#32 - 2026 AI Predictions: Agentic Commerce & Political Disruption
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In part 3 of our 2026 predictions series, we tackle the two biggest disruptors facing tourism: agentic commerce and AI politics.
McKinsey predicts AI will drive 46% of transactions by 2030. Peter thinks that number's low. We discuss why OTAs are positioning aggressively while DMOs risk becoming just data indexes for AI agents, how the customer relationship is shifting from B2C to B2A2C, and what operators must do NOW to avoid OTA 2.0.
Then we explore AI politics: how regulations like the EU AI Act will shape what tourism businesses can actually do, why early engagement with policymakers matters, and how the industry can avoid getting caught unprepared.
Chapter Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro: The Meaty Topics
01:12 – Agentic Commerce: Higher Than Predicted?
03:26 – OTA 2.0 or Disruption Opportunity?
08:15 – Customer Relationships in an Agent World
19:45 – AI Politics & Regulation
30:51 – Buy Local, Think Global
32:29 – What We're Most Excited About
35:29 – How to Get Started
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fsH...
Read the full blog: https://tourismainetwork.com/ai-trend...
#AIinTourism #AgenticCommerce #DMO #DestinationMarketing #TravelTech #AIRegulation #TourismAI
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