Machine Learning Will Never Replace Human Support in the Travel Industry; Here's Why

Over the past decade, people have begun to travel more than ever. International tourist arrivals increased from 897.1 million in 2009 to roughly 1.4 billion in 2019, and those numbers are rapidly picking back up in the post-COVID economy. While the industry is still recovering from pandemic-era losses sustained under strict social distancing and travel restrictions, the pandemic actually accelerated the need for more efficient and intelligent technologies.

When people travel, it generates enormous amounts of data that must be stored and managed at every point of the journey. Since 62 million travel workers lost their jobs during the pandemic, this left travel companies scrambling for effective technological replacements. The sudden, urgent need for travel tech led to the emergence of beneficial machine learning technologies that have been integrated into the travel industry. For example, chatbots, contactless check-in and AI-based luggage tracking have made the customer experience more seamless than ever.

However, it's crucial to remember that travel is not just about tech; it's also about support and empathy. This is why machine learning can never fully replace human support in the travel industry. 

Humans Have One Thing AI Lacks: Empathy

Machine learning algorithms can ease the stressful parts of traveling. From finding the best prices to offering 24/7 online customer support, AI is ideal for handling the tedious tasks that go along with travel.

Despite this ability to automate a substantial portion of the travel experience, there are some needs that technology cannot satisfy. Empathy and human care are two of the most essential parts of trip support, and this is where humans consistently outperform machines.

The pandemic has highlighted the value of empathy and humanity in businesses, particularly in hospitality industries. Between constantly fluctuating travel restrictions and frequent changes and delays in the airline sector, travelers have always had a certain level of difficulty during a trip.

Recently, 71 percent of frequent travelers said that business that showed empathy throughout the pandemic have earned their loyalty. This proves that, while technological innovation is an integral part of providing a great customer experience, it doesn't replace the importance of putting a human face on guest experiences.

Why Empathy Matters So Much in the Travel Industry

Consumer confidence in airlines is slowly rebounding, but it's still relatively low, and complaints are still consistently high. In a comprehensive study covering 15,000 reviews of 12 major airlines on Tripadvisor, TNMT found that, even before the pandemic, communications surrounding flight disruption were still the most significant pain point for travelers. This problem was mentioned in at least 20 percent of reviews, and travelers expressed dissatisfaction with the level of care they received when faced with flight disruptions.

This is where human empathy is essential. It's crucial for the travel industry to remember that, in many cases, travelers are going to destinations with new people, new languages or unfamiliar environments they must adjust to. In addition, there are already stresses about luggage, timetables, trip agendas and disruptions to a person's everyday routines. Statistics show that 89 percent of travelers say it's "enjoyable but stressful and difficult to plan."

This means that most travelers are already under mental and emotional strain. When something goes wrong, regardless of how small, it can cause an intense emotional reaction because travelers are already outside of their comfort zones and stressed to their limits.

Virtual assistants and AI chatbots cannot yet gauge or respond appropriately to the emotional distress of travelers when a problem comes up. While they are well-equipped to find a suitable solution to the problem itself, they are incapable of offering empathy, sympathy, a kind word or a comforting gesture to alleviate tension.

How Experts Are Introducing Empathy to AI

Companies understand that a lack of emotional connection is a serious barrier to advancements in AI applications. In fact, many are working on innovations to make AI more empathetic, collectively called “artificial empathy.” 

For example, companies like ElliQ have built on the traditional voice assistant capabilities of Siri and Alexa to provide personalized, empathy-centered interactions for aging seniors.

Additionally, pioneering developers and programmers are also delving into empathy research to gain a technical understanding of what author Indi Young calls “cognitive empathy,” which is a logical, systematic process that allows humans to uncover an individual’s point of view. Experts like Andrea Goulet believe this is the key to creating truly empathetic AI.

Combining this work with research from Dr. Brene Brown has laid a foundation for companies like Corgibytes and HeartWare to drive the development of human-centered, empathy-driven software to foster a better human-AI connection. 

It would be an amazing future, and it's hard to even imagine how different a world we'll live in would be if this comes true. Until then, all spheres that require empathy and other “human touches” will need people to achieve this. Depending on how well they do it, it seems that empathy will be an expensive luxury.

In the Face of Automation, Empathy is Becoming an Expensive Commodity

The travel industry is a service business, which is something that companies cannot forget. Making emotional connections with travelers, whether they are experiencing problems or not, is a crucial aspect of gaining customer loyalty and improving overall brand positioning in a competitive market.

There is a considerable push toward continued automation across the travel sector. In many ways, this is a positive thing because it can decrease the workload of human staff while making the booking and planning aspects of a trip more manageable for travelers.

However, an increase in technology often means a decrease in the accessibility of a human customer support agent. This makes empathy an increasingly scarce commodity in the travel industry. In fact, many businesses in the travel and hospitality industries are finding that human interaction is quickly becoming a defining marker of luxury travel experiences.