Kearney Report Revealed AI Gap in Travel Retail
Digital research influences most travelers, but airport retailers struggle to convert discovery into physical sales.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Do you typically complete your airport shopping plans after researching products online before your flight?
A new Kearney study presented at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference highlights a significant disconnect between digital product discovery and airport purchasing behavior. While AI and social media heavily influence travel shopping, 64% of those who use these tools fail to complete a purchase in airport retail environments.
Why it matters
Retailers are currently failing to capture revenue from digitally savvy travelers because of skepticism surrounding airport price competitiveness. To bridge this conversion gap, the industry must address pricing transparency and shift toward exclusive in-store experiences.
While 68% of travelers cite AI or social media as influential, only 21% report trusting AI-generated recommendations completely. Further, 73% of these travelers rely on in-store verification to check pricing or reviews against their findings, reflecting significant friction in the digital purchase funnel.
The players
Kearney
A global management consulting firm that provides strategic research and performance benchmarking for the retail and consumer goods sectors.
TFWA
The Tax Free World Association, which hosts international conferences to facilitate trade and networking in the global travel retail industry.
The details
The report identifies a disconnect in the consumer funnel where digital discovery acts as the primary entry point for travel retail, yet conversion fails at the shelf. Retailers face a barrier where 49% of travelers question the attractiveness of airport pricing compared to online alternatives. Success requires providing exclusive in-store experiences and accurate product information to validate the consumer's research.
Timeline
September 30, 2026: Kearney unveiled the study findings at the TFWA conference in Cannes.
The Tech Race
The travel retail sector is currently lagging behind the broader retail industry in reconciling digital influence with physical conversion. The study highlights that the race to capture digitally engaged travelers now depends on integrating personalized discount structures, with 86% of consumers expressing willingness to join shared loyalty programs.
Travelers can expect to see more personalized discount offers as retailers attempt to lure shoppers away from online alternatives using cross-brand loyalty programs. Consumers who frequently cross-reference AI recommendations will likely find more in-store validation tools available at airport boutiques in the coming seasons.
The takeaway
The industry must transition from static pricing to dynamic, personalized discounting to regain trust. Keep an eye on airport retail adoption rates for unified loyalty platforms, which will serve as the primary indicator that these discovery-to-purchase conversion efforts are working.
Further reading
For more on how new technologies are shifting consumer behavior, visit our page on Artificial Intelligence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Moodie Davitt Report.
Live Poll
Do you typically complete your airport shopping plans after researching products online before your flight?
