Travel Tech Leaders Agree: Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Tourism

On September 27th, UN Tourism celebrates World Tourism Day. In 2026, it will centre on how digitalization and Artificial Intelligence are redesigning tourism. To mark the date, Belvera Partners, a PR firm exclusively focused on supporting B2B travel technology companies, has brought together thought leaders across the travel technology ecosystem to explore the opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities associated with the rapid adoption of technology, in general, and AI, in particular, across hospitality, distribution, and travel experiences.

The panel featured Catt McLeod, Vice President of Elegant Hotels of the World, part of the HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts family; Ivonne Arriola, Managing Director of Connect by PriceTravel Holding; and Daniel Pino, Co-Founder and CEO of Aloja. During the conversation, they shared insights on how emerging technologies are transforming the way travellers discover, book, and experience destinations.

AI is accelerating change across the travel value chain

Panellists agreed that while technology has been influencing tourism for decades, AI is significantly accelerating the industry’s evolution. Innovation is changing how travellers choose destinations, how the industry operates and how travel experiences are designed. “Historically, only professional travel bookers were able to book hotels, travel and tourism experiences” – said Catt McLeod, VP of Elegant Hotels of the World, a luxury soft hospitality brand within HotelREZ the portfolio. “Now, end guests and travellers can do that too. That is for me the biggest change”.

“AI will transform almost everything around travel except the actual experience” – added Daniel Pino, CEO of Aloja, the dynamic pricing platform for tours and activities. “Everything else, how we book, discover and how profitable companies are is just about to change”.

According to Ivonne Arriola, Managing Director of the B2B hotel distribution company Connect by PriceTravel Holding “AI is accelerating the pace at which the accessibility of available information is being processed and the way that it is being used to personalize the experience for the customer”.

Responsible Innovation, Governance and Skills Development

Despite the rapid pace of technological innovation, all participants emphasized that tourism remains fundamentally built on human experiences. Whether in hospitality, guided tours, or destination activities, technology is expected to support and enhance customer interactions rather than replace them.

A recurring theme throughout the event was the importance of responsible AI adoption. The speakers stressed the need for proper governance, data privacy safeguards, continuous employee training, and investment in digital skills to ensure that innovation benefits both businesses and travellers. At the end of the day, technological progress should support broader tourism goals such as sustainability, accessibility and inclusive economic growth

“We need governance and the fact is that, at this point, AI has advanced much more than regulations” – stated Ivone Arriola. “Slowing down AI development would allow us to catch up. AI is great, but it must be regulated, used responsibly and with humans in the loop overseeing the progress it makes”.

“We need to ensure that we are bringing everybody with us and not leaving behind the less developed regions or focusing on the wrong thing” – explained Catt McLeod. “As the UN says, we need to invest in digital skills, widen access to technology and guaranteeing that innovation benefits the people and the places that make tourism possible.”

While the long-term implications of AI continue to unfold, one point is clear: the technology is already transforming the travel ecosystem. As consumer behaviour evolves and new discovery tools emerge, travel companies will need to adapt their commercial, marketing and distribution strategies to remain competitive.

“Travel discovery and travel booking have already changed and is happening faster than we can digest” - concluded Daniel Pino, Co-Founder and CEO of Aloja. “If you’re seeing a decline in bookings or revenue while travel demand continues to grow, it might be time to look internally and ask yourself what you are missing and to evaluate your customer acquisition strategies. And technology, in general, and AI in particular, can help with that”.