Push and Pull – Humans vs. Technology in Travel & Tourism

The Value of Human Interactions

“U.S. Travel Survey Underscores Business Value of Meetings”

The headline and accompanying article in my Northstar e-news aren’t really breaking news.

The industry has long known and advocated for the value of in-person meetings. During the COVID lockdown, many of us learned just how much we missed and really needed in-person interactions, from one-on-one conversations to large-scale conventions.

But this headline and article raised another consideration, that is, the evolving struggle between opposing forces, namely, human versus artificial, or high touch versus high tech.

The struggle is taking place worldwide, but is especially critical in the travel industry, which depends on human interaction, yet also needs to be innovative and efficient through technology.

As to the first point, U.S. Travel Association survey research found that a majority of business executives believe in the importance of in-person meetings, and among Millennial executives, 73% plan to hold more meetings — a strong indicator for the event industry’s future health.

As a result, U.S. Travel has announced a new campaign to heighten business leaders' perceptions of the value of in-person meetings, supported by the top-line message: "Business runs on relationships — and the strongest ones are built in person." 

The research also found that in-person meetings advance careers by developing stronger networks, forging deeper professional relationships, and accelerating decision-making and strategic alignment.

In-person extends beyond the workplace to include hotel front desks and concierge desks, as well as situations involving non-standard travel, such as amusement parks or national parks.

How does the industry respond to the push-pull between humans and technology?

Value of Technology to the Travel Industry

Many factors have spurred the travel industry to increasingly adopt technology-based applications such as virtual tools and artificial intelligence, shaping where the industry is today and where it is expected to be in the future.

Several articles note the industry’s embrace of technology for reasons including ease of trip planning and booking, easing labor shortages/reducing labor dependence, delivering more personalized experiences to travelers, and better meeting traveler service demand.

Updating systems can scale operations, create seamless digital journeys, and meet rising consumer demands for instant, on-demand convenience. [1, 2, 3] While some of these reasons may be more belief than reality, the industry is turning to technology in hopes of solutions to issues it perceives. 

Key Drivers for Technological Adoption

The articles cited these key drivers for industry – across sectors – to be increasing use of technology.

• Artificial Intelligence and Personalization: AI-powered tools act as digital travel advisors, curating hyper-personalized itineraries, predicting dynamic pricing, and optimizing bookings, and are perceived to increase customer loyalty and create a stronger attachment to the destination or product. [1, 2, 3, 4]

  
  

• Automation and Efficiency: With widespread labor challenges in hospitality, technologies like self-check-in kiosks and automated apps overcome service-counter waiting times and streamline operations. Smart systems also help resolve customer service queries efficiently using chatbots and data analysis. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

  
  

• The "Connected Trip": Frictionless digital and mobile payments allow travelers to seamlessly book upgrades, excursions, and local services on the go. This provides a continuous revenue stream for providers while drastically simplifying trip logistics. [1]

  
  

• Enhanced In-Transit Experience: Technologies like biometric e-gates at airports, embedded passport chips, and 3D bag scanners reduce security queues and waiting times. [1]

• Accessibility and Inclusion: Digital innovation is making travel much more accessible. Augmented Reality (AR) maps and wayfinding apps with audio cues empower travelers with disabilities or neurodivergence to navigate unfamiliar cities. [1]

  
  

Note: Technology is still in its formative development. Some expectations for its enthusiastic embrace have not been borne out in the industry, for the very reasons it is being adopted – to reduce the dependence on human interactions.

Human-delivered hospitality is the hallmark of the travel industry, and most customers still expect and appreciate it. Yet it is costly and may not be the most cost-effective or efficient delivery system for some tourism operations.

The result is the push-pull of humans versus technology. 

Where is This Leading Us?

Amid this push-pull, what becomes of the value proposition of in-person or non-human/tech driven hospitality interactions? 

Another headline is Hilton Shares Findings from Workplace Culture Trends Report, cited by Lodging e-news.

The Hospitality Mindset: A New Blueprint for Culture and Performance for Any Industry found that human-centered factors are the strongest drivers of work productivity and satisfaction, and it challenged assumptions about workplace culture, with workers seeking connection, trust, and belonging in a now hybrid world.

As organizations navigate rapid AI-driven change, work is becoming more transactional, creating new pressure on leaders to build cultures that foster genuine human connection, which, in turn, leads to higher job satisfaction and worker retention. (Ipsos).

“As work becomes more digital and AI reshapes the workplace, people still want the same fundamental things: connection, trust and a sense that they matter,” said Laura Fuentes (in the same article), Hilton’s chief human resources officer… “The companies that create that kind of culture will be the ones that attract talent, retain teams and outperform over time.”

The report introduces five workplace trends expected to shape the next era of leadership and workplace performance:

• Mutual Mentorship: the shift from the established top-down model to sharing and more fluid communication and reporting, where employees are exchanging knowledge across levels rather than receiving it from above. What workers say they value most — guidance, a sense of belonging, feeling recognized — are the same things that keep them engaged and committed. The takeaway: when professional growth feels real and ongoing rather than performative, retention follows.

  
  

• RTO: Return to Opportunity: The issue of where work takes place has obscured the more important question of how they connect. Physical office environments that were formerly mandated are being reinvented as intentional in-person gathering spaces — where ideas are exchanged, trust gets built, culture gets felt, and teams develop the kind of cohesion that remote tools can't replicate. The most successful return strategies are built around moments that matter, not attendance policies.

  
  

• From AI Anxiety to AI Agency: The technology itself isn't the main challenge; rather, it’s how the human experience deals with rapid, uncertain change. Organizations that navigate this well will be the ones that don't just deploy AI but equip their people to direct and engage with it, supported by meaningful training, genuine assistance, and clear messages that employees are steering the transformation, not being replaced by it.

  
  

• Chief Host Officer: The role of a manager is shifting from oversight to cultivation. Workers increasingly want to feel that their leaders are genuinely present and invested in them as people — not just as productive units. The managers who drive the best outcomes are those who treat their teams the way a good host treats guests: with attentiveness, warmth, and the consistent effort to create an environment where people can do their best work.

  
  

• The Meaning Multiplier: Purpose for and from work has moved from a cultural amenity to an essential motivator and base in the workplace. When people understand how their work connects to something beyond the task at hand, and that sense of meaning is reinforced by belonging and real autonomy, performance and resilience follow. Connection and empowerment don't just feel good; their benefits are compounded.

  
  

Implications For Today’s Workforce

The Hilton report notes the high pressure on organizational performance, the expectations of their teams, and those of their customers. As AI and other tools are reshaping roles, org. charts and workloads, leaders must create cultures where people can perform at their best, learn new skills, and benefit from each other.

Hilton’s research shows that workers are prioritizing human experiences and are making career decisions based on how well those needs are being met. 

Other research has shown a direct correlation between worker satisfaction, service delivery, and customer satisfaction. That is, the more satisfied workers are, the more likely they are to better serve customers, leading to higher customer satisfaction, greater financial success, and customer loyalty for the business. 

Hilton’s study shows that change can be accomplished through small, intentional shifts in leadership, such as being present, fostering connection, investing in development/ training, and reinforcing purpose, to support the employment side.

The question becomes: at what point, and to what extent, does technology become an active and integrated part of the operation?  Where does technology replace the human? At which points? With what consequences, both positive and negative?

Travel and tourism organizations are grappling with these very issues now and will continue to do so. It may be a matter of adopting tech, seeing what works where and how, and then revising as needed. 

As with many situations, striking a pragmatic balance between the human-technology push-pull ultimately may be the solution that works best.