Booking Holdings spends nearly $9 billion a year to reach travelers. Its CFO, Ewout Steenbergen, says AI is changing how people plan trips — and the biggest impact may happen before a traveler ever checks into a hotel or boards a plane.
Steenbergen is EVP and CFO of Booking Holdings, which owns and operates major online travel brands including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, OpenTable, and Rentalcars.com. The company ranks No. 169 on the Fortune 500.
Booking Holdings CFO Explains AI Trip Planning at Fortune AIQ Summit
At the Fortune AIQ Summit on Oct. 1, Steenbergen described a future in which AI makes travel planning more seamless, personalized, and proactive. The discussion focused on how AI can support travelers throughout the planning process, not just at the booking stage.
According to the original story, Steenbergen's vision includes AI that can suggest an indoor visit to the Louvre when rain threatens a Paris itinerary. It could also automatically move a restaurant reservation after a delayed flight, or recommend an activity based on a traveler's preferences and open time.
What AI Changes for Travelers Before the Trip Starts
The key point is that AI's role goes beyond a better chatbot. The impact starts earlier — during trip planning — when travelers are deciding what to do, where to eat, and how to adjust when plans change.
- AI can suggest indoor activities when weather disrupts outdoor plans, such as visiting the Louvre during rain in Paris.
- AI can automatically move a restaurant reservation after a flight delay.
- AI can recommend activities based on a traveler's preferences and available time.
Booking Holdings spends nearly $9 billion a year to reach travelers. That scale shows how much the company invests in connecting with people who are planning trips. Steenbergen's comments suggest AI is becoming central to how that connection works.
Our Take: Why This Matters for Travelers and the Travel Industry
To put it plainly, this news matters because it signals a shift in how travel companies will compete. Instead of only helping travelers book a flight or hotel, Booking Holdings wants AI to help manage the entire trip — before, during, and after booking.
In our view, the most useful part of Steenbergen's vision is the proactive element. A traveler does not want to manually fix a restaurant reservation after a flight delay. If AI can handle that automatically, it saves time and reduces stress. That is a real benefit, not just a marketing line.
At the same time, readers should watch how well these ideas work in practice. AI suggestions are only helpful if they are accurate and easy to use. The promise of a more seamless trip depends on execution, not just the vision described at the Fortune AIQ Summit.
For travelers, the takeaway is simple: trip planning may become more automated and personalized. For the travel industry, the message is that AI is no longer a side feature — it is becoming part of the core experience.
