Expedia CEO Ariane Gorin said Thursday that AI agents have yet to alter customers’ booking decisions, as the company works to appear in AI-powered travel results.
In an interview with CNBC, Gorin said the tools may help travelers find inspiration and plan trips. Expedia is examining how AI systems retrieve travel information and developing integrations that could place the company in their results, she said. Gorin also said the tools could eventually offer travel services of their own and compete for bookings.
Gorin said AI could make it easier to compare travel options, since people already shop across multiple places. She said travelers still need dependable trip information and access to someone who can answer or resolve a problem. Those needs, she argued, give customers reasons to turn to Expedia when making a booking.
The company forecast fourth-quarter revenue of $3.69 billion to $3.75 billion. The range midpoint is $3.72 billion, below FactSet’s $3.74 billion analyst estimate. CNBC reported Expedia shares fell about 12% Thursday after the company issued its outlook Wednesday.
To explain the softer fourth-quarter outlook, Gorin cited geopolitical conditions in the Middle East and Europe, the U.S. midterm elections and Expedia’s choice to hold its fall sale in the third quarter rather than the fourth. Expedia’s third-quarter results showed gross bookings up 11% and revenue up 12%.
