Top 10 ways AI can support your tourism business

One of the most talked about, yet often misunderstood, business tools of recent years is undoubtedly Artificial Intelligence (AI).

While headlines and discussions frequently focus on its risks, capabilities and future impact, many businesses are already discovering how AI can support everyday operations in simple, practical ways.

For tourism businesses in particular, AI is not about replacing people or removing the personal touch that visitors value. Instead, it can help save time, spark creativity, improve productivity and support everything from marketing and customer service to content creation and business planning. 

Whether you're just starting to explore AI or already using it with confidence, here are ten practical and easy ways it can support your day-to-day tourism business and help you work more efficiently.

1. Create social media content faster

AI and social media can be a contentious combination. As AI-generated images, videos and content become increasingly sophisticated, many people are questioning what is real and what isn't, which is what scares people most about AI. In a world where attention spans are short and businesses are constantly competing for visibility; authenticity has never been more important - and that's where your business can stand out.

The key here is to use AI as a tool, not a substitute for your brand's personality. Visitors want genuine stories, real experiences, and authentic recommendations. While AI can help generate ideas for posts, captions, hashtags and campaign themes in seconds, the final content should always reflect your business's unique voice. Used thoughtfully, AI can save time and support creativity, but the human touch remains what truly connects with audiences.

Top Tip

Remember to add your own personality and local knowledge to ensure posts remain authentic.

2. Write blogs and website content

Fresh website content can improve search engine visibility and provide useful information for visitors, but finding time to write regularly can be difficult and we've all suffered that writers block when you're up against time.

AI can help create blog outlines, attraction guides, destination features and event roundups, saving hours of work. For example, a hotel could create a "48 Hours in Exeter" guide, while an attraction might produce family-friendly itineraries or seasonal activity suggestions. Just like with social media content creation, AI can be the creation and inspiration tool, but the personal touch gives your business its identity that customers buy in to. 

Top Tip

Always review and personalise the content before publishing, ensuring it reflects your business and local area accurately.

3. Respond to customer enquiries

Many visitor enquiries cover similar topics, such as opening times, accessibility information, parking arrangements or booking details. AI can help draft responses to common questions, reducing the time spent answering repetitive emails and messages.

Businesses are increasingly using AI-powered chat assistants on their websites. While it's impossible for us to be available in person 24/7, 365 days a year, this is where AI steps in to help take the pressure off staff and allow visitors to find information quickly outside of normal opening hours. 

4. Generate marketing ideas

We all experience creative blocks and there's no shame in that. Sometimes you're full of energy and the ideas just flow, other times it's an uphill battle to complete the simplest action. AI doesn't experience this and consider it as a brainstorming colleague.

Whether you're seeking ideas to increase off-season visits, create new campaign themes, encourage repeat customers or planning to launch something completely new, there's no limit to what AI can assist you with and help get the creative juices flowing.

Top Tip

Don't expect to use to use every AI idea but instead think of it as a way to spark inspiration and help develop new concepts.

5. Create newsletters and email campaigns

Alongside social media, email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers. The main difference you'll often find though is that newsletters are far more time consuming to create, due to the amount of content included within them,

AI can help draft newsletters, promotional emails, and customer updates, making it easier to maintain regular communication. Simply provide key information such as upcoming events, special offers or business news, and let AI create a polished draft ready for editing. This is particularly useful for smaller businesses that may not have dedicated marketing teams.

6. Analyse customer reviews

Visitor reviews provide valuable insights, but reading through hundreds of comments can be time-consuming. AI can help identify recurring themes and trends within reviews, highlighting what customers love most and where improvements may be needed.

For example, you may discover visitors consistently praise your staff, food quality, or visitor experience. Equally as important, AI can help flag recurring issues that could affect customer satisfaction. In the long term, this enables businesses to make informed decisions based on real visitor feedback.

