NEWS ear discussions on sustainability, AI, staff recruitment and pricing. Juliet Dennis reports from Asturias, Spain


Endacott: AI will enhance your business, not replace it


S Delegates explore local


fishing villages on one of the excursions around Asturias


Alessandra LoTufo Alonso


pecialist travel firms were told to “test and learn” AI or risk being “like King Canute”. Steve Endacott, chairman of AI start-up Neural River, reassured delegates at this year’s


Aito Overseas Conference in Asturias, Spain, that AI would “not replace core business” but equally stressed it “would not go away”. He said: “Don’t be scared by it. Look at AI and work


out where it fits into your business and adds to your business. If you don’t, you’ll be like King Canute waiting for the tide to wash away. It will not replace business, it will enhance it.” Endacott said AI could increase sales leads and create


efficiencies, and warned: “If competitors use it before you, they will have a better proposition – you can’t ignore it.” But he acknowledged risks, including cyberattacks and


lack of government regulation. Aito travel companies agreed on the need to embrace


AI, but admitted a lack of knowledge and confidence in the technology. Speaking on a panel debate, Bridget Keevil, who owns travel agency Travel Stop, said: “If someone tells me what to do to benefit my business, I’ll do it.” But she insisted it was too early to trust AI with


“business-critical processes”. Susie de Carteret, founder of new Aito operator


member Tasmanian Odyssey, said: “I’m happy to embrace AI to make my business more efficient, but it is quite scary.”


sent communities you serve’


demographic of holidaymakers meant the industry should be looking at its customers in a different way than in the past, she argued. She said: “As an industry, do we


represent everybody who is out there, the communities we serve and the destinations we go to? “By not representing our community


and the people we serve we are losing money. I’m not just making an ethical and moral case for inclusion, I’m making a hard commercial case. It’s not just about people, it’s about which people.”


Steve Endacott She highlighted the impact of AI on customer


behaviour, citing requests for quotes from clients who had used AI to put together “nonsense” itineraries at unrealistic prices. Expert Africa managing director Chris McIntyre said


he saw AI as an “enabler” to do 80% of the “drudgery” and make businesses more efficient. “My tip is learn about it and don’t stick your head in the sand,” he said. The comments came as Aito revealed some early results


of its next consumer insights survey, which showed 60% of customers of Aito companies had not and did not want to use AI when planning holidays while 10% had. The latter figure dropped to 5% for older age groups. The same survey found 95% of customers chose


to book with Aito companies because of the “human elements” such as customer service and expertise.


Operators advised to feel confident about increasing prices


Specialist tour operators have an opportunity to put up prices next year, according to Travel Trade Consultancy director Martin Alcock. Alcock suggested there was scope for


Aito, The Specialist Travel Association members to raise prices based on early feedback from the Aito Insights Survey. The results showed 89% of Aito


members’ customers regarded the last holiday they took with an Aito member as “good” or “excellent” value for money. Alcock urged firms “not to be shy”


about ensuring they covered their costs, adding a recent survey by TTC


travelweekly.co.uk


Martin Alcock


of 100 operators showed evidence of companies successfully increasing prices for next year. He said: “Even with all the Budget


increases, in salaries for example, and the general rate of inflation, there is probably scope for you to increase your [prices] enough to protect your margins.” He cited the demographic of most


Aito customers as the rationale for price rises as most were wealthier and more insulated from Budget measures. “Don’t be shy about making sure you are covering your input costs,” he added.


4 DECEMBER 2025 13


PICTURES: Ik Aldama


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