Moslem Shajai, the Director General of Marketing and Development of Foreign Tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, engaged in a deep discussion about the impact of artificial intelligence on the world of tourism in Iran. He referred to the slogan of the year 2026 by the World Tourism Organization titled 'Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence for Redesigning Tourism', emphasizing the importance of this technology in improving tourism processes.
Digital Transformation and the Entry of Artificial Intelligence
Shajai stated: 'In 2018, the focus of the tourism slogan was on digital transformation, but now, after about eight years, the emphasis on artificial intelligence has also been added to this approach.' He continued: 'This change shows that digital technologies and artificial intelligence are no longer just theoretical topics, but have become part of our daily lives.' According to him, artificial intelligence can be utilized in various forms, including content creation, planning, and monitoring in tourism.
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Increased Speed and Optimization of Decision-Making
The Director General of Marketing and Development of Foreign Tourism emphasized that data, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence can help improve decision-making. He said: 'These tools can increase the speed of our decision-making and performance. In the past, preparing a report or making a decision might have taken months, but now digital platforms and big data provide access to more accurate information.'
Shajai added: 'Using these technologies allows us to make better and more optimized decisions based on more accurate data. One of the most important functions of artificial intelligence and digital tools is to reduce the time needed to access information and increase the speed of decision-making.'
The Need to Enhance Digital Literacy
According to Shajai, to effectively utilize artificial intelligence, the level of knowledge and digital literacy must be enhanced. He emphasized: 'The use of artificial intelligence is effective when individuals have sufficient knowledge and insight in their field of work. If someone uses an artificial intelligence tool without specialized knowledge, the quality of the output may not meet their actual needs.'
He also referred to empowering employees and providing the necessary infrastructure for effective use of artificial intelligence, stating: 'Creating appropriate infrastructure and training employees are among the actions that need to be considered to achieve desirable outcomes.'
Challenges in the Path of Utilizing Technology
Shajai clarified that not all decision-making is based on digital tools and artificial intelligence, and we are still in the early stages of using this technology. He added: 'Challenges such as enabling employees to use artificial intelligence tools and covering subscription costs are among the issues we need to address.'
The Director General of Marketing and Development of Foreign Tourism concluded: 'The need to use this technology has arisen, and we are on the path to expanding its application. We hope that with the development of facilities, the speed of activities will increase, and we can make better use of big data and artificial intelligence-based content creation. Staying up-to-date in this field is essential for us.'
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