The future of travel isn’t just smart — it’s agentic. Artificial intelligence designed to act autonomously, guided by goals rather than commands, is reshaping the very idea of how we plan, book, and experience trips. And nowhere was that shift more visible than at TIS2025, which opened its sixth edition this Wednesday in Seville.
Experts from the worlds of tourism and technology gathered to discuss how AI and innovation are rewriting the traveler experience — one where people crave authenticity, personalization, and sustainability rather than just a list of destinations.
According to a Google–Deloitte report, global travel demand is set to soar to 2.4 billion trips by 2040, proving that the appetite for exploration is stronger than ever. But how those trips are planned is changing fast.
“The future of search will be agentic,” said Zuriñe Eguizábal, Senior Industry Manager for Travel at Google. “AI won’t just tell us what’s out there — it will complete tasks for us. Agents will book experiences, manage reminders, and help us turn inspiration into action.”
Eguizábal explained that travelers now spend over five hours planning each trip and increasingly rely on voice, video, and image-based searches. “We’re seeing that one in five of these searches has a strong commercial intent,” she added — proof that people want more than inspiration; they want execution.
From search to soul: new experiences for a new traveler
Travel companies are responding to this behavioral shift by building experiences that feel more human. Andrea D’Amico, CEO of WeRoad, described his company’s mission as helping people “get to know themselves” through immersive, real-world travel. Short trips offer a taste, long trips deepen the connection — and both are driving strong repeat rates.
At lastminute.com, CEO Alessandro Petazzi said that pivoting from hotel sales to full package experiences — now 70% of the company’s business — has turned the brand into something more emotional and recognizable. “When you build a brand from scratch, you’re not just selling vacations. You’re creating meaning,” he said.
Exoticca CEO Pere Vallès echoed that sentiment. His company’s model is built on local empowerment: “The people working at the destination are our ‘Exoticca franchise’. That gives us control not just over price, but over satisfaction,” he said.
Regeneration, not just sustainability
Sustainability took center stage, too. Guy Bigwood, CEO of the Global Destination Sustainability Movement, called for a “regenerative revolution” — one that reimagines tourism as a force for renewal rather than consumption.
“These strategies build economic, human, and natural capital,” Bigwood said. “We must move from extraction to creation. The destinations that will thrive tomorrow are the ones regenerating today.”
He described the transformation as a three-phase evolution: initiation, integration, and consolidation — a roadmap to a future where tourism gives back more than it takes.
And in that spirit, Bigwood left the audience with a challenge: “Do we want to create value, or extract it? Let’s be the generation that made tourism live up to the places we love.”
Agentic AI may be the tool, but regeneration is the mission. Together, they’re quietly rewriting the story of travel — one where curiosity meets conscience, and technology helps us rediscover the world, not just consume it.
