AI must enhance human capability, not replace people in tourism – Prof. Mensah

Prof Kobby Mensah, Executive Director of Ghana Tourism Development Company Limited (GTDC), has urged the strategic deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Ghana's tourism sector to enhance human capabilities and deliver more personalized and uniquely Ghanaian experiences. He emphasized that AI should not be perceived merely as a replacement tool for human labor, stressing that tourism remains fundamentally a people-centric industry.

At a World Tourism Day Summit organized by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in Greater Accra, Prof. Mensah highlighted that the tourism experience extends beyond a visitor's arrival at a destination and continues even after departure, with digital technology playing a significant role in shaping this journey. The critical question, therefore, is not whether AI will enter the tourism industry, but rather, how we can utilize it prudently to reshape the Ghanaian tourism experience.

Mensah pointed out that AI could provide round-the-clock customer service, recommend accommodations and experiences based on individual preferences, support voice searches, deliver virtual tours, and create personalized itineraries. During the pre-arrival stage, AI could facilitate dynamic pricing, personalized communication, and expedite check-in procedures.

At the destination, smart rooms could adapt to guests' preferences, and AI concierge systems could provide information and services. Additionally, predictive maintenance could preempt equipment issues, and translation technologies could bridge language gaps between international tourists and local tourism staff.

Mensah further noted that AI's benefits extend beyond the visitor experience to improve tourism business operations, such as guest profiling, customer relationship management, inventory and housekeeping management, revenue forecasting, and demand planning. He argued that Ghana should leverage digital technologies not just to digitize existing tourism processes but to create entirely new opportunities.

By harnessing data, Ghana could better understand travelers' interests, destinations visited, and valued experiences, while AI could efficiently match tourism products with visitors.

However, Prof. Mensah cautioned that digital transformation must be accompanied by responsible practices, particularly concerning privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, human skills, and the ethical use of AI. Ghana's rich heritage, festivals, cuisine, music, landscapes, people, and history present unique assets that technology should help preserve, promote, and commercialize globally.

AI should not dilute these experiences but should aid in discovering innovative ways to present, connect, preserve, and monetize them on a global scale.

Mrs Roberta Baaba Mprah Arhinful, Regional Director of the GTA for Greater Accra, emphasized that digital technology and AI are at the forefront of the industry's rapid transformation. She stressed that technology is reshaping how visitors discover destinations, plan their journeys, market tourism services, and interact with tourism businesses.

Ghana must embrace digital innovation to enhance the competitiveness, sustainability, and inclusivity of its tourism sector while generating opportunities for young people to engage in the digital tourism economy.

Arhinful highlighted that the summit provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, explore emerging technologies, and form partnerships that could translate innovation into practical solutions for Ghana's tourism industry. She reaffirmed the GTA's commitment to collaborating with industry stakeholders, technology innovators, academia, and development partners to ensure that Ghana not only adapts to the digital transformation of tourism but proactively shapes it.