The Growth of AI in Travel and Tourism

5 min readJan 6, 2023

Recent surveys proved that tourists no longer make their choices based on professional guides and tourist agency recommendations. Their trust goes now to blogs and travel reviews that present the information in a more “credible” manner. Smart travel agencies have already changed their marketing approach and decided to invest in AI tools that allow them to predict the trends in tourism and the needs of customers. How does artificial intelligence accomplish such an ambitious task? It identifies, localizes, extracts, and interprets massive amounts of data extracted from the above-mentioned trustworthy blogs and reviews.

For example, Georgia launched a tourism campaign — “Emotions are Georgia” that relies on artificial intelligence technology to detect genuine tourist emotions from over 7,000,000 visitors. The AI tools detect, sort, and analyze genuine human emotions shared on social media to create an “emotional” and authentic guidebook of the country. Their entire campaign is based on reviews coming from people who visited Georgia. Moreover, the website provides visitors a customized guidebook based on their interests. They just need to allow access to their Facebook page or answer some questions.

AI can gather information about a person’s preferences from just the move of their mouse or the repetitive search of a word. This allows travel organizations to analyze desires and needs and answer with customized offers. Moreover, the gathered data can contribute to more efficient business plans and accurate pricing strategies. AI-based trip planning services use data provided by customers who rate various categories, like “food”, “culture”, “nature”, and so on to deliver customized itineraries.

Customer searches are a gold mine for travel organizations. Artificial intelligence can help create comprehensive customer profiles that become the foundation of travel package recommendations. Based on searching patterns, AI technology can identify patterns and predict needs. Travel companies have now the possibility to recommend destinations and packages adjusted to the customer’s preferences.

Artificial intelligence tools for increased customer satisfaction

AI tools are used to analyze and understand consumer behavior and trends from travel data to deliver personalized services. Hotels use artificial intelligence to better know their customers, anticipate their demands, and meet their needs. New developments show that the future is all about smart hotels. From check-in through facial recognition and rooms that complement the guests’ habits to doors that open through WhatsApp and speech-recognition technology, artificial intelligence will reinvent the way hotels do customer service.

Chatbots too play an important part in the process of reinventing the travel industry. They allow for real-time answers and solutions and contribute massively to solving online queries. Moreover, they help travel organizations save a lot of money by offering 24/7 online assistance without any demands. Conversational AI contributes to increased customer satisfaction due to its promptness, accuracy, and availability.

Chatbots have simplified the way we travel, especially at airports. They have reduced the number of identification procedures and have allowed for faster airport transit. Chatbots are there for us when we plan our trips and answer any query instantaneously. They can offer real-time recommendations and help us locate our favorite destinations.

Artificial intelligence can also contribute to better online reputation management. AI tools allow travel organizations to monitor customer reviews and keep track of what customers have to say about them. We all know that reviews can make or break a business. Travel companies that rely on AI to get access to social media comments or any other mentions about their brand have the opportunity to manage negative reviews. They can intervene and offer prompt answers proving a high level of engagement.

Tourism is no longer about all-inclusive packages and luxury hotels. It’s about experiences! Travelers are no longer motivated by the best price or cheapest deal. They are looking for personalization, excellence, and engagement. Everything is personal and interactive now. And travel organizations need to make the necessary adjustments to keep up with the trend. They need to invest in artificial intelligence technology to stay relevant and meet their customers’ needs.

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