The latest Holiday Habits 2026-27 report from ABTA shows that 14% of UK adults now rely on AI tools to generate holiday ideas, up from 8% in 2025 and just 4% in 2024. Younger adults aged 25-34 lead this trend, with 29% using AI—a rise of 11 percentage points from the previous year. When including those who encounter AI-generated content through standard web searches, the total reaches 24%, matching the share of people who use social media for holiday planning.
Despite this growth, AI remains a secondary source of inspiration. Recommendations from family and friends remain the top influence, with 42% of respondents citing them as their primary source. General internet searches without AI features follow at 37%, while 35% still depend on travel websites and guidebooks. Traditional brochures have declined slightly to 23%, though travel agents and tour operators maintain steady usage at 21%.
AI has surpassed film and TV shows (13%) and newspapers (11%) as a source of holiday ideas, though many AI tools draw from these media sources when creating suggestions. The report highlights that while AI is gaining traction, it has not replaced traditional methods entirely.
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Booking habits continue to favor professional assistance. In the past year, 38% of UK adults booked overseas holidays through a travel professional, up from 34% the previous year. Convenience factors, such as ease of booking (60%) and time savings (45%), remain key drivers, alongside perceived value for money (44%).
The findings come from a nationally representative survey of 2,082 UK adults conducted between July 21 and August 6, 2026, by The Nursery Research and Planning.