HBX Group: AI adoption grows, scaling remains a hurdle

65% use AI; scaling still lags

HBX Group has published The State of AI in B2B Travel Distribution, an intelligence report based on a proprietary survey of its global client base — retail travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers. The findings portray a sector that has embraced AI yet is struggling to move beyond pilots. According to the study, 65% of respondents are already using AI in some form. More than half (55%) view the technology as critical or very important to their future success, while 64% say it is already having a positive impact on their day-to-day work.

Usage remains targeted for now. In many cases, AI is speeding up content creation or supporting customer interactions rather than being fully embedded into operations. The report highlights a gap between experimentation and genuine reliance on the tools. The technology is available; the difficulty lies in integrating it effectively into workflows to create tangible value.

The challenge: adoption at scale

HBX Group argues the task now is to anchor AI in daily processes and build teams’ confidence to use it. The next gains are expected to come from advanced, operational use cases that can automate processing chains and optimise high‑volume tasks. For travel distributors, that could mean shorter handling times, more personalised responses and fewer errors.

Achieving scale will require overcoming the human and organisational barriers flagged in the report. A lack of training and support is identified as the top obstacle (26% of respondents), ahead of low trust in the tools (20%) and the difficulty of integrating them with existing systems (14%).

“The barriers we are seeing — particularly around trust, training and usability — point to a broader shift in where the challenge now sits,” said Javier Cabrerizo, chief strategy, transformation & AI officer at HBX Group. “This is no longer about access to AI. The technology is already available and evolving rapidly. The real challenge is adoption at scale: prioritising where value lies, embedding AI into day-to-day workflows, and building the confidence to use it effectively.”

HBX Group operates a global B2B marketplace through brands including Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, The Luxurist, Roiback and Civitfun. The company is present in more than 170 countries and employs more than 3,500 people worldwide.