Artificial Intelligence (AI) could become an unexpected «ally» in the effort to boost the tourist flow to our country. AI, and even more so GenAI (Productive AI), can help our country attract even more tourists by solving issues such as translation and personalized experience, as well as pushing them to discover new destinations and hidden beauties in Greece.
It is characteristic that, according to a recent survey by Choose Strategic Communication Partners, one of the largest strategic communication, digital transformation and consulting companies in Greece, AI can be an important «ally» in the effort to strengthen the tourist flow to our country.
The survey, which was conducted in five of the largest markets attracting tourists to Greece (UK, France, Italy, Italy, USA and Germany) with the participation of people who have visited or intend to visit the country for their holidays in the near future, showed that 64.5% are familiar with the concept of AI. In fact, 60% expressed their willingness to use applications and tools that leverage AI, both to plan their trip and during their stay in Greece.
Most importantly, it helps with machine translation, but also with the creation of a personalised programme of tours, sightseeing and dining. Depending on the benefits of a relevant AI application, tourists seem to a very large extent even willing to pay for its use during their visit to our country.
Specifically, when asked what kind of applications foreign visitors want to use in our country, according to the survey data, the most popular tourist AI applications are real-time translation and language support (46.4%), personalised suggestions for tourist attractions, restaurants and other activities (24.8%), and assistance in navigation and transportation (18%).
The answers seem normal if you look at the biggest challenges faced by those visiting Greece. The most important is the different language, followed by finding useful tourist information (16.8%), and locating affordable activities and accommodation (17.7%).
Equally interesting is that visitors are even willing to pay for such applications and services at a rate of 36.9%. Moreover, one in three (32.3%) responded that they are partially willing to pay, depending on the features offered by these applications.
But how can AI improve the tourism experience?;
Tourists agree that AI can make tourist information more easily accessible (30.7%), facilitate reservations for attractions and activities (29%), provide more personalised recommendations (24.3%), but also improve transport options for visitors (15.4%).
An important element for our country, which seeks to broaden the destinations preferred by foreign tourists, is that survey participants responded that AI can help them discover unknown and interesting places (29.7%). As, of course, it can facilitate the planning and implementation of their trip to our country (27.8%), as well as make their experience more personal and enjoyable (25.2%).
The challenge and the prospects
In practice, Choose's research, which it is worth noting has already developed applications for the tourism sector that exploit the potential of AI, shows that AI can be an important «ally» for Greek tourism, provided that the necessary investments are made by the institutions and businesses operating in the sector.
Investment, mainly in the development of applications that will use artificial intelligence to provide a better experience for visitors to the country, but also to help them enjoy their holidays to the full. The latter element is particularly important at a time when Greek tourism is seeking to change its profile, to extend the tourist season, but also to boost less popular island and mainland destinations, creating new sources of revenue.
The ground is fertile for such moves, given that abroad there is the necessary familiarity of travellers with artificial intelligence, as well as the willingness to use relevant applications to enjoy their travels.
«Automation, digital tourist guides and personalised recommendations are helping to create a new era for the global tourism market. And this is something to which we need to pay special attention as a country, in order to exploit it in such a way that the AI challenge becomes a great opportunity for upgrading the Greek tourism product,» Choose's survey points out based on the results.
Vasso Koutsouba
