Business Professor Juan Luis Nicolau describes generative AI in the Journal of Smart Tourism as a cognitive layer that can interpret a traveller’s mood and personalise responses instantly. The system can imagine with us, feel with us and anticipate what we want to do.
The technology can be used before, during and after a trip. Before travel, it can help explore options and build an itinerary. During a trip, it gives real‑time choices based on how a person feels. Afterward, it can assist in writing online reviews for future travellers.
Nicolau mapped generative AI’s role across eight key tourism business research areas and 15 thematic topics. He also contrasts generative AI with earlier tools and warns about privacy and ethics: "We have to be conscious of what information we are putting into AI," he says.
Difficult words
- generative AI — computer systems that create new content and responses
- cognitive — related to thinking and mental processes
- personalise — change something to suit a person's needs
- itinerary — plan of places and activities for a trip
- privacy — control of personal information and who sees it
- ethics — rules about what is right or wrong behaviour
- anticipate — expect or predict what will happen
- map — show or describe the position or structuremapped
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you want an AI to personalise your travel choices by reading your mood? Why or why not?
- How could concerns about privacy affect your decision to use AI when travelling?
- Which part of a trip (before, during, after) would you find AI most helpful for, and why?
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