How AI is reshaping travel distribution was the key theme at the recent ConX 2026.
Travel industry leaders concluded that the technology has its advantages, as long as it is balanced with human insight and customer understanding, as this is what sets companies apart.
The annual conference, from Travelgate, featured numerous sessions covering how the technology can benefit those in an array of areas across the travel sector when used in tandem with human creativity.
Looking specifically at distribution, AI is being seen as becoming a baseline capability, rather than a differentiator in itself, with the panel coming to the agreement that differentiation is shifting towards content quality, operational excellence, regional expertise and customer experience.
“Overall, the discussion reinforced that AI should be viewed as an enabler of efficiency rather than a substitute for human expertise, with relationships and market knowledge remaining critical success factors,” says Travelgate.
. . . AI Is Core
Across the wider travel eco-system, Henry Briance, senior md at Certares, says AI is now a core factor in virtually every investment decision, accelerating both innovation and consolidation across the sector.
He states that AI long-term potential to improve customer experience and stimulate demand. However, he again emphasised that future differentiation will depend less on technology itself and more on durable advantages such as trust, customer relationships and deep industry expertise.
The Creating Value/Otherness in an AI-Normalised World panel also came to this conclusion. The speakers agreed that companies that succeed will be those that will use AI to enhance their existing strengths rather than replace them.
Uri Levine, founder of driving traffic and navigation app Waze and Moovit, wrapped up the conference by warning against technology-led innovation without clear user value, echoing again that AI and data accelerate execution, but meaningful innovation still depends on solving real human needs.
