AI x Travel

Four Conversations is an annual signature programme by the National Library where thought leaders share new possibilities for the future, while inspiring lifelong learning and the creation of new knowledge.

This resource guide has been produced to complement the conversation on AI x Travel.

The speakers for this session are:

Stanislav Ivanov
Professor & Vice-Rector (Research)
Varna University of Management

Bell Beh
Co-Founder & CEO
BuzzAR

Moderated by:
Sang Shin
Co-Founder
Gen E

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are an enormous boost for the tourism sector particularly in the post-COVID normal when many countries have re-opened borders and are re-invigorating their travel industry.

AI is revolutionising the travel business through digitalisation with the aim to elevate the entire travel experience and increase customer satisfaction.

The advantages for the travel industry to invest in AI-powered software are plentiful¹:

• Smart travel apps can help customers to discover new places to visit and activities to experience and provide personalised travel packages
• AI digital assistants and chatbots can attend to queries and provide online assistance 24/7
• AI systems can acquire and analyse data to provide insights on streamlining business operations, designing effective branding, pricing and marketing strategies
• Facial recognition technology provides travellers with a secured, smooth and seamless travel across international borders
• Automated baggage systems at airports can improve the efficiency and reliability for luggage check-ins and collections
• AI can also be used to alleviate the perennial manpower shortage in the hospitality industry and improve overall efficiency with less manpower

There are countless possibilities for how intelligent automation can be employed to benefit both players in the travel industry and travellers. A dazzling future lies ahead where the ideal travel experience can be created at the touch of one’s fingertip.

This guide provides supplementary resources for those who are keen to further explore this topic. You can also visit https://search.nlb.gov.sg/ to search for more resources. If you would like to view other resource guides created by our librarians, please visit Reference@NLB.

This resource guide was prepared in September 2022 by Sharon Teng, a Librarian at the National Library, Singapore.

E-Books

Retrieved from OverDrive. (myLibrary ID is required to access the eBook)

Title	Description
	Re-platforming the airline business: To meet travelers’ total mobility needs Nawal K. Taneja, Re-platforming the airline business: To meet travelers’ total mobility needs. (UK: Taylor and Francis, 2019).

Websites

Challenges in re-designing operations and jobs to embody AI and robotics in services. Findings from a case in the hospitality industry
Erica Mingotto, Federica Montaguti and Michele Tamma, “Challenges in re-designing operations and jobs to embody AI and robotics in services. Findings from a case in the hospitality industry,” Electron Markets 31, 493–510 (21 September 2020), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12525-020-00439-y

Impact of AI and robotics in the tourism sector: A critical insight
Nagaraj Samala, Bharath Shashanka Katkam, Raja Shekhar Bellamkonda and Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, “Impact of AI and robotics in the tourism sector: A critical insight,” Journal of Tourism Futures, vol. 8 no. 1 (24 April 2020), https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JTF-07-2019-0065/full/html

Machine learning and AI in travel: 5 essential industry use cases
AltexSoft, “Machine learning and AI in travel: 5 essential industry use cases,” LoT For All (6 October 2021), https://www.iotforall.com/machine-learning-and-ai-in-travel-5-essential-industry-use-cases

Videos

How AI will disrupt the travel industry
“How AI will disrupt the travel industry,” Skift, 22 May 2019, https://youtu.be/nghHsA3qwB0

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