Only 5% of travelers can spot fake travel photos: survey

Only 5% of American travelers can correctly identify real destination photos in a side-by-side test with AI-generated images — yet 74% say they wouldn’t book a trip without seeing photos first.A new survey of 2,000 American adults, who have recently traveled or are currently planning a trip, found that when shown three pairs of real and AI-generated destination photographs, just one in four correctly identified the authentic image on any given test.Just one in 20 (5%) were able to identify all three real destination photos successfully.The results land against a backdrop of near-total visual dependence: photos and videos were the second most influential factor in destination choice, cited by 47% of respondents, behind only price at 62%.For those taking six or more trips a year, that reliance on imagery runs even deeper, with 48% saying photos and videos are extremely influential in their decision-making, compared to just 17% of those who travel once a year or less.Commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development (TDTD) and conducted by Talker Research, the survey found that more than half (52%) of respondents said they felt extremely or very confident in their ability to spot AI-generated imagery — but the test results tell a different story.When shown two photos of a lake, just 22% identified the real one, essentially the same share (23%) that mistakenly selected the AI image as the authentic photo.A pairing of Grand Canyon images had the highest share of correct answers among the three tests, with 38% selecting the real image.Of those who got at least one test wrong, nearly four in 10 (39%) said they were genuinely surprised — they had been certain of their answer.“We want travelers to feel confident when they plan a trip,” said Commissioner Mark Ezell, TDTD.

“Making travel plans is an investment in your time, with your money, and with your trust.As a tourism entity, it’s important to us that visitors can trust that what they see f...