The topic examined how AI is moving from experimentation to practical application across destinations, tourism businesses, and public authorities. Building on the monthly article “Smart Use of AI in Modern Tourism: Empowering SMEs and Destinations”, the webinar “AI in Tourism: Transforming Destinations, Skills, and Strategy” along with the online discussion “How is AI supporting tourism in your country?” in October 2025, the objective was toshowcase how AI supports data-driven decision-making, strategic planning, and demand management, complemented by discussions on workforce transformation and legal considerations.

Key themes included:

• AI applications for destination management and demand 
• The impact of AI on tourism workforce skills and training needs 
• Data use, quality, and interoperability as enabling factors 
• Ethical, leal, and regulatory considerations, including compliance with EU frameworks. 
• AI as a tool to support sustainability for resilience in tourism 

The initiatives showcased illustrate how diverse tourism stakeholders across Europe are applying AI in practical ways to improve destination management, strengthen data-driven decision-making, build digital skills, and support more sustainable and resilient tourism development, including:

• Visit Ljubljana, Ljubljana Tourism: initiative highlighting the importance of transparent and extensive data collection, demonstrating how the use of AI for data-driven trend forecasting and visitor flow management, supporting more proactive destination planning. 
• “How to rethink Destinations in the AI era”, Data Appeal Company: showcasing how AI can help destination impact and collaboration across actors. 
• DEPLOYTOUR project, ANYSOLUTION: EU-funded project showcasing the importance of becoming data-ready, outlining the skills and capabilities required to leverage these platforms effectively. 
• “Smart data as AI enabler in hospitality”, Valamar Riviera d.d.: showcasing how AI-enabled smart data can support hospitality operations and strategic decision-making
• “Helping destinations with AI and HPC”, LLMs4EU initiative, Arctur : project aiming at preserving European linguistic and cultural diversity in the digital age through cooperation between economic and academic actors.   
• VisitScotland: an initiative for the sustainable development of Scotland's visitor economy with a focus on quality, sustainability as well as inclusive tourism. 

Stakeholder stories highlight ongoing efforts and acceleration in AI adoption across tourism, alongside shared challenges. 

Key conclusions and emerging trends include: 

• AI is becoming a strategic tool, not merely a technical add-on, supporting destination planning, forecasting, and visitor management. 
• Skills gaps are a critical challenge: successful AI adoption depends on digital literacy, upskilling, and organization readiness across tourism actors. 
• Data quality and governance are essential: AI effectiveness relies on access to reliable data, interoperability, and shared data frameworks. 
• Ethical and legal considerations are central: issues such as transparency, data protection, and compliance with EU regulations must guide AI deployment. 
• AI supports sustainability and resilience when applied responsibly, helping destinations anticipate pressures, optimize resources, and improve decision-making rather than replacing human judgement.