Spain records higher adoption of Artificial Intelligence – AI in vacation planning than the European average, according to the 2025 Europ Assistance-Ipsos barometer.

The study finds that 20% of Spanish travelers have used AI-based tools to organize or book their holidays, compared with 16% across Europe.

The research highlights Spain as one of the leading countries in integrating digital tools into travel planning. AI applications are most commonly used for accommodation searches, destination information, and itinerary planning, indicating a shift in how tourists prepare for trips.

Growing Use of AI in Travel

According to the survey, 48% of Spanish travelers using AI rely on it for accommodation recommendations, while 47% use it for information about destinations. Another 37% turn to AI tools for help creating itineraries. The technology is also used for finding activities (33%) and booking platform recommendations (26%).

Looking ahead, the interest in AI continues to grow. The report shows that 26% of Spanish respondents plan to use AI in future travel planning, compared with 21% of Europeans overall. However, 39% of Spanish participants remain undecided about whether they will adopt such tools.

Comparison with European Trends

The survey indicates that Spanish travelers are more proactive than the European average in experimenting with AI for holidays. While adoption is not yet universal, Spain’s figures consistently exceed continental averages, underscoring the country’s readiness to embrace new technologies in tourism.

In Europe as a whole, AI is beginning to make inroads into vacation planning but at a slower pace. The 2025 Europ Assistance-Ipsos barometer suggests that cultural attitudes and awareness of technological solutions may play a role in shaping adoption levels across different countries.

Changing Travel Behaviors

The findings suggest a gradual transformation in how trips are organized. Traditional methods such as guidebooks and personal recommendations are being complemented—and in some cases replaced—by AI-driven suggestions. From streamlining searches for accommodation to tailoring activity options, digital tools are expanding their influence on the traveler experience.

While Spain shows higher-than-average adoption rates, the survey also reflects caution. A significant portion of travelers remain unsure about whether they will use AI in the future, highlighting that trust, familiarity, and data privacy considerations continue to influence behavior.

The Europ Assistance-Ipsos barometer confirms that Spain is emerging as a frontrunner in adopting AI for travel planning, reflecting both a strong appetite for digital solutions and an evolving approach to how holidays are designed and booked.

Photo Credit: ProStockStudio / Shutterstock.com

Listen and subscribe to Financial Freestyle on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Tristan Thompson is well-recognized for his career in the NBA, having played for teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics, and the Los Angeles Lakers, to name a few. He was even part of the team that earned an NBA championship in 2016. But while Thompson’s basketball reputation precedes him, off the court, he’s focusing on his various entrepreneurial ventures.

When asked by Yahoo Finance’s Financial Freestyle podcast host Ross Mac if he would invest his final dollar in artificial intelligence or the blockchain, Thompson picked the industry that’s already projected to be worth $3.6 trillion by 2034.

“You see what Mark Zuckerberg’s paying for all these AI gurus? So I might go AI,” he said (see the full episode above; listen below).

Thompson has already made AI one of his entrepreneurial ventures with the launch of TracyAI, an artificial intelligence that’s meant to offer real-time NBA analysis and predictive insights.

“Imagine a sports analyst or commentator on steroids,” he explained to Mac. “What I mean by that is having all the high-level analytics that you cannot get from NBA.com and ESPN … the analytics are coming from the professional teams. We have certain data and access to certain companies that only professional sports teams have access to. And I was able to pull that data with my resources and put it into the AI agent.”

Thompson saw the venture as “low-hanging fruit,” as it was one of the few areas he hadn’t yet noticed artificial intelligence being worked into. Though AI is slowly finding its way into the sports industry, TracyAI offers basketball fans access to statistics and projections they may not have had through the typical channels, creating a unique fan experience.

Though Thompson admitted AI has created some of its own controversies, it’s a venture where he’s ready to invest some of his financial resources to capitalize on the industry’s projected rapid growth.

“For me, it’s like, if [AI is] covering so many sectors, how come it hasn’t got into sports?” Thompson said. “This is an opportunity where I can be a visionary and a pioneer … I’ve always had this grind, build-up mentality, so it just migrated easily into Web3. If you look at Daryl Morey, he said he used AI agents to curate his Sixers roster … that just shows you that’s the first domino effect into something great.”