Applying AI to develop sustainable tourism.

With the rapid development of technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), the tourism industry is inevitably impacted. Therefore, many tourism businesses have quickly adapted, adopting new technologies, including AI, to better serve tourists, improve management efficiency, and promote sustainable tourism development.

Hanoi Tourism Corporation introduced a robot model for hotel service at the Hanoi International Tourism Fair - VITM Hanoi 2025.

Innovation for development

At the Hanoi International Tourism Fair - VITM Hanoi 2025 (held from April 10th to 13th), for the first time, the Vietnam Tourism Association, in collaboration with VietSolutions Group, designed the TechZone booth, showcasing 20 advanced technology solutions including AI, Robotics, Smart Hotels, etc., creating a technological experience for visitors. This also marked the first time that 14 major domestic and international technology companies joined forces to create the "Technology Map of Vietnam's Tourism Industry". During the fair, 14 topics on the application of AI, Robotics, Smart Hotels, etc., were shared in the TechTalk session, right at the TechZone booth. The public witnessed robots serving in tourism activities and the widespread introduction of AI application solutions in tourism.

According to Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, digital transformation is a crucial task for the tourism industry. For sustainable tourism development, in addition to human resources, the use of technology and AI plays a vital role. “ Digital technology and artificial intelligence are now widespread in life; simple applications like ChatGPT are used by many people. Therefore, tourism businesses need to innovate in applying technology, especially using AI in product development and management,” said Mr. Vu The Binh.

In fact, some Vietnamese tourism businesses are striving to adapt, innovate, and integrate technology into their operations. For example, the Hanoi Tourism Corporation has introduced a robot model for hotel service. BestPrice Travel has introduced its "AI Assistant for Tourism" technology solution (an artificial intelligence virtual assistant for tourism).

According to Bui Thanh Tu, Marketing Director of BestPrice Travel, the company has applied AI to provide information on demand to tourists in the form of a travel assistant. The AI ​​assistant will replace some of the work of the customer service team, saving manpower, providing quick responses, reducing costs, and improving customer satisfaction… “Customers are increasingly inclined to book private tours and personalize services. With just one command, the AI ​​assistant can give customers an answer in a short time, even immediately. Applying AI helps us save time and manpower when interacting with customers,” Mr. Bui Thanh Tu shared.

Building a smart tourism ecosystem.

The demand for digital transformation and the application of technology in tourism has been raised for many years, but it remains a new issue for many businesses. Nguyen Cong Hoan, General Director of Flamingo Redtour Tourism Company, stated that many businesses have applied technology in communication, promotion, and customer interaction, but the updating of technological trends is still limited. Recently, robotic technology combined with AI has been gradually applied in restaurants and hotels. Nguyen Huu Cuong, General Director of Trang An Travel Company, also said that his company has applied AI in some customer service activities, but it is still in the initial testing phase.

Assessing the progress of digital transformation in tourism, the Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, Vu The Binh, stated that tourism businesses are still slow to adopt artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the UNESCO Travel Club and Director of MTV Vietnam Travel, Doan Ngoc Tung, noted that most tourism businesses have only applied AI in certain activities such as marketing and customer service, and have not yet applied it to management processes or product development. The shortage of AI experts is also a difficulty for businesses in their digital transformation efforts.

According to experts, in the future, AI and robotics will become an indispensable part of many industries. A 2024 report by McKinsey & Company – one of the world's leading and most reputable digital transformation consulting firms – shows that 78% of businesses worldwide have applied AI to at least one business function, with 71% having integrated generative AI to optimize processes, reduce costs, and improve work efficiency.

Bruce Delteil, Manager at McKinsey & Company in Vietnam, assessed that AI will prove to be a powerful tool for driving innovation in the tourism industry. Therefore, tourism businesses need to quickly recognize the great opportunities that AI offers and rapidly implement strategic steps. If they are slow, they risk being left behind in the digital transformation race.

Recognizing the importance of digital transformation in building a smart tourism ecosystem, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has created an important legal framework, including approving and promulgating the Project on the Tourism Industry Database System; the Project on applying Industry 4.0 technologies to develop smart tourism… To effectively apply technology, Deputy Director of the National Tourism Administration Ha Van Sieu believes that tourism businesses need a development strategy and investment in building a strong technology ecosystem, including infrastructure and training a workforce with appropriate skills, in order to apply AI and advanced technologies more effectively.

According to hanoimoi.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/ung-dung-ai-de-phat-trien-du-lich-ben-vung-post400092.html