As the world marks World Tourism Day today, September 27, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a major force reshaping the global travel industry. UN Tourism’s 2026 focus centres on how digitalisation and AI are redesigning tourism, from the way travellers discover destinations to how companies manage bookings, distribution and customer experiences.

To mark the occasion, Belvera Partners, a public relations firm specialising in B2B travel technology companies, brought together leaders from across the travel technology ecosystem to discuss the opportunities, challenges and responsibilities created by the rapid development of AI.

The panel featured Catt McLeod, Vice President of Elegant Hotels of the World, part of the HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts family; Ivonne Arriola, Managing Director of Connect by PriceTravel Holding; and Daniel Pino, Co-Founder and CEO of Aloja.

The discussion focused on how emerging technologies are changing travel and what businesses need to do as consumer behaviour evolves.

AI accelerates changes across tourism

The speakers highlighted the growing role of technology throughout the travel value chain, with AI accelerating changes that have been developing for years.

For hospitality businesses, one major shift has been the growing ability of travellers to access information and make bookings directly.

“Historically, only professional travel bookers were able to book hotels, travel and tourism experiences” – said Catt McLeod, VP of Elegant Hotels of the World, a luxury soft hospitality brand within HotelREZ the portfolio. “Now, end guests and travellers can do that too. That is for me the biggest change”.

For companies operating in tours and activities, AI could have an even broader impact on the commercial side of the industry.

“AI will transform almost everything around travel except the actual experience” – added Daniel Pino, CEO of Aloja, the dynamic pricing platform for tours and activities. "Everything else, how we book, discover and how profitable companies are is just about to change”.

Arriola pointed to AI's ability to process and use the vast amount of information available across the travel sector.

According to Ivonne Arriola, Managing Director of the B2B hotel distribution company Connect by PriceTravel Holding “AI is accelerating the pace at which the accessibility of available information is being processed and the way that it is being used to personalize the experience for the customer”.

Companies call for responsible AI adoption

While the panel highlighted AI's potential, the participants also stressed that technological progress must be accompanied by responsible implementation. They said tourism remains fundamentally dependent on human experiences and that technology should support customer interactions rather than replace them.

Governance, data privacy, employee training and digital skills were identified as key priorities as companies integrate AI into their operations. The speakers also connected responsible technology adoption with wider tourism objectives, including sustainability, accessibility and inclusive economic growth.

“We need governance and the fact is that, at this point, AI has advanced much more than regulations” – stated Ivone Arriola. “Slowing down AI development would allow us to catch up. AI is great, but it must be regulated, used responsibly and with humans in the loop overseeing the progress it makes”.

McLeod also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the digital transformation does not leave destinations and communities behind.

“We need to ensure that we are bringing everybody with us and not leaving behind the less developed regions or focusing on the wrong thing” – explained Catt McLeod. “As the UN says, we need to invest in digital skills, widen access to technology and guaranteeing that innovation benefits the people and the places that make tourism possible.”

Travel businesses face a changing landscape

The panel's discussion comes as travel companies face changing consumer behaviour and new ways for travellers to discover and purchase travel products. The speakers said businesses will need to reassess their commercial, marketing and distribution strategies as AI increasingly influences the customer journey.

“Travel discovery and travel booking have already changed and is happening faster than we can digest” - concluded Daniel Pino, Co-Founder and CEO of Aloja. “If you're seeing a decline in bookings or revenue while travel demand continues to grow, it might be time to look internally and ask yourself what you are missing and to evaluate your customer acquisition strategies. And technology, in general, and AI in particular, can help with that”.

For the companies represented on the panel, World Tourism Day 2026 therefore provides an opportunity to underline both sides of AI's transformation of tourism: its potential to improve how travel businesses operate and how customers discover and purchase travel, alongside the need for governance, skills and human oversight as adoption accelerates. -TradeArabia News Service