KOCHI:
Given that artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising travel industry across the world, a major international summit next week will deliberate in depth about prompt and speedy application of the technology in India to boost tourism.
Amid the worldwide trend of people letting the computer to plan their trips, the Association of Tourism Trade Organisations, India (ATTOI) is set to focus on the potential of AI in the country’s tourism that has of late seen a spurt in such apps to help travellers. The September 26-27 International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT) here will see 500 delegates discussing ways to improve personalised travel plan experience through AI that uses machines to simulate congnitive functions of the human mind.
The centrality to ‘AI in tourism’ comes in the wake of more and more travellers preferring automation in the tourism industry, according to organisers. “AI has definitely made travel more convenient, going by feedback. Its integration enables travellers to opt last-minute vacation planning,” says Anish Kumar P K, convener of the two-day event being organised in association with the Kerala government’s Department of Tourism.
Already, tourism in India has seen the use of several apps that help travellers with language assistance, booking hotels, plan tours, schedule activities and book guides, besides provide information on a range of flight charges and hotel rates. “Chances are that some repetitive work that doesn’t necessarily require human beings will be replaced by computers, thanks to an increase in automation and AI,” adds Anish Kumar, former president of the 2003-founded ATTOI that strives to promote tourism in various sectors and generate interest for a healthy business relationship and harmony among the parties in the trade.
Registrations for ICTT, which brings various stakeholders of travel and tourism, can be made on http://www.icttindia.org. The event will see a convergence of owners of hotels and resorts, online tourism marketing managers and tour operators.
The conclave, to be held at Le Meridian, will have experts from across the world discussing newest trends in AI application on tourism and intelligent use of apps that are giving the industry fresh new energy. For instance, there will be a session titled ‘Artificial intelligence and travel revolution’ that will be led by Europe-based Hannes Losch, known for his eminence in developing intelligent analytics and business intelligence solutions. As the founder of Limendo, a technology and consulting company based in Bolzano of South Tyrol in Italy, he had earlier been a management consultant at A.T. Kearney in Zurich with a focus on corporate strategy.
ICTT organisers notes that AI is poised to enhance work performance and job quality even as studies note that the technology can in the process to downsizing staff. The summit will also delve into the impact of AI on jobs in the travel industry.
“In Kerala, though, we are moving towards experiential tourism, where the visitors will be more of ‘active’ travellers rather than passive sight-seers,” notes Anish Kumar. “That only hints at the scope of AI remaining untapped in the state and the country.”
The ICTT seeks to inspire the first category form fresh client associations with tour operators and improve policies to use technology for growing business, while enabling the marketing managers to form tourism marketing undertakings into new markets.
The inaugural ICTT was held in 2013, followed by a second edition in 2017 — all with idea of meeting the demand and supply of changing business situations even as the tourism community is comprehensively reliant on expertise and modernisation. The conference enables the travel and tourism industrialists in India and neighbouring countries to acclimatize to the varying technologies, obtaining skills in surviving/winning over competitors, comprehending the significance of web marketing and the use of the resources accessible online to run business.
