World Tourism Day 2026: Travel leaders tackle AI’s rapid rise

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how travellers discover, book and experience destinations – but industry leaders say the human element remains fundamental to tourism.

That was one of the key takeaways from a travel technology panel organized by Belvera Partners ahead of World Tourism Day, which takes place Sunday (Sept. 27).

This year, UN Tourism is putting the spotlight on how digitalization and artificial intelligence are redesigning tourism, examining both the opportunities created by new technology and the need for responsible adoption.

Belvera Partners, a PR firm specializing in B2B travel technology companies, brought together executives from across hospitality, distribution and travel experiences to discuss how AI is influencing the industry.

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.

AI accelerates travel's evolution

While technology has influenced tourism for decades, panellists agreed AI is accelerating change across virtually every part of the travel value chain.

That includes how consumers discover destinations, compare products and make bookings, as well as how travel companies operate, market themselves and generate revenue.

“Historically, only professional travel bookers were able to book hotels, travel and tourism experiences,” said McLeod. “Now, end guests and travellers can do that too. That is for me the biggest change.”

Pino said AI's impact will extend across almost every aspect of the travel journey – except travel itself.

“AI will transform almost everything around travel except the actual experience,” he said. “Everything else, how we book, discover and how profitable companies are is just about to change.”

Arriola pointed to AI's ability to process growing volumes of information and use that data to create increasingly personalized experiences.

“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,” she said.

Keeping humans in the loop

Despite AI's expanding role, panellists stressed that tourism remains fundamentally rooted in human experiences.

Technology, they said, should enhance interactions in hotels, tours and destination experiences rather than simply replace the people delivering them.

Responsible adoption was another major theme, with speakers highlighting the need for governance, data privacy, employee training and greater investment in digital skills.

“We need governance and the fact is that, at this point, AI has advanced much more than regulations,” Arriola said. “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 cautioned against allowing technological advancement to widen existing gaps within global tourism.

“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,” she said. “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.”

The discussion also highlighted sustainability, accessibility and inclusive economic growth as areas where responsible technology could support broader tourism objectives.

Discovery & booking are changing

For travel businesses, the speakers said the immediate challenge is adapting to changing consumer behaviour as AI-powered discovery and booking tools become more commonplace.

That shift could require companies to rethink everything from customer acquisition and marketing to distribution and commercial strategies.

“Travel discovery and travel booking have already changed and is happening faster than we can digest,” Pino said. “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.”

To watch the panel on LinkedIn, click here.

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