing.
Alleppey (Alappuzha): Known as the backwater capital, it offers unique houseboat stays amid coconut groves.
Fort Kochi: A historic town blending colonial architecture, spice markets, and vibrant art scenes.
Wayanad: A less touristy hill station with waterfalls, caves, and wildlife sanctuaries.
Kumarakom: A birdwatcher’s paradise on the coast of Vembanad Lake.
Thekkady: Home to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, ideal for jungle cruises and elephant rides.
Selecting tour packages that include these renowned places ensures a comprehensive experience of Kerala’s highlights.
Suggest the Best Kerala Tour Packages Based on Interests
Choosing the best tour package depends on your interests and travel style. Here are some tailored suggestions:
Best for Nature Lovers: A package incorporating Munnar, Wayanad, and Thekkady offers extensive opportunities for trekking, wildlife spotting, and nature photography.
Best for Culture Enthusiasts: Tours that explore Fort Kochi, Thrissur (for festivals), and traditional village life provide immersive experiences.
Best for Relaxation: Wellness retreats combined with beach stays in Varkala or Kovalam and Ayurvedic treatments in Alleppey.
Best for Budget Travelers: Group tours focusing on key destinations with economy accommodations and public transport.
Many tour operators allow customization, so you can combine elements from different packages to suit your preferences.
Making the Most of Your Kerala Journey
Kerala’s rich tapestry of landscapes, traditions, and flavors makes it a captivating destination for every traveler. By choosing from the top tour packages in Kerala, you can enjoy a well-planned, cost effective adventure that also taps into the latest trendy experiences. Whether you wish to cruise the serene backwaters, stroll through timeless plantations, or immerse yourself in local culture, Kerala tour packages provide a hassle-free way to explore all corners of this enchanting land.
Remember to compare packages not only on price but on inclusions, reviews, and the credibility of the tour provider. With the right guidance and options, your Kerala trip can become a memorable journey, blending relaxation, exploration, and cultural discovery—all wrapped in the state’s natural splendor.
Travel tip for today: Bargain for hotels and stays in kerala at cheQin.ai
Tour operator Solos has launched women-only itineraries this week with plans to unveil more tours soon.
The itineraries will be led by women and include experiences with women-focused nonprofits, advocacy groups, businesses and artists. Solo said it created the itineraries after seeing a demand for solo travel from women ages 50 and up.
The tours will not have a single supplement fee.
The tours follow a trend toward women-only or women-focused tours, especially those with a solo component.
The “Women-only India- The Golden Triangle & Rajasthan” itinerary will explore India’s Golden Triangle, Jodhpur and Udaipur on a 12-night tour. It includes sunrise yoga at the Taj Mahal, a safari to the Bishnoi Villages and a visit to Sheroes Hangout, an initiative operated by women who have survived acid attacks. Participants will also ride through Jaipur in a rickshaw through Access Development Services, which trains low-income women to become drivers.
Travelers on the 12-night “Women-only Morocco: Medinas, Mountains & Coast” itinerary will visit Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, Marrakesh and Essaouira. They will meet with women entrepreneurs in Fes and artisans in Essaouira, and they will visit with Berber women in the Atlas Mountains. They will also visit a rural women’s cooperative that produces embroidery, pottery and argan oil.
The 10-night “Women-only Greece: Ancient Wonders & Island Hopping” itinerary will take travelers to the archaeological highlights of Athens, the Cycladic islands and historic sites like Mycenae, Epidaurus and Olympia. Travelers will take a pottery class led by a woman at her Paros studio.
“These unique experiences allow travelers to interact directly with women’s groups in destinations across the globe and to give back to local women’s initiatives,” said Kendra Guild, the vice president of North America for Solos.
This unforgettable adventure immerses visitors into the many highlights of Portugal – including the famous Azores – all while taking the guesswork out of the planning.
Guests only have to sit back and absorb all the wonders of this fantastic destination.
Multi-City Destinations
Packing so many points of interest into one itinerary is no small feat. National Geographic has created a land tour that blends everything together seamlessly.
First landing in Porto, it is recommended to get on-site a day early because you really do hit the ground running. And with the current state of the airline industry, you don’t want to miss anything due to a delayed or cancelled flight.
From here, guests travel to the picturesque Douro Valley and then on to Lisbon via motorcoach. After a few days in Lisbon, an early morning flight takes guests to São Miguel island in the Azores.
Portugal’s Duoro Valley (Photo Credit: Lauren Bowman)
Five-Star Hotel Accommodations
So what makes National Geographic stand out for a land tour? The attention to detail. This experience is best suited for active travelers who want to learn and see a lot, all while having that touch of luxury. Guests are greeted each night with five-star accommodations. The Hospes Infante Sagres Porto is a 1950s building reminiscent of a large manor estate but with all the modern amenities. Opening as a hotel in 1951, the building set the standard for what elegance and opulence meant as the city’s first five-star hotel.
In the Duoro Valley, expeditioners stay at the modern Quinta da Pacheca winery. Nestled among the terraced vineyards, you feel as though you’re in your own luxe wellness retreat. There’s some downtime for guests and plenty of spa treatments to choose from. The one constant complaint was that there simply was not enough time at this location, so don’t be surprised if future itineraries offer a two-night experience here.
The Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel in Lisbon is a chateau-like resort with views of the Tagus River. With gardens, a large swimming pool and multiple eateries, it’s easy to forget that the city of Lisbon lies sprawled around you. After a full day of outings, it’s a relaxing reprieve to come home to.
