Which tasks of a tour guide will AI replace?
About 10 years ago, preparing for a trip usually started with calling a travel agency, asking acquaintances who had traveled before, or diligently reading travel blogs. Now, things are completely different. Simply by opening their phone and typing a few lines into AI tools, travelers can instantly receive a nearly complete itinerary: where to go, where to stay, what to eat, how much it will cost, and even the best time slots to avoid crowds...
This change has led many people in the tourism industry, especially young people studying to become tour guides, to begin asking: if AI can already tell stories, suggest itineraries, give directions, and respond almost instantly, where will tour guides stand in the future?
The answer probably lies in taking a closer look at which aspects AI is replacing tour guides, and which areas the technology is yet to reach.
The first step, and where AI advances the fastest, is trip planning. This is typically a time-consuming part for travelers. Many have experienced opening dozens of browser tabs to compare flight and hotel prices, read reviews, calculate travel distances, and still feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options. With AI, this process is shortened to just a few minutes.
According to an annual survey of 11,000 global users conducted by the travel platform Klook, 91% of global travelers are relying on AI-powered travel planning tools. This is a remarkable figure, as it shows that AI is no longer a "try it out" technology, but is becoming a common tool in everyday travel behavior.
Users turn to AI for a variety of reasons: some simply don't know what they really want from their trip and need a tool to help them decide; others want to find better deals, or personalize their itinerary according to their budget, interests, age, or travel purpose… Instead of taking a nearly fixed tour for the masses, they want the feeling that the journey is "tailor-made" just for them.
From this perspective, AI is actually taking away some of the work that travel companies or tour guides previously handled: advising, suggesting, and designing itineraries.
But that's just the beginning. AI is now starting to encroach on an area previously considered the exclusive domain of tour guides: storytelling about destinations.
A notable example is AIGuideX, a startup based in Vietnam and the US that recently launched with the ambition of becoming the first "AI Tour Guide," completely replacing traditional tour guides. Their idea is quite straightforward: instead of following a group or waiting to hear collective explanations, tourists simply scan their phones at the destination and immediately receive an AI-powered voice guide, telling the story of the landmark, historical figure, or cultural value behind the location.
It's not hard to understand why businesses are starting to bet on this direction. According to the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), the global tourism market reached $1.6 trillion in 2024 and is aiming for $2 trillion by 2030. Meanwhile, research by McKinsey Insights shows that AI has permeated 75% of businesses worldwide . The tourism industry, particularly in the guiding sector, still largely operates on familiar models that have been in place for hundreds of years. This gap presents an opportunity for models like AIGuideX.
What makes tour guides still so difficult to replace?
However, it would be premature to conclude that tour guides will soon be replaced simply by looking at the speed of technological development. What AI is currently doing very well is primarily the "information" aspect, while the tour guide profession has a much more important role: handling real-world situations and guiding human experiences.
One of the biggest limitations of AI lies in its accuracy. Tools built on large language models (LLMs) often suffer from the "illusion" phenomenon, that is, generating false information but presenting it in a way that sounds very convincing.
One traveler shared that he had used ChatGPT to find budget-friendly hotels and suggested destinations based on his preferences for a long trip, and the AI tool provided quite clear and helpful recommendations. However, there were also instances where users experienced inconvenience when the route suggestions didn't update the lockdown status due to construction, causing travel times to be longer than expected. It might seem like a minor error, but in travel, sometimes even a small change can lead to a series of problems.
Those who have led tours understand that a trip rarely goes exactly as planned: there might be a day when it suddenly rains heavily, forcing a last-minute change to the outdoor activities; some guests are tired after a long flight and don't have the energy for a packed itinerary; and there might be multi-generational families with elderly people and young children, each with completely different needs…
According to some experts, issues such as food allergies, disabilities, intolerances, or organizing travel for multi-generational families are things that AI still doesn't handle well. The technology may know a lot of information, but it may not necessarily understand the true state of mind of individuals in specific situations.
This also partly explains the discussions in the talk show about the role of tour guides at the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2026, which took place on April 4th. Many students frankly asked whether the tour guide profession still has a place in the industry when young people are already used to booking tickets themselves, using ChatGPT to plan itineraries, and navigating with Google Maps.
According to Mr. Le Huu Phuoc (working at Saigontourist, winner of the 3rd prize at the Ho Chi Minh City Excellent Tour Guide Competition 2025), AI or technology cannot completely replace tour guides in a tour program. Technology can provide information, but the tour guide is the one who leads the emotions of the trip.
A memorable trip, ultimately, isn't just about how many sights you visit or how many beautiful photos you bring back. What people remember more is sometimes the feeling of someone telling a story at the right time, handling a situation when the trip goes wrong, or simply making the whole group feel safe in an unfamiliar place…
AI is also not yet capable of taking responsibility for humans. It can suggest what to eat, where to go, or which hotel to book, but it cannot handle situations like fever, stomachache, lost luggage, delayed transportation, or unexpected incidents, and it certainly cannot rush around to cope when the situation changes.
When tensions in the Middle East led to the closure of regional airspace, many travelers were stranded for days. In such situations, AI could notify passengers that their flight had been canceled, but it couldn't help them prioritize repatriation flights or take responsibility for the decision to change their itinerary.
Of course, the gap between AI and humans is likely to continue narrowing. Guy Llewellyn, assistant professor at the EHL Hotel Business School (Singapore), argues that if travel data is more open and structured, AI could potentially access more up-to-date data than traditional travel agencies. As hotels, carriers, and attractions connect more deeply through APIs on server systems, AI will be able to provide more accurate and factual information, significantly reducing the problem of "illusions."
Booking.com has also implemented several AI integration solutions in collaboration with OpenAI. According to Llewellyn's predictions, the pace of digitalization will continue to accelerate as more and more AI businesses enter the travel market.
But perhaps the most important thing the tourism industry is witnessing right now isn't whether AI will replace tour guides, but where it's replacing them. To date, technology has replaced quite a few behind-the-scenes tasks: information gathering, itinerary planning, directions, basic commentary, and personalized experiences. However, in areas requiring flexibility, responsibility, kindness, and the ability to connect emotionally with others, the gap remains quite wide.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/ai-dang-thay-huong-dan-vien-o-khau-nao-232528.html
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