Chapter 19: Unlocking the Potential: Artificial Intelligence Applications in Sustainable Tourism

The current study is a review-based analysis combined with some case studies that focuses on establishing a link between artificial intelligence (AI) and the emerging trends of regenerative tourism and green destinations. Regenerative tourism and green destinations are the new hallmark, promoting sustainability in the travel industry by restoring ecosystems and encouraging friendly practices. The incorporation of AI into sustainable tourism has a potential to revolutionize how one can approach tourism by providing customer experiences and to contribute towards a sustainable future. AI has naturally found its place in industries due to the advancements in data analysis and computing power. In the context of tourism, AI’s data-driven capabilities are discussed in the current review, to showcase how they enable recommendations for intelligent automation and efficient resource management. With the implementation of AI-powered technologies, tourism operations become more efficient, providing opportunities for sustainable development and conservation in green destinations. The integration of AI in destinations encompasses applications such as energy management, waste reduction, transportation optimization and sustainable resource management. These AI-driven solutions play an important role in minimizing the impact caused by tourism activities while conserving natural resources. Additionally, AI facilitates delivering experiences that align with eco-values through recommendation systems and virtual assistants. The chapter tackles issues related to AI such as protecting data privacy, addressing biases dealing with job displacement and ensuring cultural relevance. It emphasizes the significance of inclusive implementation of AI and explores the challenges faced when implementing AI solutions in developing regions that have limited resources.