(SeaPRwire) – Over 40% of Layla’s 30 million messages begin without a specified destination, indicating a significant change in how trips are planned.
BERLIN, March 17, 2026 — Layla, an AI-driven platform for travel planning, today announced it has facilitated the planning of trips valued at over $1 billion through 30 million travel-related messages. Notably, 40% of users initiated their planning without a traditional destination search, signaling a fundamental shift in travel decision-making processes.
The trend of starting trip planning without a predetermined destination has tripled since 2023, increasing from approximately 12% to over 40% currently. This demonstrates that the conventional “search-and-filter” method is becoming obsolete more rapidly than anticipated.
Instead of focusing on destinations, travelers are increasingly prioritizing their identity and specific requirements: “We are traveling with our two children. One is very interested in animals, and the other dislikes walking for more than ten minutes. Therefore, we are looking for a warm location in February where we can explore nature without complex arrangements.”
Layla’s data also reveals that travel planning has become considerably more dynamic and interconnected. Across the 30 million messages analyzed, Layla observed how flight selections influence hotel choices, how weather checks can lead to destination changes, and how budget adjustments allow for enhanced experiences. In many instances, travelers alter their destination during the planning phase as their preferences become clearer through conversation rather than direct search.
“Traditional travel platforms ask ‘where do you want to go?’ Our data proves that this is increasingly the wrong question for platforms like Expedia, Booking.com, and Google Travel,” stated Saad Saeed, CEO of Layla. “Today’s travelers begin by defining who they are and what they need. The destination then emerges as a result of these constraints, rather than being the initial input. This represents a fundamental structural change within our industry.”
Layla has generated over 2 million trip itineraries, representing a planned trip value exceeding $1 billion. The platform now categorizes more than 1,400 traveler micro-segments—including considerations for accessibility needs, dietary restrictions, family compositions, budget sensitivities, aesthetic preferences, and more—which traditional destination-based search methods cannot effectively address.
To further this evolution, Layla also announced today a strategic investment round of seven figures from global investors, including United Airlines Ventures, Baidu Capital, and INCE Capital, alongside existing investors M13, Firstminute Capital, and SparkLabs. This funding will be used to enhance Layla’s identity-first infrastructure, enabling deeper conversational planning on a global scale.
This investment arrives as traditional Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) have reported a decline in organic search traffic, with some platforms experiencing year-over-year decreases as travelers increasingly turn to conversational AI interfaces for trip planning. This shift in travel planning mirrors a broader trend across e-commerce, where product discovery is increasingly initiated through AI rather than keyword searches.
What once required over 20 browser tabs and extensive research across travel blogs is now consolidated into a single chat interface where Layla analyzes traveler intent, constraints, and preferences in real-time to create personalized itineraries that balance flights, hotels, activities, timing, and budget. “The question is not whether conversational planning will replace search-based booking,” commented Saad Saeed. “Our data indicates it is already happening. The real question is which platforms will adapt quickly enough to navigate this transition successfully.”
About Layla
Layla is an AI-powered travel agent designed to assist travelers in discovering, planning, and booking trips through conversational interactions. Based in Berlin, Layla has processed over 30 million messages from more than 5 million users, resulting in the generation of over 2 million trips and a planned trip value exceeding $1 billion. The company is supported by global investors, including United Airlines Ventures, Baidu Capital, INCE Capital, M13, Firstminute Capital, and SparkLabs.
www.layla.ai
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CONTACT: Florentina florentina@layla.ai