Conclusion: what is the transformative relationship between tourism and technology?

The topics considered a broad spectrum of tourism to provide a complete understanding of tourism and technology. Each article provided a comprehensive understanding of technology and tourism. This thematic issue encouraged contributions that examine case studies, theoretical frameworks, and empirical research on the implications of technology in tourism.

The thematic literature review highlights potential negative impacts of AI, raising awareness among industry stakeholders about the challenges posed by these technologies (Zvaigzne et al., 2025). The study provides recommendations for mitigating the adverse effects of AI, ensuring that its implementation in tourism is balanced and responsible.

The study by Poulaki et al. (2025) focused on the application of information systems (IS) in relation to current advancements in airline revenue management, distribution, and passenger engagement. The findings indicate that a relational triangle of dependence and competition, encompassing revenue management systems (RMS) and reservation systems (RS) via third-party aggregators, influences the use of information systems (IS) in the airline sector. The report highlights the use of information systems (IS) in the context of current advancements in airline revenue management, distribution, and passenger engagement.

Panagopoulos et al. (2025) study provided a structural framework for smart stadiums. In particular, the study analysed the incorporation of smart stadiums as vital elements of smart tourism locations, exploring their impact on visitors. The study reviewed existing literature and corporate sources to identify emerging smart tools and determine key dimensions of smart stadiums. A research model was developed, and Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyse the relationships between these dimensions and their impact on visit intention. The findings demonstrate that sustainability is the foremost impetus for the creation of smart stadiums.

This study evaluates ChatGPT’s ability to accurately answer sexual health inquiries. Using two scenarios with a sample of young participants, ChatGPT provided relevant guidance on STI symptoms and risk prevention during travel, such as through self-care and medical advice (Christofi et al., 2025). ChatGPT also demonstrated empathy, promoting support systems and prevention strategies while encouraging medical consultation. Findings suggest that integrating AI in travel health advice may help travellers make informed health decisions and underscore the role of digital tools in public health education. Tourism stakeholders should support health awareness initiatives, which can enhance both traveller safety and destination reputation.

As technology becomes more integrated into tourism, the risks associated with cybersecurity and data privacy also increase. The article of Pipyros and Liasidou (2025) addresses the challenges, examining best practices for protecting customer data, preventing cyber threats, and ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR. The results underscore the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and highlights the industry’s responsibility to maintain customer trust and security. Thus it incorporates risk assessment framework as new methodological approach to cybersecurity in hotels.

The focus of this article is on assessing the digital skills readiness of hospitality and tourism graduates for the evolving industry landscape. The study conducted semi-structured interviews with hotel and tourism graduates, leading to useful conclusions. The results indicate that graduates should enhance their skills in AI-centric technological applications. Firstly, students need to prepare better during their studies, and secondly, industry and academia need to collaborate and align with current and applicable technological needs (Stylianou and Pericleous, 2025).

The topic explored rural place branding through social media from the perspective of rural areas (Stylianou et al., 2025). Utilizing qualitative research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with local community representatives, government entities, and small business owners from rural areas to gather insights on their experiences. The findings highlight the essential role of social media in enhancing rural place branding, with stakeholders employing techniques such as storytelling, visual content creation, short-form videos, and user-generated content to cultivate the identity and visibility of rural destinations. Moreover, effective rural place branding requires careful online content dissemination and segmentation to meet the diverse needs of potential visitors.

The article examined the importance of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into sustainable tourism education (Neophytou et al., 2025). The research focuses on AI’s role in improving the educational process through personalized learning, resource management, and interaction, identifying AI’s capability to promote sustainability education within the tourism sector. Furthermore, the article collected data from semi-structured interviews with academics showcasing their views on sustainable tourism education and AI. The thematic analyses of the interviews focus on AI integration into sustainability education, student engagement, and the development of critical career skills. The article concludes that education in AI can enhance teaching and learning methods, preparing students to tackle the challenges of sustainable development in the tourism sector.

Insights from policymakers can guide the implementation of emerging technologies to address environmental challenges in tourism. The topic considers the views and opinions of Cyprus’s policymakers to utilise emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to address environmental challenges, enhance resource management, and promote sustainable development. The study emphasizes the role of technology in enhancing resource management, promoting sustainability in tourism practices. The findings are aligned with broader sustainable development goals, encouraging responsible tourism practices that benefit both the environment and local communities (Socratous et al., 2025).

The study explored hotel employees' feelings towards the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in their work environments, particularly concerning job performance, productivity, and the associated risks of job displacement (Pericleous et al., 2025). By utilizing a self-administered questionnaire aimed at hotel staff, the research seeks to capture their perceptions and emotional responses towards AI technologies in hotel operations. The study incorporated exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) to validate constructs and test hypotheses. Findings from the study indicate a prevalent sense of insecurity among employees regarding potential job losses due to AI implementation. Despite these concerns, it is critical for staff to understand that embracing AI can significantly enhance job productivity, resulting in greater overall satisfaction for both employees and guests.

Given the ongoing technological advancements, particularly in AI, and their impact on global tourism dynamics, the thematic issue is highly relevant. The exploration of how technology intersects with contemporary issues ensures that the findings remain relevant and actionable. Overall, the thematic issue provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the evolving dynamics between tourism and technology. By addressing key questions and potential impacts, it promises to enhance scholarly discourse while offering practical guidance for industry stakeholders. The insights gained from this exploration can inform practitioners in the tourism industry, including policymakers, business owners, and marketers. By utilising technological breakthroughs, stakeholders can formulate plans that improve customer engagement, optimise resource management, and promote sustainable tourism practices.

This thematic issue contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted relationship between tourism and technology. While this thematic issue sheds light on the transformative relationship between tourism and technology, it also highlights the need for further research into the long-term implications of these changes. It encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and offers a platform for future research initiatives aimed at exploring the ongoing transformations within the industry. The originality of the contributions makes it a valuable resource for academics, practitioners, and policymakers interested in the future of tourism in a technology-driven world. Particular topics of interest could include technology and crisis management as well as the digital competencies of human resources. Examining barriers in tourism, establishing digital rules, and ensuring a sustainable supply of AI-assisted technologies for travellers with disabilities is crucial. In general, technology and tourism have a compatible relationship that has the potential to revolutionize the industry. The aim is to minimize the negative impacts of tourism on the environment, social lives, and economy through advanced technological applications, such as AI. However, these advancements come with challenges. Ethical concerns, data privacy issues, and the need for digital literacy among employees are just some of the areas that require careful consideration. This thematic issue promotes additional investigation into these subjects, especially the enduring impacts of AI on employment, sustainability, and the comprehensive framework of the tourism sector. By addressing these issues, industry stakeholders may formulate policies that utilise technological advancements while ensuring the tourist sector stays inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible.

This thematic issue employs AI as an innovative tool in academic writing, enhancing and enriching the content through the simple retrieval of information. However, AI requires cross-checking information and cannot operate solely without humans, especially in traditionally human-delivered services like the tourism industry.