Artificial Intelligence in tourism: Opportunities, challenges, and strategic implications

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is radically transforming the tourism industry by enabling hyper-personalized travel experiences that cater to the unique preferences, behaviors, and contexts of individual tourists. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in personalizing tourism experiences. It synthesizes recent advancements in AI technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and generative AI that enable hyper-individualized travel services and marketing. The study highlights key applications, including recommendation systems, chatbots, and predictive analytics, while addressing associated ethical and privacy concerns. Based on global case studies and academic literature from 2018 through 2025, this review offers insights into emerging trends and outlines practical recommendations to support responsible and sustainable AI adoption in the tourism sector.