As we approach 2025, Ana Vergara, Vice President of Client Solutions at Teleperformance, outlines her predictions for how advanced AI tools will reshape the customer experience (CX) landscape in the travel and hospitality space.
Incremental AI Enhancements in CX
Vergara highlights that travel and hospitality brands are often enthusiastic early adopters of advanced AI tools. In 2025, she anticipates a continuation of this trend, with a shift towards incremental AI integrations rather than singular transformative moments. 
Instead of a dramatic overhaul, brands are expected to implement a series of smaller AI enhancements to refine customer experiences. These tools will work behind the scenes to optimize frontline operations and strengthen the integration between front-office and back-office processes.
“Advanced AI won’t be a silver bullet for CX,” says Vergara, “but a series of strategic implementations that collectively empower teams to deliver more personalized and empathic customer care.”
AI-Powered Training: The Next Frontier in Workforce Development
One of the standout predictions from Vergara is the growing use of AI-powered training and coaching tools. These scalable platforms simulate interactions with virtual customers, enabling CX teams to gain practical experience in a risk-free environment.
Vergara emphasizes the benefits of this approach: cost-effective skill development, instant feedback, and continuous refinement of techniques. Such tools have the potential to revolutionize employee training, particularly in an industry where high turnover and seasonal demand create unique staffing challenges.
“By allowing CX experts to role-play with virtual customers,” Vergara explains, “these tools build confidence and competence before agents engage in real-world interactions. It’s a scalable solution that addresses both cost and quality.”
Strengthening CEM Partnerships
As AI integration deepens, Vergara predicts an expansion of partnerships between travel and hospitality brands and customer experience management (CEM) providers. These collaborations will be driven by two key factors: overcoming internal staffing constraints and leveraging the AI-driven data analytics expertise of CEM providers.
According to Vergara, these partnerships will enable brands to harness advanced real-time data insights. This capability is critical for anticipating customer needs, accelerating service delivery, and improving the accuracy and quality of support.
“By partnering with CEM providers, brands can tap into specialized expertise and technologies that might otherwise be out of reach,” says Vergara. “This not only enhances CX but also informs product development with more robust insights.”
Data-Driven Personalization and Empathy
The use of AI-powered tools to personalize customer interactions is not new, but Vergara expects this trend to gain even more traction in 2025. AI will play a pivotal role in analyzing vast amounts of customer data to deliver highly personalized experiences. However, she emphasizes that personalization must be paired with empathy to truly resonate with customers.
“Technology alone is not enough,” Vergara notes. “Empathic customer care remains a critical differentiator in the travel and hospitality industry. AI tools should empower teams to connect with customers on a human level, ensuring that automation enhances rather than detracts from the experience.”
Competitive Advantages Through AI
For travel and hospitality brands, the stakes are high in a competitive market where customer expectations are continuously evolving. Vergara believes that AI-powered tools provide a distinct advantage by enabling brands to anticipate customer needs more accurately, streamline operations, and offer faster, higher-quality support.
Brands that successfully integrate these tools will be better positioned to differentiate themselves and build long-term customer loyalty. Additionally, AI-driven insights will help companies refine their products and services, creating a virtuous cycle of improvement.
“AI isn’t just about efficiency,” Vergara asserts. “It’s about creating meaningful experiences that foster loyalty and drive business growth.”
Industry Implications
Vergara’s predictions point to a transformative year for the travel and hospitality industry. The incremental adoption of advanced AI tools will likely lead to more seamless and personalized customer experiences. At the same time, the growing reliance on AI-powered training and CEM partnerships underscores the importance of collaboration and innovation.
However, these advancements also come with challenges. Brands must navigate the ethical considerations of AI use, ensure data privacy and security, and avoid over-reliance on automation at the expense of human touch. Striking the right balance will be critical to realizing the full potential of AI in CX.
Looking Ahead
As 2025 approaches, the travel and hospitality industry stands at the forefront of CX innovation. Ana Vergara’s insights provide a compelling roadmap for how brands can harness AI to enhance customer interactions and stay ahead in a competitive market.
For industry stakeholders, the message is clear: AI is not a distant future but an immediate opportunity. By embracing these technologies thoughtfully and strategically, travel and hospitality brands can deliver exceptional experiences that meet and exceed customer expectations.
Vergara’s predictions underscore the transformative power of AI—but also the need for a human-centered approach. As she aptly concludes, “Technology can empower us, but it’s empathy that truly elevates the customer experience.”
Photo by Sasha Kaunas on Unsplash
