Chapter 12: Evaluating the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Tourism Industry in Kolkata: A Strategic Management Perspective

The tourism sector, which is an important contributor to global economic development, in Kolkata, a vibrant city full of cultural vibrancy, has undergone a deep transformation with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). This paper discusses the impact of AI on the tourism industry in Kolkata using the strategic management perspective. The research, based on empirical data and a comprehensive literature review, explores how AI technologies are changing consumer experiences and operations in the tourism business, such as planning, bookings, and experiencing travel by tourists in Kolkata’s tourism industry. In this context, findings will be presented to show that AI improves operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and safety in the post-pandemic era, making it an important tool for sustainable tourism development. However, the integration has its challenges, such as workforce displacement and technology that needs to be sustained. More importantly, AI has a double role in developing community-based tourism enterprises (CBTEs) and large-scale tourism projects in order to balance growth with social equity and to maximize resource use and operations costs. The study contributes to the ongoing debate on AI adoption in tourism and provides strategic insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders in Kolkata to leverage the potential of AI.