7. Improve Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

We all appreciate SEO is important to our business but sometimes the elephant in the room is actually knowing where to begin, and if we're even doing it right. AI can suggest keywords, page titles, blog topics and website descriptions that may help improve visibility in search engines. 

As an example, instead of simply saying "hotel rooms" in your copy, AI might suggest content focused around "weekend breaks in Devon", "family-friendly accommodation in Exeter" or "places to stay near the Jurassic Coast." 

Of course it can take time to update your whole website, so don't expect to complete it all in one go. Little updates here and there can result in a significant impact, helping attract more visitors to your website and increase online bookings.

8. Save time on administrative tasks

AI is a fantastic tool for marketing, but its benefits don't stop there. Day-to-day administration may not be the most exciting part of running a tourism business, yet it often takes up a significant amount of valuable time.

From summarising meeting notes and drafting emails to creating reports, organising information and formatting documents, AI can help tackle many routine administrative tasks quickly and efficiently. It can also help create checklists, training materials, and standard operating procedures, reducing the time spent on repetitive work.

By taking some of the strain out of administration, AI allows managers and staff to focus more of their energy on visitors, customer experiences and growing the business. After all, time spent creating memorable experiences is far more valuable than time spent staring at spreadsheets and paperwork.

9. Plan visitor experiences

AI can be a useful tool for enhancing the visitor experience and helping guests make the most of their time in your destination.

It can generate ideas for itineraries, family activity trails, walking routes, themed experiences, and seasonal guides tailored to different audiences. Accommodation providers, attractions, and destinations can also use AI to suggest nearby attractions, restaurants and experiences based on visitor interests.

By helping visitors discover more and plan their time effectively, businesses can create a more memorable experience that encourages positive reviews, repeat visits and recommendations.

10. Learn new skills

Perhaps one of AI's most underrated benefits is its ability to support learning.

Need help understanding social media trends? Looking for marketing advice? Want to learn about accessibility, sustainability, or customer service best practice? AI can explain concepts, answer questions, and provide guidance in an accessible way.

While it should never replace professional advice where required, it can be a useful resource for continuous learning and staff development.

A few words of caution

While AI offers many benefits, it is important to use it responsibly.

Always check facts, verify information, and ensure any content reflects your business accurately. AI can occasionally make mistakes or provide outdated information, so human oversight remains essential.

Most importantly, don't lose your unique voice. Visitors choose destinations and businesses because of the people behind them. AI can help tell your story more efficiently, but it shouldn't replace the personality, passion and expertise that make your business special.

Start small and build confidence

One of AI's biggest advantages is its simplicity. You don't need a large budget or specialist technical knowledge to get started. Begin with a straightforward task such as drafting a social media post, creating a newsletter article, or generating marketing ideas, and build from there.

For tourism businesses facing increasing demands on time and resources, AI offers an opportunity to work smarter, improve productivity and enhance customer engagement. Used thoughtfully, it can become a valuable addition to your business toolkit, helping you spend less time on routine tasks and more time creating exceptional visitor experiences.

Useful AI tools

With a growing range of AI tools available, here's our pick of the most commonly used ones.  

ChatGPT

An AI assistant that can help draft website content, social media posts, blogs, email campaigns, itineraries and customer communications.

Canva Magic Studio

Combines graphic design with AI-powered content creation, making it easier to create marketing materials, social media graphics and promotional videos.

Grammarly

Improves writing by checking spelling, grammar, tone and clarity, helping businesses produce more professional content.

Microsoft Copilot

Integrated into Microsoft 365, it can summarise documents, analyse data, draft reports and streamline everyday administrative tasks.

Gemini

Google's AI assistant can help with research, content creation, idea generation and planning marketing campaigns.

Otter.ai

Automatically records and transcribes meetings, making it easier to capture notes, actions and discussions.

DALL·E

Generates original images from text prompts, providing inspiration for marketing campaigns and visual content.

Buffer AI Assistant

Helps create, refine and schedule social media content, saving valuable marketing time.