# Should Tourism Boards Build Their Own AI?

Canonical-URL: https://notitur.com/en/digest/should-tourism-boards-build-their-own-ai
Text-Version: https://notitur.com/en/digest/should-tourism-boards-build-their-own-ai.txt
Markdown-Version: https://notitur.com/en/digest/should-tourism-boards-build-their-own-ai.md
Language: en
Published: 2026-07-01T23:00:56.409Z
Modified: 2026-07-01T23:00:56.409Z
Author: Joan Sanz
Topics: Artificial Intelligence
Summary: Three models emerge: from generic assistants to custom tools for hotels, agencies and tour operators. The question is whether DMOs should get their hands dirty.

## Article

Tourism Boards face a watershed decision: build their own artificial intelligence to serve hotels, agencies and tour operators, or leave it to third parties? According to a [Skift](https://skift.com/2026/07/01/should-tourism-boards-build-ai-for-their-stakeholders/) analysis, **three models** are already emerging, and the strategy each destination chooses will define its relevance for years to come.

- **Model 1: The generic conversational assistant.** A chatbot with public destination data. It works for basic info but falls short when a hotelier asks about real-time occupancy or an agent needs dynamic package margins.
- **Model 2: The open data hub with AI.** The DMO releases APIs and structured data (events, prices, availability) so operators build their own tools. More power, but it requires stakeholders to have developers or budget.
- **Model 3: Tailored AI for each profile.** The tourism office develops specialized assistants: one for hoteliers (revenue analysis, demand alerts), another for agencies (live product recommendations), another for tour operators (route and cost optimization). The most ambitious and resource-heavy.

My take: Tourism Boards that wait for a perfect product will fall behind. **Model 2 (open data hub) is the sweet spot** for most: it doesn't block private innovation and puts the destination at the center of the data ecosystem. The worst a DMO can do is build a generic chatbot nobody uses. If they go AI, make it purposeful and profile-specific.

## Sources

- Skift: https://skift.com/2026/07/01/should-tourism-boards-build-ai-for-their-stakeholders/

## Citation

Should Tourism Boards Build Their Own AI?. Notitur. 2026-07-01. https://notitur.com/en/digest/should-tourism-boards-build-their-own-ai