Smart travelling: AI now the sidekick and new guide in tourism
By Cynthia Atuo, July 17, 2025The travel season is here with us again, ‘tis the time when tourists flock to the country to enjoy the amazing wildlife our country offers.
But at the same time, somebody’s gotta leave too, and so ‘tis also the time for my girls’ group to go outside the country and see what the world has to offer.
With August soon approaching, time is not on our side, and we have to act fast. So, what’s the plan?
“I don’t know, what do you think?” This is the only thing we’ve managed to say after hours of researching and deliberating on where our ‘big’ but affordable destination will be.
Ah, the classic, but too obvious girls trip dilemma – too many options, lots of chaos, but no agreement.
Karen wants the beaches, Mwende wants camping in cabins, I, on the other hand, want somewhere Zen where I can relax and forget humans exist, just call it a calmcation – all on a budget, of course.
With so much to see and plan, how do we decide? Will we choose guidebooks, travel agents, or the latest modern option, Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
After hours of scrolling on Traveltok and Pinterest boards, stalking popular influencers’ Instagram pages, and even calling the numbers of hotels and destinations provided online, some of which went unanswered, Karen suggests we use AI.
“AI? Like ChatGPT? Girl bye, I ain’t leaving no country with AI as my guide,” says a hesitant Mwende.
I, too, somewhat don’t fully believe in AI as my guide, like, “what if something happens to us when we are several countries away from our country, will we still run to AI?’’ pardon my pessimism.
However, we still decided to give it a try because desperate times call for desperate measures.
Karen opens her laptop, and what happens next was like modern-day sorcery.
Within an hour, we had settled for a place, got our itinerary, budget, and activities all planned.
“You and your two friends want a five-day escape outside Kenya—somewhere calm, with beaches and a spot to camp. Here’s the lowdown: Zanzibar, Tanzania, is a top pick. It’s got stunning beaches, chill vibes, and plenty of places to pitch a tent or book a beachfront stay,” suggested Kayak.ai, our AI-powered assistant, which combined several destinations- alongside pictures, flights, and hotel bookings in one dashboard.
So, we settled on Zanzibar, and that’s where it got fun. Besides giving us approximate estimates for several hotels and destinations, the AI-powered tool also created an itinerary for our five-day mini-getaway.
“Day 1: Arrive, hit the beach, sunset at Kendwa, Day 2: Explore Stone Town, spice tour, local eats, Day 3: Snorkeling or diving, relax at Nungwi, Day 4: Jozani Forest or a dolphin tour, camp or glamp by the sea, Day 5: Chill, shop for souvenirs, fly home,” it further suggested and we were all game for this plan.
And just like that, we are all set for the August getaway, and the decision to use AI marks a new era of our future travels.
AI, travel, and tourism
AI is now everywhere, and as it continues to advance, it is proving to be a game-changer across many industries.
With approximately 40 per cent of both global and local travellers already using AI tools for travel planning as of 2025, and 60 per cent being open to trying them, the travel landscape is shifting significantly.
As such, the tourism sector, an industry strongly built on storytelling, inspiration, and marketing, is seemingly adapting to AI at a faster rate.
A couple of decades ago, planning a trip used to be effing tedious.
The sector was heavily reliant on traditional modes, meaning one had to make several trips to a travel agent, pick several brochures, do a lot of Google searches, and after everything, fully rely on that particular agent for everything.
The planning part was seemingly more tedious and frustrating than the actual trip itself.
Today, with the rise of smart travelling thanks to modern technology, AI is becoming the new tour guide, enabling travellers to handle their safaris from wherever they are.
AI tools like Twiga, Kayak, Layla, Mindtrip.ai, Trip Advisor, Booked AI and GuideGeek, among several others, have taken up their roles as tour and booking guides based on individual profiles and preferences.
They come up with instant destination suggestions, personalised itineraries, budget-conscious planning, translating languages in addition to suggesting weather-friendly outfits, and are reliant because of their 24/7 availability.
As a result, the hotel and hospitality industries are reading the room and some are already integrating AI into their systems.
According to a recent survey by the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), small businesses in particular, which dominate the African tourism industry, are adopting AI.
“About 57 per cent of African tourism AI adopters are small businesses. They are leading the charge, using AI to level the playing field against larger competitors,” reads the report, signifying a remarkable trend.
ATTA attributes this change to Africa’s technological leapfrogging; several mini-sectors in the industry, including customer service, marketing and outreach, and operations, among others, have also revolutionised.
When it comes to customer service, individuals or travellers can now get reliable services from any part of the world they are in, eliminating geographical barriers that once used to limit travel and tourism.
AI chatbots can answer any queries about specific destinations and localities, providing round-the-clock support.
“Perhaps the most dramatic equaliser is in customer engagement. AI-powered chatbots enable even the smallest businesses to provide round-the-clock support in multiple languages,” observes the survey.
Marketing has also become way too easy for companies, with 86.7 per cent of small businesses acknowledging they leverage AI to produce high-quality content, eliminating the need to hire the services of agencies, which can be too expensive.
About 46.7 per cent also admitted to using AI tools for operations and administration tasks, ensuring operational efficiency with limited staff.
“Looking ahead, the outlook for AI-powered small businesses in African tourism is promising. Our survey found that 71.8 per cent are likely to invest in AI tools or training within the next 12 months, with many focusing on practical applications specific to tourism,” said the report.
While speaking to CNBC, Andy Moss, Mindtrip AI, co-founder and CEO, noted that the AI tools simply eliminate the tedious work that individuals have to go through when booking, making them more efficient.
“If you use ChatGPT today, you still have to go and Google everything. You still have to go and look at all the different places it recommends and actually do what you had to do before. And we are trying to do what a travel agent would have done 20 years ago, and you can use the AI to take all the effort out of that,” he says. The end result is a personalised vacation plan.