Speed, easy payments, AI chatbots: What UAE travellers want in 2025

Dubai: Artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, speed, ease of payments, flexibility, and autonomy underpin the needs of UAE travellers in 2025, according to a recent report from Ayden.

The Dutch payment company, which surveyed over 81,000 businesses and 47,000 consumers across 27 countries for this report, found that hotel guests expect a smooth experience from booking to checkout.

“Checkout needs to be fast and payments effortless, whether they pay with a digital wallet or local currency. Many guests also prefer to check in and check out by themselves,” read the report.

To meet these expectations, hospitality businesses should invest in digital payments, multi-currency pricing, and self-service tools, it recommends.

Faster payments

Payments need to get faster. The report stated that 34 per cent of the surveyed guests want to complete their booking and pay quickly and easily.
According to Lennert de Jong, the CEO of Citizen M – a hotel chain known for its tech-forward and affordable luxury concept, targeting ‘mobile citizens’ who value convenience and design, payment technology already tremendously helps the guest experience if you do it the right way.

He said, “A lot of hotels think about payments as an afterthought; it’s just something that you do at the end. But if you think about all the possibilities that you get with either modern payment terminals or using a centralised technology stack. It is about guest recognition; it’s about making sure that people can safely pay with an alternative payment method upfront before they arrive at the hotel.”

Moreover, payments are present throughout a holiday, so it is vital to get the experience right, according to the report.

“While older generations prioritise familiar payment methods, younger travellers prefer digital wallets, buy now, pay later (BNPL), and app-based options. When it comes to cash, some travellers prefer not to carry it while on their trip. In response, hospitality businesses should offer flexible, multi-currency pricing and support for digital payment methods,” the report said.

Business travellers want speed

“If you are a frequent or business traveller, you don’t need an elaborate welcome or detailed explanation of the facilities. You want to check in and out as fast as possible. So, it’s no surprise that self-service is a top priority for guests in 2025. Coincidentally, over half of hospitality businesses already offer self-service options,” the report said.

About 41 per cent of the customers want travel companies to invest in self-check-in and check-out kiosks, it said. Moreover, Gen X is the generation that’s most likely to want to self-check in. “This could be because 45 to 60 is the average age of senior business executives - a group likely to travel for work and value efficiency over high-touch service,” it said.

AI travel assistants have entered the chat

AI is reshaping travel, from planning to in-trip support. Speed and simplicity are making guests turn to AI for inspiration and planning. Meanwhile, hospitality businesses are embracing AI to streamline operations and enhance personalisation with virtual assistants and chatbots.

A total of 68 per cent of hotel consumers said they have used an AI assistant for travel-related decisions, and 5 per cent of the guests who haven’t used AI assistants yet say they don’t trust it.

“Overall, the adoption of AI assistants in travel is still in its early stages. Younger generations are more likely to use AI assistants, signalling growing reliance on AI amongst this demographic. For older generations, trust is still an issue,” it read.  

Moreover, hospitality businesses are also investing heavily in AI. Fifty per cent of enterprises believe that AI-powered personalisation will shape the industry in 2025.