Keralam started integrating the tourism sector with artificial intelligence (AI) and a cutting-edge digital ecosystem to meet the demands and preferences of today’s tourists, said P.C. Vishnunadh, Minister for Tourism, here on Saturday.

Since Keralam is reshaping the tourism sector to tap the State’s vast potential to emerge as an international experiential destination, promising diverse offerings to visitors, the State needs to leverage AI, cutting-edge digital tools to reshape its tourism, he said.

“Our aim is to see that tourists coming to the State are treated with a wholesome Keralam experience, marking a shift from the approach of promoting a few places and products separately through destination-focused packages and products. The State Tourism department, in collaboration with the stakeholders, has started exploring how AI can help make our tourism sector smarter, more inclusive and sustainable. This will impart speed and scale to tourism activities in the State, in a highly competitive domestic and global scenario,” said Mr. Vishnunadh, in a statement here, on the eve of the World Tourism Day.

The upcoming tourism policy of the government will be giving greater thrust to the initiatives in that direction. The government’s decision to accord industry status to the tourism sector will certainly expedite this process. The government will also come out with programmes to promote start-ups in tourism sector. Keralam’s robust start-up and innovation ecosystem will be encouraged to develop smart solutions to enhance the efficient and prompt delivery of tourism services. This will also increase the youth engagement in tourism sector. The industry leaders could help this process by supporting young innovators by providing funds and mentorship, said the Minister.

The new technologies can also be leveraged to improve the management of tourism destinations and infrastructure. “We need to ensure that our travel and hospitality services follow the best management practices and world standards. Barrier-free access to tourism is also important,” he added.

The Tourism department has already drawn up a programme to help homestays adopt technology-driven management practices to improve their quality. Considering this, the State will roll out more initiatives to connect this key vertical with AI and digital platforms. This goes well with the vision of reconfiguring Kerala Tourism into an integrated ecosystem bridging gaps and touching every life, Mr. Vishnunadh said.