Alex Sharpe Says AI in Travel “Doesn’t Work Without the Human Factor”
At Signature’s Owners’ Meeting in San Diego, Sharpe outlined how new AI tools—from Toby AI to the forthcoming Storybook platform—are designed to elevate, not replace, the advisor.
Photo: Surface / Unsplash
On the opening day of Signature Travel Network’s Owners’ Meeting in San Diego, president and CEO Alex Sharpe sat down with Luxury Travel Report for an exclusive conversation about the future of AI in travel—and why Signature’s approach is rooted in pragmatism rather than hype.
“Everyone thinks you flip the switch with AI and immediately find efficiencies,” Sharpe said. “What really happens is you fall into the wormhole and spend more time before things get better. For us, it has to be results, not headlines. We’re owned by our members—I don’t need to impress anyone else.”
That results-first philosophy has guided Signature’s cautious rollout of AI tools across its $11 billion network of roughly 15,000 advisors. Early steps have included licensing Toby AI, which helps advisors create marketing and sales content, and deploying low-hanging applications like auto-drafting bios, e-marketing messages, and promotional copy. “It’s not about generic prompts,” Sharpe noted. “It’s about helping advisors speak in their own voice, faster and better.”
The centerpiece of Signature’s next phase is the upcoming launch of Signature Storybook, a storytelling platform designed to make advisors the heroes of their clients’ travel journeys. Powered by AI but curated with advisor input, the tool aggregates visual content—from room diagrams and videos to destination clips and social-ready assets—that can be shared directly with clients via links or mobile. Sharpe likens the experience to viral TikTok snippets: “These have a long shelf life. They get forwarded, they get shared. It’s an idea generator, but always with the advisor at the center.”
Crucially, the platform also draws on Signature’s robust client database, using insights about a traveler’s preferences to help advisors serve the most relevant content. A family headed to Alaska, for example, might first see shore excursions, while a couple bound for Tahiti might be guided toward wine, dining, and suite details. Over time, Sharpe said, the system will learn and adapt, providing both advisors and partners with richer insights into what clients are gravitating toward.
Still, Sharpe is quick to stress that no amount of automation replaces the expertise of a skilled advisor. “AI in travel doesn’t truly work without the human factor,” he said. “This is very much an enabler—it doesn’t work without the advisor interpreting and delivering the experience.”
That emphasis on professionalism extends well beyond AI. Asked about the biggest external risks facing the industry over the next 18 months—from air distribution friction to geopolitical uncertainty—Sharpe said his greatest concern is preserving the value of the advisor role itself. “The part that keeps me up at night is professionalism,” he said. “How do we show that our advisors are better than what a traveler can do on their own—or what their neighbor who became an agent last week can do for them?”
Sharpe voiced particular caution around the rise of subscription-based marketing companies that pitch travel primarily as a way to access discounts. While these models can attract younger and more diverse entrants, he argued they risk diminishing the role of career advisors. “It’s nuanced,” he said. “There’s a big difference between a marketing message of ‘book your travel and save’ and one of ‘do you want a career in travel?’”
As Signature approaches its 70th anniversary, Sharpe said the cooperative’s board continues to back heavy investment in technology, data, and training over incremental growth. That includes positioning Storybook and Travel Elevates, the network’s philanthropic foundation, as its two most visible initiatives heading into 2026.
For Sharpe, the San Diego meeting underscored that Signature’s future depends on balancing innovation with its core ethos. “When times are a little bit tougher, that’s when we prove our value,” he said. “AI can help us get there, but it only matters if it strengthens the human connection at the core of this business.”
