Artificial Intelligence in Tourism Policy: Governance Opportunities and Risks for Destinations

Abstract

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence in tourism is generating new opportunities for destinations to improve planning, service delivery, visitor management, and strategic decision-making. At the same time, it raises important public policy concerns related to governance capacity, data use, transparency, inclusion, and regulation. This paper investigates how destination-level policy frameworks can shape the adoption and governance of AI in tourism. It proposes that AI should be analyzed not only as a business innovation, but also as a policy domain requiring institutional preparedness and multi-stakeholder coordination. The study identifies the principal governance opportunities associated with AI in tourism, such as enhanced forecasting, real-time destination management, improved sustainability monitoring, and more responsive public services, while also examining risks including privacy violations, algorithmic discrimination, digital dependency, and unequal access to technological capabilities. The paper advances a policy framework for assessing destination readiness in the governance of AI and discusses its implications for competitiveness, sustainability, and inclusive development. The findings highlight that the policy value of AI in tourism depends on the ability of governments to establish clear regulatory principles, strengthen institutional capacities, and align technological innovation with broader public goals.