Mobile app investment and integration across travel booking and payment platforms has slowed in the last year as operators increasingly turn attention to AI to drive customer engagement and spend. Mobile apps are now being integrated by just seven per cent of operators, down from nearly a third – 30 per cent – in 2025.
Whilst many travel operators have mobile apps in place, AI looks set to divert the sector’s focus towards driving Agentic AI bookings and building AI-native platforms. Research from the TravelTech Show’s annual travel operator and buyer survey also reveals 12 per cent growth in AI investment across the sector. 64 per cent of travel operators plan to increase AI investment in the next 12 months – up from 52 per cent in 2025 – in the hope it will improve customer experience, increase loyalty and booking conversions and cut costs.
In addition, multiple payment options and virtual credit cards integrations have also increased as customer demand for greater choice and flexibility also rises.
When asked which booking and payment tools they have integrated into their platform, answers over the last two years are as follows:
Transaction fees pose the biggest challenge
The survey also highlighted some of the challenges operators face across booking and payment platforms. In particular:
High transaction fees – 21%
Integration complexity – 17%
User experience limitations – 9%
AI set for promotion from booking assistant to booking manager
Despite these challenges, a quarter are planning to invest in booking and reservation systems to enhance the booking process over the next year. Nearly half – 43 per cent – are currently using AI technology as a booking assistant. Likewise, when asked where they want AI to have the biggest impact on their business in the next one to two years, nearly a fifth – 18 per cent – said booking conversion rates.
Commenting on the results TravelTech Show sales manager Thauan (Ty) Albuquerque said: “As AI and GEO-search continues to bear influence across customer browsing and booking journeys, it will be interesting to see how it also influences the future landscape of apps and mobile booking integration across the travel sector. Operators need to strike the balance between more unified systems and rapidly evolving customer behaviours. Proving how and where they add value in the customer booking journey will be essential if apps are to keep pace with advancing AI solutions.”
James Lemon, Stripe Global Industry Lead – Hospitality, Travel & Leisure and speaker at this year’s TravelTech Show, adds: “2026 has seen an explosion of innovation across the travel ecosystem, fuelled by financial services, payment technology and AI. Travellers are changing the way they discover, search, book and pay for travel, and the industry is preparing for agentic commerce playing out across new AI channels.
“Behind the scenes, it’s an equally exciting time for payouts. Virtual cards are becoming more sophisticated and programmable, while innovative treasury tools and stablecoins are giving companies new ways to manage money digitally. Over the next few years, these will complement virtual cards in meaningful ways that are better for travellers, better for intermediaries, and better for suppliers. The most innovative travel companies are already moving fast to understand and adopt these software-first approaches to payments and money management.”
This year’s TravelTech Show conference programme includes several sessions focused on booking and payment solutions and strategies:
From browsers to bookers: How travel brands turn intent into conversions
The payments revolution in travel
Tech huddle: Transforming your end-to-end bookings experience with seamless payments
TravelTech Show is Europe’s only travel technology marketplace, built for business. It takes place 24-25 June 2026 at Excel London. Registration is open now and free to attend for travel technology specialists involved in or responsible for the technology within their travel business and consultants who help travel businesses select technology solutions.
To find out more please visit: traveltech-show.com
103 travel company representatives took part in the survey in April 2026.
