Artificial intelligence is already transforming marketing, customer relations, and tourism distribution. Yet, when it comes to planning a trip, the French remain very cautious. This is what the latest study published by Evaneos and YouGov on April 23, 2026, reveals. Behind the rise of tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, a much more nuanced reality emerges: travelers use AI to save time, but overwhelmingly continue to trust humans to make important decisions.
Summary
INFOGRAPHIC
AI is becoming a part of travel, but the human element remains central
French perceptions, uses and expectations regarding artificial intelligence in travel.
More than 3 out of 4 French people have never used AI to organize a trip.
Observed profiles
AI in travel is still underutilized in France
According to the Evaneos x YouGov study, 76% of French people have never used artificial intelligence to organize a trip.
The phenomenon is particularly pronounced among seniors. Among those over 65, 90% say they have never used AI to plan their holidays and 63% do not plan to do so in the future.
But the study also shows that younger generations themselves remain relatively cautious.
Only 37% of 18-34 year olds report having already used artificial intelligence to plan a trip.
In other words, even the most digitally savvy travelers do not yet seem ready to completely delegate the organization of their holidays to algorithms.
Why AI still appeals to some travelers
For users who take the plunge, artificial intelligence primarily responds to a search for efficiency and time savings.
According to the study, 71% of users believe that AI effectively saves them time in organizing their holidays.
More than six out of ten users also believe that it significantly reduces the time spent preparing for a trip. Among them, 28% say they have reduced this time by at least half.
The main uses identified relate primarily to the research and exploration phases:
50% use AI to get information about a destination, 45% to plan activities, and 45% to find travel inspiration. Price comparisons are used by 37% of users, while 36% use it to search for accommodations or flights.
According to the results published by Evaneos, AI is still mainly used today as a preparation assistant rather than as a true autonomous booking tool.
Families appear to be the most active users
The study also reveals that families with young children are among the profiles that most frequently use artificial intelligence in travel.
Nearly four out of ten families report already using these tools to prepare their holidays.
This behavior is largely explained by the increasing complexity of organizing family trips. Managing transportation, accommodation, activities, budget constraints, and children's needs all contribute to a greater interest in tools that simplify the search process and reduce the mental burden.
Moreover, 63% of users believe that AI helps reduce this mental load. This figure rises to 66% among parents of young children.
The study thus shows that artificial intelligence is gradually establishing itself as an organizational assistant capable of streamlining certain stages of the travel journey.
The main obstacle remains trust
The central point of the study, however, concerns the trust placed in the answers generated by AI.
According to Evaneos and YouGov, 74% of French people feel the need to verify the results produced by artificial intelligence.
Among 18-34 year olds, this figure even reaches 81%.
The main obstacles identified reveal the current limitations of AI in tourism:
41% of respondents doubt the reliability of the information provided, 39% point to the lack of legal responsibility in case of problems and 33% express concerns about the protection of personal data.
These results show that travelers readily use AI to explore ideas, compare or plan a route, but continue to validate their important decisions with a human.
Human expertise remains central to tourism
The Evaneos x YouGov study also confirms that human expertise retains a strong value in the travel sector.
43% of French people say they still value interactions with a human expert. This figure rises to 51% among families with children.
Humans still hold a significant advantage when it comes to reassurance. According to the study, 39% of travelers feel relieved thanks to human intervention, compared to only 15% with AI.
Experts remain particularly sought after for complex journeys, tailor-made itineraries, off-the-beaten-path experiences, or even certain destinations considered sensitive.
Aurélie Sandler, Co-CEO of Evaneos, summarizes this trend in the press release:
“The French express it very clearly: they use AI to save time, but they rely on humans for reassurance and to make the right choices. Travel remains, above all, a matter of relationships, sensitivity, and local expertise.”
This study thus illustrates a progressive transformation of tourism where artificial intelligence appears more as a complementary tool than as a total replacement for human expertise.
A transformation that could redefine the role of tourism professionals
The results published by Evaneos and YouGov mainly show that the sector is probably entering a hybrid phase.
AI accelerates certain tasks related to research, comparison, or planning. However, trust, personalization, and decision security remain heavily dependent on human intervention.
For tourism professionals, the question is therefore probably no longer whether AI will transform practices, but rather how to use it to streamline customer journeys, automate certain repetitive tasks and strengthen the added human value on the most sensitive stages of the journey.
In a sector where travel remains deeply emotional, human connection still plays a central role today.
Key takeaways from the Evaneos x YouGov study
The results show that artificial intelligence is making progress in travel-related applications, but its adoption remains cautious in France. The main advantage identified is time savings and simplified planning. Families with children appear to be the most active users. However, despite this growing use, travelers still overwhelmingly verify AI-generated responses and prioritize human expertise for important decisions.
Updates
April 23, 2026: Publication of the Evaneos x YouGov study on the use of artificial intelligence in travel.
The study was conducted with 1,689 French people interviewed between March 17 and 25, 2026 via a representative YouGov panel.
Sources
https://www.evaneos.fr/presse/actualites/etude-ia-voyage-yougov
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