South-east Asia’s governments put AI to work in tourism

[JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR] It’s not about fancier trips but smoother ones – and more personalised too. Across South-east Asia, tourism authorities are embedding AI into travel, not as a gimmick, but to make the journey more seamless for travellers.

The shift is a strategic push to move tourism from sheer volume to “high-value” tourism with the aim of creating a more personalised experience that supports growth while easing pressure on cities and heritage areas.

Namho Chung, a professor at Kyung Hee University in Seoul and co-founder of the Association for Smart Tourism, said smart tourism is often summarised as the digital transformation of the tourism industry.