Artificial intelligence (AI) is already changing how people discover destinations, book travel and personalise their experiences. Hotels use it to anticipate guest preferences and optimise operations, while destinations use digital tools to manage visitor flows and improve accessibility. Yet as the technology becomes more sophisticated, hospitality’s true differentiator will become even more human.
“AI should remove friction from travel, not the human moments that make people remember a destination,” said Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality. “The greatest opportunity isn’t to replace hospitality with technology, but to give our teams more time to focus on what people value most: genuine interactions, authentic experiences and meaningful connections.”
Travellers want experiences that algorithms cannot replicate. They want to understand local culture, meet local people and feel connected to the places they visit. Technology can help them discover those experiences, but it cannot create them.
Across the Middle East, tourism is entering a new era of destination development, moving beyond traditional hotel-led models towards integrated lifestyle destinations shaped by culture, community, art, nature and entertainment. In Saudi Arabia, AlUla, Diriyah and The Red Sea offer experiences ranging from heritage-led stays and cultural discovery to regenerative tourism and adventure. In the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is building a distinctive proposition around its mountains, desert, coastline and heritage, combining adventure at Jebel Jais with sustainable resorts and an evolving leisure offering across Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra. Abu Dhabi places culture at the heart of Saadiyat Island and brings entertainment, sport and hospitality together on Yas Island. In Egypt, integrated destinations continue to evolve along the Red Sea and Mediterranean coasts, from El Gouna’s established community-led model to New Alamein’s expanding tourism, cultural and entertainment offering. Hotels are no longer standalone places to stay; they are part of destinations designed around how people want to live, connect and experience a place.
Technology is developing alongside this infrastructure. In June 2026, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism launched its AI Tourism Vision, focused on using AI across the visitor journey, improving service quality and productivity, and supporting tourism businesses and professionals. In the UAE, the Hospitality Advisory Council has identified the adoption of AI and digital solutions in hotel operations and guest experience as a priority for the sector. The Red Sea is already using AI-native digital infrastructure as it scales its luxury destinations, with technology supporting connectivity, operational efficiency and personalised digital services.
This raises an important question for the GCC: Can destinations become more technologically advanced and keep their human connection? As AI becomes embedded in everything from hotel operations and guest personalisation to destination management, the technology itself will become increasingly invisible. What visitors remember will still be the sunset over AlUla, the story behind a heritage building in Diriyah, a connection with local culture or an unexpected human interaction. The region’s competitive advantage may ultimately lie in using technology most intelligently to enhance what is uniquely its own.
As more businesses adopt similar digital capabilities, technology itself will become less of a competitive advantage. “Every hotel will eventually have access to similar technology,” said Marloes. “What cannot be copied is a destination’s culture, its people and its stories. Competitive advantage won’t come from AI alone. It will come from combining digital intelligence with cultural intelligence.”
Success will increasingly be judged by the quality of experiences created, the benefits delivered to local communities and the long-term resilience of destinations, alongside visitor numbers and operational efficiency.
“The future of tourism isn’t a choice between technology and humanity,” Marloes concluded. “It’s about bringing them together intentionally. If we use AI to strengthen local communities, celebrate cultural identity and create richer guest experiences, then technology becomes an enabler of better tourism rather than simply faster tourism.”-TradeArabia News Service