Tour operators are reporting sharp falls in bookings through Tripadvisor’s (NASDAQ:TRIP) Viator and GetYourGuide even as their overall sales grow, PhocusWire reported on October 21.
The operators link the shift to travellers using AI chatbots to find and book suppliers directly, a pattern already visible in Spain, where one operator reported a 400% jump in AI-drafted tour requests. Phocuswright research puts AI use among US leisure travellers at 56% and among travellers in the UK, France and Germany at 35%-40%. GetYourGuide estimates about half its customers start trip research with a chatbot, and the same pressure is pushing hotel software firms such as Cloudbeds to route AI agent bookings straight to properties.
Málaga operator Peter Fischer Flórez said his Viator bookings fell by almost 35% year-on-year while his total sales rose about 20%, with more customers booking direct. He has not changed his listings or prices, and has invested in search and generative engine optimisation while fielding more enquiries over WhatsApp.
Andrew Lamb, founder of Wales Outdoors, said GetYourGuide sales dipped over the summer before September became his best month on record. He turned down Viator’s offer of extra visibility in return for raising his commission from 25% to 30%.
Viator spokesperson Duncan Skehens said organic rankings weigh relevance, competitiveness and traveller popularity and are “not based on revenue”, adding that operators move up and down the rankings frequently. GetYourGuide vice-president of supply and sales Benedikt Berlemann said its rankings draw on demand, sales, feedback and experience quality. “We are not picking favorites,” he said, citing growth of about 27% in the first half of 2026.
A GetYourGuide survey of 505 suppliers found 19% actively use AI, 33% are testing it and 20% are researching it. Its research also found experiences with 15 reviews generated 10 times as many bookings as those with none.
Viator is building AI distribution deals, and in July became Google’s first connected app for travel experiences in Gemini. Lamb has set up Tour Wales, a directory of about 350 tourism businesses that charges a £25 annual listing fee instead of booking commission.
