Six in 10 Indian travellers trust people over AI for travel decisions: Qlik survey

Indian travellers are increasingly using digital tools to plan trips, but when it comes to making confident choices, trust in people outweighs reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new survey from Qlik.

The study, conducted across Singapore, Japan, Australia and India, shows a clear shift in the Indian market: travellers prioritise service and reliability above bargains and automation. Nearly half of respondents (46%) say quality service is their top priority, compared with 37% who place deals first. Another 46% cite time-saving tools as most valuable, highlighting demand for personalised support rather than generic efficiency.

“Indian travellers are clear: they’ll use AI to plan smarter, but final trust rests with people,” said Maurizio Garavello, SVP, Asia Pacific at Qlik. “For travel providers, the lesson is simple deliver transparency, respect data boundaries, and combine AI with dependable service. That’s how you win trust and loyalty in a market as dynamic as India.”

Key findings from India

• Trust first: 41% of Indian travellers trust people more than AI when making travel decisions, while only 26% say AI is more trustworthy.
• Service over deals: 46% value better service most, compared with 37% who prioritise discounts.
• Selective data sharing: 52% are comfortable sharing budget details, but just 30% would share live location data.
• Control matters: Flight rebooking by AI ranks lowest in preference, signalling travellers desire to remain in charge of their itineraries.

India vs. the region While Indian travellers emphasise human trust and service, respondents in Australia, Japan and Singapore lean more toward financial incentives like discounts and upgrades. The contrast points to India’s unique travel culture, where personalisation and reliability carry greater weight than price alone.

Why it matters India’s travel ecosystem is digitising rapidly from biometric passports to metro and bus ticketing pilots, but fragmented systems still create barriers to seamless journeys. Connecting data in real time and ensuring AI systems are transparent and responsible will be key to building traveller confidence.

“The future of travel in India isn’t about replacing people with technology,” Maurizio added. “It’s about using AI responsibly to enhance planning while ensuring travellers feel supported, protected and in control.”