On Sao Miguel island in the Azores, Octant Ponta Delgada welcomes guests with impressive views of the local marina, comfortable rooms, a rooftop veranda with a pool area, and delicious restaurants for when you simply don’t want to walk anymore.
The five-star experience isn’t just with the accommodations, though. It’s also in the more trivial matters like baggage. It’s easy to pack for this 10-day itinerary in a large suitcase and carry-on, but then you have to worry about lugging everything between cities – except National Geographic takes care of this for you, too. Each night before a departure, guests are told what time to have their suitcase outside their room. Then their bags are picked up and delivered to not only the next hotel, but the guest’s next hotel room upon arrival.
National Geographic Expedition in Duoro Valley, Portugal (Photo Credit: Lauren Bowman)
Comfortable Transfers
Getting to and from each of these key destinations, as well as daily excursions, is no small logistical feat. Comfortable motorcoaches are the main source of transportation. Trips are broken up with no ride lasting more than two hours, whether it’s a stop at a scenic overlook for your first sighting of the Douro Valley or simply a roadside restaurant with clean restrooms and superb cappuccinos. The drive from the Douro Valley to Lisbon is a longer trip, but it is broken up with a stop in Tomar – famous for its history with the Knights Templar. After lunching in the picturesque cafe-style village, the group ventures through the UNESCO Heritage Site, the Convent of Christ, to learn about its extensive history.
Through the cities of Porto and Lisbon, guests are split up into smaller groups to ride on tuk-tuks while receiving an informative tour of iconic landmarks. Not only did these vehicles make it easier to get from point A to point B, but it was a fun way to see more of these fascinating cities.
The most impressive transfer was watching the guides handle the maneuvering of almost thirty people through the Lisbon airport. From arranging check-in and baggage drop to corralling everyone through security and making it to our plane with plenty of time to stop for snacks, it was one of the least stressful airport experiences.
Porto, Portugal (Photo Credit: Lauren Bowman)
Daily Excursions with Local Guides
This is definitely a trip for active travelers. Early mornings and extensive walking tours require expeditioners to be in moderate shape. And like most European cities, many towns are littered with cobblestone streets or historic buildings that do not meet ADA requirements. Porto and Lisbon are both known for their hills, and getting from one sight to another will often require a nice leg workout. But the rewards are undoubtedly there – from the beautiful scenery to the delicious food – you’ll be glad you made the journey.
Traveling with National Geographic also means you’ll get a premier tour of certain landmarks like at the Livraria Lello – also known as the prettiest bookshop in the world. Guests bypass the queues of other visitors for a truly private tour of the space before the official opening, thus giving guests those coveted pictures without lots of other tourists in the background or even having to wait in line.
And even though these exclusive tours couldn’t take place at every single tourist spot, at no point during the journey were guests made to wait in the ticketing queues, which sometimes had very long wait times. Instead, everything was timed perfectly, with museum entries a breeze through the checkpoint.
Another unique experience on this tour is the whale watching on Sao Miguel island. Not only was the whale watching experience itself mesmerizing, but guests also get a detailed history of whaling and how the relationship with whales has evolved over the years. “It blew my mind that they’re still using the oldest technique of spotting whales. So they’ll have people actually planted on the coast with really heavy-duty binoculars, checking out where all the whales are, and they can identify. What type of whale it is just by, um, looking at them from many, many kilometers away and they’re talking to the boats and telling them where to go and directing folks so you can see as many dolphins and whale species as possible on these cruises. So that was really surprising to me. They’re not using any technology at all.” says Kristen Roach, a guest traveler from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal (Photo Credit: Lauren Bowman)
Field Experts
Throughout the trip, an Expedition Leader guides visitors through each place of interest with whisper boxes. Not only is the Expedition Leader extremely knowledgeable, but they’re there to help with any specific needs guests may have as well, like helping to find a local pharmacy for sunscreen. Throughout the trip, local guides join the tour to help manage the size of the group as well as give a more in-depth local account of the area. However, having that main Expedition Leader as a point of contact throughout the entirety of the trip allows travelers to form a more comfortable relationship for asking questions.
Also, part of every itinerary is a National Geographic Expert whose field of knowledge is somehow relevant to the program. During our tour at the beginning of June, attendees were lucky enough to be joined by Arianna Soldati, volcanist and Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University. During the course of the journey, Arianna gave three lectures about what guests would experience from the geological to the historical events of the areas. She joined in the daily tours and readily answered questions. It was also a treat to see her get so excited when seeing the volcanic activity on Sao Miguel – her enthusiasm rippled through the group.
“When you take a tour with National Geographic, you really get to focus on exploring the destination, and having an expert such as me on the team is a fantastic way to really dive deep into an aspect that maybe you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise,” Soldati said. “Each expedition is different. So, for example, I talk a lot about geology and volcanoes, but you know, another group on the same tour might get an explorer and an expert who focuses on marine biology or botany. So really guests get to choose whatever their main focus is and personalize the tour, or rather choose the one that really best fits their interests.”
Plenty of Time to Relax
This is no doubt a whirlwind, once-in-a-lifetime type of trip with so much packed into each day. But National Geographic has also planned ample time for self-exploration of these cities and downtime.
This allows guests to choose what best interests them while also giving them the chance to simply relax when needed. And by staying at such luxury accommodations, it’s easy to find quiet places to take in everything this magnificent itinerary has to offer.
