Greener Skies: AI in Aviation
Aviation is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions within tourism, accounting for over 50% of the sector's total 9% global emissions. AI is proving to be an invaluable tool in mitigating this impact. Ben Dias, Chief AI Scientist at IAG (parent company of British Airways and Aer Lingus), highlights AI's increasing role in optimizing flight routes. By providing pilots with real-time weather data and AI-driven forecasts, machine learning helps aircraft capitalize on tailwinds and avoid headwinds, significantly reducing fuel consumption and, consequently, CO2 emissions.
Beyond fuel efficiency, AI is also tackling the persistent issue of contrails – the vapor trails left by planes. American Airlines, in collaboration with Google, developed "Project Contrails" to reduce these formations. Although primarily water vapor, contrails can expand and merge, trapping heat and contributing an estimated 35% to aviation's global warming impact. By using AI to identify and avoid atmospheric conditions conducive to contrail formation, the project has demonstrated the potential to cut them by more than half.
On the ground, IAG leverages AI to enhance maintenance procedures. Dias explains that predictive maintenance, enabled by AI, allows for proactive repairs before issues arise. This not only improves fleet efficiency but also minimizes delays and cancellations, which can trigger additional environmental burdens like emergency spare part shipments or passenger transportation to hotels.
Sustainable Hospitality: Tackling Food Waste and Energy
The hotel sector faces its own significant environmental challenges, particularly regarding food waste. Members of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, such as Iberostar, are embracing AI to combat this issue. Iberostar has partnered with food waste specialists Winnow, deploying AI-driven tracking technology in their hotel kitchens. This system utilizes smart scales and cameras to monitor discarded food, providing chefs with crucial data on waste patterns.
Alvaro Sanchez, Iberostar's Director of Sustainability, notes that the AI-powered bins differentiate between production waste and guest plate leftovers. This granular data has led to tangible changes, including adjustments to portion sizes and food preparation methods. A prime example is the significant reduction in tomato waste in 2023 – over 1,100 tonnes – achieved through a minor alteration in how kitchen staff cut tomatoes, all thanks to insights gleaned from the AI system.
Iberostar has also implemented AI-driven software to optimize energy consumption within its hotels. This system allows various energy elements, including power-intensive air conditioning units, to communicate. By learning from operating patterns and real-time weather data, the AI predicts environmental conditions, ensuring greater energy efficiency. Sanchez emphasizes, however, the importance of human engagement before introducing any technology, stating, "You have to have conversations… you need to understand why people do what they do… You cannot take adoption for granted."
Enhancing Resilience and Customer Experience
AI's role extends to bolstering the tourism sector's resilience against shocks like severe weather events. This was a key discussion point at the third Global Tourism Resilience Conference in Jamaica. Jamaica's Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, underscored the potential of digital tools to "foresee disruptions, respond effectively to crises, and ensure the continuity of this vital sector."
Natalia Bayona, an executive director at U.N. Tourism, believes AI empowers the tourism sector to make better decisions. She posits that while technology won't replace human interaction in tourism, it will significantly improve information coordination and offer diverse solutions. "We can create models about how to manage catastrophes… the tool can help you to predict different situations," Bayona explains.
AI is also enhancing the customer experience while simultaneously reducing environmental footprints. At Singapore's Changi Airport, for instance, AI and machine learning are employed for baggage screening and image interpretation. Biometric testing is eliminating queues at security and immigration, leading to faster passenger movement through the airport. This not only benefits travelers but also saves paper and energy, aligning with sustainability goals. Bayona asserts, "The best ally of sustainability is technology."
Recognizing AI's transformative potential, U.N. Tourism launched its Global Artificial Intelligence Challenge last year as part of its "AI for Good in Tourism" strategic roadmap. This initiative supports startups poised to revolutionize areas like branding, marketing, smart destinations, and operational efficiencies, with winners expected later this year.
Ethical Considerations and Broader Impact
While the opportunities presented by AI are immense, responsibilities accompany its adoption. U.N. Tourism is actively working on a set of principles addressing the ethics of AI in tourism. Bayona stresses the importance of training to equip individuals with the necessary skills to leverage AI's benefits while mitigating potential risks.
David Tepper, CEO of U.S.-based AI developers Pay-i Inc., concurs on the criticality of increasing AI literacy. He warns that "generative AI makes it easier than ever to produce convincing, but entirely fabricated, images, videos or influencer endorsements."
Conversely, Tepper highlights AI's potential to level the playing field for smaller tourism brands, which constitute approximately 80% of the global sector. AI can enable them to create professional marketing materials at significantly lower costs, providing a substantial boost for community and eco-tourism initiatives often championed by smaller operators.
Melissa Novotny, a consultant at Sea Going Green, an agency assisting tourism companies with AI integration, believes AI can profoundly alter the traveler's experience. It can provide personalized recommendations based on budget, interests, and past experiences, and suggest diverse destinations, thereby alleviating overcrowding and spreading the economic benefits of tourism more broadly. "AI can help consumers make more sustainable choices," she explains.
Her agency is collaborating with tourism officials in Sharjah, UAE, to develop an AI tool that simplifies the discovery of sustainable offerings for visitors, from green spaces to highly-rated eco-hotels. This system uses algorithms that factor in environmental considerations to make "smart" recommendations. Novotny emphasizes that while simple online searches are available, the AI platform's vetted choices ensure authenticity. "We want to make sure that these options are truly sustainable because there is a lot of greenwashing that goes on," she states. "It’s transparent, it’s trustworthy and… you’re getting something different from a search engine."