Sabre poll at ITB Berlin shows trends in AI, personalisation, distribution and sustainability

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Sabre Corporation shared insights from a live audience poll conducted during an mainstage session at ITB Berlin. The  session, led by Scott Wilson, President of Sabre Hospitality, was titled “Myth and-Reality: Navigating  Change in travel and technology” and explored four key statements about digitalization, artificial  intelligence (AI), and innovation in travel retailing. The results provided a clear snapshot of industry  sentiment on some of the most pressing topics shaping travel today.

Participants were asked to vote on the following four topics:

1. The role of intermediaries in travel distribution. – 72% of the audience agreed that both direct  and indirect distribution are necessary, underscoring the continued relevance of intermediaries  in the travel ecosystem. Wilson pointed out that the travel industry is only getting more complex. Airlines are expanding their offerings, low-cost carriers are growing while often  remaining outside traditional booking channels, and travelers aren’t just booking flights – they  need hotels, activities, and more to complete their journey. Travelers often don’t want to deal  with this complexity; they want simplicity, convenience, and confidence in their choices. Yet, the  industry isn’t delivering on that promise. A 2024 Expedia study found that travelers check up to  277 pages before booking¹ – clear evidence of a trust gap. Wilson emphasized that the answer  isn’t to force travelers into direct-only channels but to deliver smarter, more relevant choices  wherever they prefer to book. He noted that a modern omnichannel approach is often essential,  ensuring that travelers can book where and how they want while maintaining consistency and  quality across all platforms.
2. The effectiveness of personalization in travel. – The audience was nearly split on this topic, with  49% agreeing that the industry still struggles to deliver personalization at scale, while 51%  disagreed. Wilson explained that while broad segmentation works well for general targeting, it  can lack depth, not accounting for individual preferences, context, or real-time intent. He stated  that consumers are still waiting for truly personalized digital experiences that dynamically adapt  to their needs. Even digitally native sectors like online shopping and video streaming, while  highly effective at surfacing content based on past user behavior, can struggle to anticipate  subtle changes in user intent, often reinforcing filter bubbles rather than broadening choices.  Travel has an opportunity to get retailing and personalization right by learning from other  industries and delivering relevance instead of volume. Wilson emphasized that he believes AI  presents a massive opportunity in this space: By investing in AI-driven retailing now, he stated  that travel brands can move past traditional segmentation models and redefine personalized,  predictive travel planning.
3. The urgency of AI adoption. – 65% of attendees agreed that companies failing to embrace AI  will lose their competitive edge within three years, underscoring the industry’s recognition of  AI’s growing influence. Wilson emphasized that technology adoption is accelerating at an  unprecedented pace, and AI is no exception. Historically, each new wave of technology has  generally been adopted faster than the last, it took the telephone 35 years to reach mass  adoption, whereas smartphones achieved it in just five. He stated that AI is set to follow an even  steeper trajectory. With cloud computing and vast amounts of data already in place, he noted  that businesses can integrate AI without needing to rebuild their entire tech ecosystem. Wilson  highlighted that AI is already delivering value in two key areas, visible to the consumer, for  instance through digital agents and improving personalization, and behind the scenes,  optimizing operations, logistics, and automation. The availability of pre-built AI models and APIs  further lowers the barrier to entry, allowing companies to deploy AI solutions faster than ever  before. He pointed out that experts project the global AI market will reach $1.8 trillion by 2030,  making it a fundamental economic driver. However, he noted AI’s rapid expansion also brings  challenges—its increasing use is expected to drive a 165% increase in data center power  demand by the end of the decade², reshaping infrastructure needs across industries. Wilson  concluded by noting that travel companies don’t have to build everything from scratch, partnering with an experienced technology provider, like Sabre, allows them to fast-track AI  adoption and stay competitive in an increasingly intelligent marketplace.
4. The gap between sustainability expectations and consumer behavior. – A striking 90% of  participants responded that they believe that while travelers express interest in sustainability,  they are ultimately unwilling to pay more for it. Wilson pointed out that there appears to be a  massive ‘say-do’ gap when it comes to sustainability. While three-quarters of travelers claim  they want to be more sustainable, price remains their top priority. Half of travelers say  sustainability influences their choices, yet only 6 to 13% actually factor it into their bookings.³ When sustainability requires extra cost or effort, it appears that most consumers default to  convenience. Wilson emphasized that people don’t need more choices, they need better ones.  He stated that sustainability works best when it is seamlessly built into the travel experience  rather than presented as an extra decision. He noted that changing consumer behavior isn’t  about persuading travelers; it’s about designing a journey where the sustainable option feels  like the most natural and obvious choice. The bottom line, according to Wilson, is that  sustainability should not be an afterthought, it should instead be integrated into the core of  retailing and distribution, ensuring that travelers don’t have to actively seek out the sustainable  option, but rather encounter it as the default, intuitive choice.

“The results paint a clear picture of where the industry stands,” said Wilson. “The ITB’s expert  audience vote confirms that intermediaries continue to play a vital role in simplifying travel  complexity, but there is still work to be done in building traveler trust. Personalization remains an  industry challenge, as companies struggle to move beyond broad segmentation toward truly  dynamic and relevant experiences. AI is no longer an option but a necessity, with its rapid adoption  shaping the competitive landscape in travel. Finally, the say-do gap in sustainability is undeniable –price remains the primary driver for travelers. The industry should embed sustainability into the  experience rather than offering it as an extra choice if we want real behavioral change.”

The audience poll results reflect ongoing industry debates about the pace and impact of  technological change in travel. With AI taking center stage, personalization facing challenges, and  sustainability remaining a complex issue, companies must navigate these evolving trends carefully  to stay ahead.

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