AI in Tourism in Russia: One in Three Already Trusts Neural Networks to Plan Trips

According to the same study, one in three Russians (30%) has already used artificial intelligence in one way or another when preparing a trip, and one in ten calls AI their постоянный assistant. Within this group, 9% use neural networks regularly, and another 13% turn to them occasionally — to find attractions, restaurants, and entertainment. About 10% are taking a closer look at AI’s capabilities but double-check all advice, while around a quarter of Russians (26%) are not yet ready to entrust vacation planning to a “machine.”

Middle-aged travelers are especially actively involved in using AI. Among users of neural networks for trip planning, Russians aged 35–44 dominate — they account for 40% of traffic, followed by tourists aged 25–34 (25%) and 45–54 (20%). At the same time, men use AI tools noticeably more actively: they account for 64% of traffic to тематические resources.

The main AI use cases in tourism are leisure planning and searching for excursions and restaurants (17%), creating a detailed itinerary (15%), and finding ideas for a trip (14%). Less often, people use neural networks to look for accommodation and compile lists of necessary items (10% each), while another 8% use AI to budget a trip.

According to Ostrovok, about half of Russian tourists are interested in trips that allow them to attend a concert by their favorite artist or a festival: 25% already have such experience, and another 23% would like to try or have already planned such a trip. At the same time, 10% of respondents do this regularly — cultural events have become the key reason they travel.

Negative experiences are rare: only 5% of respondents who used AI were dissatisfied with the answers provided by neural networks.

The impact of artificial intelligence on regional tourism is becoming increasingly tangible. The Republic of Tuva has launched a digital assistant for visitors on its tourism portal. The service is powered by the GigaChat neural network and helps tourists navigate Tuvan culture, geography, and logistics, suggests routes and places to stay, and answers questions about attractions and национальная cuisine.

Yakutia became one of the first regions to внедривших an AI-based tourism chatbot in the “Maks” messenger. The service provides tourists with quick access to reliable information about the region’s tourism potential, enables them to receive recommendations, learn about routes, events, and tourism products. “Today’s tourist wants to receive information quickly, conveniently, and in a personalized format. The launch of an AI chat is one of the steps toward digitizing Yakutia’s tourism industry,” noted Alexander Yermolaev, head of the republic’s Agency for Tourism Development and Territorial Marketing.

In Krasnodar Krai, services for generating туристические routes using artificial intelligence technologies were developed at a hackathon. The “KudyTudy” platform creates personalized routes, while the web project “KraiTur” offers tourists ready-made solutions for traveling around the region. At SPIEF-2026, Avalin, Sberbank’s South-Western Bank, and the administration of Krasnodar Krai signed an agreement to create an interactive agritourism platform using AI.

Russian hoteliers are also actively внедряют AI solutions. More than 50% of accommodation facilities already use artificial intelligence tools in their operations, though most are still limited to testing individual solutions. The provider Cloud.ru and the AI developer Raft launched the “AI Concierge” service: application results showed that the average guest response time decreases from 5–10 minutes to 10–20 seconds, and the guest satisfaction level reaches 90%. SberDevices, Sber, and Cosmos Hotel Group agreed to develop smart hotels with voice control — guests will be able to управлять the room by voice, adjust lighting and climate, and receive hotel information via voice queries to the AI concierge.

Thus, the use of AI in tourism in Russia has moved from a niche segment to a mass one. The technology is becoming one of the key drivers of industry development, changing the economies of regions and shaping new demands on infrastructure.

New challenges lie ahead. At the “Travel!” forum held from June 10 to 14, 2026, at VDNH in Moscow, experts discussed the transition from an economy of experiences to an economy of algorithms, where artificial intelligence constructs routes and transforms the industry. A key condition for success remains the harmonious integration of AI into the tourism environment while preserving live human experience and local specifics.

But the main thing has already happened: one in three Russians is ready to entrust travel planning to a neural network — and this is changing the country’s tourism map. The use of AI in tourism is not just a trend of 2026. It is the new reality of Russian tourism.

Author: PhD in Economics, Associate Professor, Department of World Economy and World Finance, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation Daria Yuryevna Rozhkova.