Application of Artificial Intelligence in Companies in the Tourism Sector: The Case of Chatbots

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly impacted various economic sectors, including tourism. Chatbots, AI-powered software, have gained attention as conversational agents enabling immediate and interactive communication. While chatbots have been used for 24/7 customer support, their applications in the tourism industry have expanded. Companies now develop chatbots to enhance customer connections, offering personalized recommendations, such as restaurant suggestions, table reservations, and event tickets. Previous studies raised concerns about the linguistic similarity between chatbots and humans. However, recent advancements contradict these findings. Research, like Mélian-Gonzáles’s study, highlights how users expressing ideas understandably to bots affects their experience. Understanding user expectations is vital for effective chatbot utilization. This study investigates chatbot applications in tourism, identifying niches, implementation challenges, and user perceptions through surveys. Recommendations will be provided to enhance adoption and effectiveness in the tourism sector. The study aims to obtain valuable insights into chatbots’ potential impact on tourism, identifying areas for improvement to optimize user experiences. Applying chatbots “appropriately offers a competitive advantage to companies and provides customers with efficient, personalized interactions” (Buhalis and Yen in, Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, pp. 231–242. Springer (2020)).