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From fears of commoditisation to predictions of unprecedented disruption, Australia’s travel industry leaders have shared their thoughts on AI and what it means for the future of travel.

Speaking at ATIA’s Beyond Borders 2026 conference in Melbourne, the ATIA Board offered contrasting perspectives on AI, from its ability to improve efficiency to its potential to fundamentally reshape the travel industry.

Moderated by ATIA CEO Dean Long, the discussion explored whether businesses are prepared for the pace of change.

‘AI could commoditise the industry’

ATIA chair and Travellers Choice managing director Christian Hunter warned that businesses risked losing their competitive edge if they became too reliant on AI.

Hunter said Travellers Choice had been exploring the technology for approximately two years but stressed that humans must remain in control.

“I think that’s the risk that we face with AI, is that it can just become the one thing that will almost commoditise the industry,” he said.

“Everybody’s using it in the same way, and I think it’s something we need to be really careful of.”

Helloworld Travel executive director Cinzia Burnes also emphasized the importance of human intelligence, describing AI as “automation implementation” rather than artificial intelligence.

“I believe that the computer does not have the intelligence,” she said, adding that its greatest strength was completing tasks in seconds that previously took hours or days.

The human touch

G Adventures managing director Australia, NZ and Asia and CATO chair Sean Martin highlighted the human connections that technology could not replace, particularly the experiences travellers enjoy with local guides and fellow passengers on guided tours.

Meanwhile, Goldman Travel Group joint managing director and ATMC chair David Goldman revealed the company had already integrated enterprise AI across its middle- and back-office functions.

However, he questioned whether travellers would trust an algorithm over an experienced professional with firsthand product knowledge.

Quoting Virtuoso’s Matthew Upchurch, Goldman advocated automating predictable tasks to allow travel professionals to focus on personal service.

AI to transform 71 per cent of businesses?

Flight Centre Travel Group global leisure CEO James Kavanagh delivered perhaps the starkest warning, suggesting AI could disrupt the industry twice as quickly as the internet.

Citing research, Kavanagh said that while 41 per cent of businesses had been transformed by the internet, AI was expected to transform 71 per cent in half the time.

“I do think that our industry is going to change, and it’s going to change rapidly,” he said.

“And knowledge work is the one that’s going to be disrupted the most.”

Kavanagh urged businesses to examine their entire customer journey and consider what would happen if AI eliminated part of their existing operations.

“Imagine a slice of that value chain disappeared overnight. How would you react? How would you respond?”