Impact of AI and robotics in the tourism sector: a critical insight

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of the present article is to highlight the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics in the tourism industry. The various technologies being integrated to improve the service and customer experience in tourism. The expected changes and challenges in tourism in the future are focused in this paper. Design/methodology/approach A systematic study on the emerging technologies of AI and Robotics applied in the tourism sector is presented in the form of a viewpoint. Findings AI certainly enhances tourism experiential services however cannot surpass the human touch which is an essential determinant of experiential tourism. AI acts as an effective complementary dimension to the future of tourism. With the emergence of artificial travel intelligence, it is simpler to make travel arrangements. AI offers travel services that are automated, customized and insightful. AI allows travelers to learn about their behaviors, interests to inclinations and provide a personalized experience. Gone are the days to consult a travel agent, meet him physically and indulge in an endless chain of troubling phone calls to inquire about travel arrangements. Practical implications Tourism marketing to see a positive and improved change that will enhance the tourists’ overall experience due to the application of AI and Robotics. New emerging technologies like chatbots, virtual reality, language translators, etc. can be effectively applied in Travel, Tourism & Hospitality industry. Originality/value The present viewpoint discusses the application and role of AI and Robotics with the help of relevant industry examples and theory. The present paper highlights the different technologies being used and will be used in the future.

Enhancing the Visitor Experience in the Time of COVID 19: The Use of AI Robotics in Pembrokeshire Coastal Pathway

“…Artificial Intelligence and technology have helped to revolutionise various industries around the world [22]. And such innovative inventions are needed now more than ever when it comes to enhancing the Visitor Experience in the time of COVID 19.…”

“…Particularly, under current economic climate the businesses are likely to concentrate on strategies of survival and safe operations, rather than long-term strategic destination management efforts. Yet, according to [22] AI has now entered the tourism and hospitality setting and is being consumed by both organisations and destinations in order to gain a competitive advantage, in what is a highly dynamic market. Indeed, [29,30] theorise that the future of the sector is likely to be dominated by automated and robotic smart solutions, particularly robot use for information-giving functions has been reported as welcome [8,29].…”

Artificial intelligence and robotic technologies in tourism and hospitality industry

“…Accordingly, this section examines the applications of artificial intelligence in tourism businesses, concrete examples of the use of such applications from the sector, and their significance in detail. In this context, this study refers to the classification made by Samala et al (2020), and artificial intelligence technologies are classified in this study as robotic technologies, facial recognition technologies, chatbots, language translators, optimization services, and other artificial intelligence applications.…”

“…Service providers can optimize their services using artificial intelligence with the Maximum Likelihood Estimation algorithm (Samala et al, 2020). Since optimization services are based on optimizing a service provided, it often occurs in the tourism and hospitality industry in the form of fare and rate forecasting, and tourism demand forecasting.…”

“…Those who will be traveling use search engines to make a travel plan consisting of accommodation, attractions, tours, restaurants, and activities in the region and decide on the regions they will travel to by the search engines' recommendations. As optimization services, they are used by tourists for hotel reservations or flight ticket purchases (Samala et al, 2020). For example, the search engines "Utrip" and "Avvio" use machine learning algorithms to assist their partner airlines, convention and visitor bureaus, hotels, and destination marketing organizations in providing customized travel advice for their customers.…”