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Harvard Business Review’s latest research on how people are using AI this year has revealed that planning travel has become one of the top 25 uses—and it wasn’t even on the list a year ago.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram outlined the shifting tech landscape at TRENZ 2025 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

“Something that is very clear is that the global tourism landscape is evolving,” she said.

“In just five years, how a visitor plans, books and travels through New Zealand will look entirely different.”

Ingram said Gen Z and Millennials had distinct values and expectations, and technology was continually making travel more seamless, personalised, and efficient.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) Chief Executive, Rebecca Ingram.

That’s where the Harvard Business Review’s latest research came in.

“It seems that while we’re creating action figures of ourselves for LinkedIn we’re also asking ‘what’s good to do in Rotorua?’” Ingram observed.

“Beyond New Zealand, the goalposts are shifting, and so are the opportunities. Last month’s tariff announcements immediately affected travel patterns, with ripple effects yet to be seen in New Zealand.

“In this context of ‘anything’s possible’, connections and relationships matter more than ever.”

To evolve with changing times, New Zealand put its industry strategy—Tourism 2050: A Blueprint for Impact—into action last year. Ingram said TIA was “actively tracking our progress, with the majority of our stated outcomes and targets being met or on track.

“When we talk about the future of our industry, one word keeps coming up for me – nimble.

Nimble will mean something different to each of us. As an industry, we have a long history of being nimble, leading in innovation, and moving quickly.

“A nimble industry isn’t just fast. It’s smart. It’s focused. And it’s ready for what’s next. A nimble tourism industry is proactive, not reactive. It’s constantly reading the horizon, picking up on trends and signals, and adapting before change is forced upon us.

“Nimbleness doesn’t mean going it alone. Just as our theme for TRENZ this year states it is about Tūhonoa te Tāngata – Connecting People. How through kōrero [discussion] we engage, connect and strengthen our relationships. It is about collaborating. We know that we’re stronger when we work across regions, sectors, and cultures – especially with mana whenua [indigenous Māori people] and local communities.”

“In the end, nimbleness isn’t just about speed. It’s about readiness. Our superpower is our connectedness. New Zealand’s tourism industry might be small in scale, but we consistently make a splash on a world stage because we are a nimble and connected. Together we create a tourism experience for visitors like no other.”