The new era of travel: AI, robots and regenerative experiences

euronews (in English)

The future of tourism is here, blending innovation with sustainability. Explore how regenerative practises and cutting-edge technology are reshaping the travel industry and creating a positive impact on communities and the planet.

Transcript

00:00From robot cabin crew to regenerative travel experiences, innovation is breathing new life

00:08into the tourism sector and profits are predicted to soar.

00:15Welcome to The Exchange from our studio here in Doha.

00:19Coming up on this episode, CEO and founder of the tourism space, Tina O'Dwyer, shares

00:24her thoughts on the rising popularity of regenerative tourism and its impact on the future of tourism.

00:29of the industry and chief commercial officer of Qatar Airways, Thierry Antinori, gives

00:35us a glimpse into the future of air travel.

00:38Now, a recent report by the World Economic Forum indicates that the future of tourism

00:42will be driven by technological innovation and big changes to the way tourists want to

00:47experience new destinations when they travel.

00:51One of the biggest emerging trends is a shift from traditional tourism focused on consumption

00:56to regenerative tourism, an approach where companies focus on creating a positive impact

01:02on local communities and the environment.

01:06And as tastes change, analysts are predicting that revenues across the sector will continue

01:11to rise.

01:12According to Statista, a leading online statistics portal, the tourism market as a whole is predicted

01:18to reach $916 billion of sales this year and grow annually at a rate of 3.9%, resulting

01:26in a market value of $1.1 trillion by 2029.

01:31Well, like so many other industries, artificial intelligence continues to transform the tourism

01:38sector.

01:40Innovations like biometrics at check-in desks and even robot assistants are popping up at

01:44airports all over the world.

01:47A recent analysis by software engineering firm EEPAM predicts that tourism specific

01:52AI will be worth $1.2 billion by 2026.

01:59Technological advancements are changing attitudes and putting the travel sector firmly back

02:04on track.

02:05Now, Tina O'Dwyer is CEO and co-founder of the tourism space, specialists in helping

02:10companies to develop regenerative tourism practices.

02:14I asked her how far new attitudes to travel might ultimately change people, communities

02:19and the planet.

02:22More than most other industries, tourism can do a lot for the well-being of places, the

02:26well-being of people, understanding of different cultures, broadening education and minds,

02:33and also really enhancing biodiversity and nature conservation through the way it carries

02:38out its activities.

02:40And I think if tourism started to see the positive parts it could bring to the sustainability

02:45and regeneration agenda, then we'd really see a positive model emerging into the future.

02:50It's not easy to make profit, but it's also not easy to save the planet.

02:53So we need to see profitable local businesses that can endure in communities over long periods

02:59of time.

03:00And we also need to recognise that it's going to require many more stakeholders than the

03:04businesses to influence our planetary conditions.

03:09So what does regenerative tourism look like in reality?

03:12Our reporter Phil Stebbing went to Wairapa in New Zealand to find out more.

03:17Hi, Guy.

03:19I'm here at Pukaha National Wildlife Centre, an award-winning leader in New Zealand's bid

03:25for regenerative tourism to boost local economies and to restore the environment.

03:30Pukaha contains just 900 hectares of a vast forest which indigenous Maori people once

03:36depended upon.

03:38This forest was literally our home, our food source and our medicine basket.

03:43We had to be integrated into a culture with their different perspectives on who we were

03:48as a people, and it wasn't always right.

03:51Today, Pukaha's tourism revenue is helping redress past wrongs.

03:56Funding an education centre and meeting house, it's all part of regenerating the Maori community.

04:06I'm very pleased to see how they are preserving their culture.

04:10The kids got to experience the carving.

04:12Carvers were very gracious, talking about the history behind the different objects.

04:18For tourists, there are comfortable lodges to rent, and six sites provide power for happy

04:23campers, which all brings in important revenue.

04:27I know the money that I'm spending here is all going towards the regeneration of this

04:31forest and the stories that are being told about the tribes that live in this area and

04:36the importance of this amazing place.

04:39Unlike other tourist businesses, Pukaha is not just focused on profit margins.

04:44We're not about just ensuring that the visitor numbers are coming through the large quantities.

04:49When we talk about regenerative tourism, we're trying to revitalise us as a people.

04:55It's about telling the stories.

05:00Regenerative tourism is partly about people before profits.

05:04But what about the very biggest travel brands?

05:06How are they planning to reshape the future of the sector?

05:10Thierry Antonori is the chief commercial officer of Qatar Airways.

05:14They recently retained their crown as Skytrax Airline of the Year.

05:17I sat down with Thierry here in Doha, and I asked him to explain what the future has

05:22in store for travel and tourism.

05:26I think the customer is looking for convenient and efficient value-for-money solutions in

05:33each segment.

05:34The customer has a very bright future, which will drive a lot of improvement in customer

05:40experience.

05:41It's already the case today, but biometrics, for instance, will considerably improve the

05:46customer experience at the airports.

05:49I think artificial intelligence will generate better content for the customer.

05:56Qatar Airways is very focused on that.

05:59We have the first digital human cabin crew, named SAMAR, which showcases our cabins with

06:06this new technology.

06:08You will get more and more relevant, personalised offers for you, fitting your needs, fitting

06:16the needs of your families.

06:18It's what the customer can expect.

06:22Now it's time for our regular feature, Business in 60 Seconds.

06:26Start the clock.

06:27Celtic PLC is preparing to announce its full-year 2024 earnings release.

06:31The world-famous Scottish football club is currently working on redeveloping its Barrafield

06:37training ground, aiming to create a top facility for youth and women's football.

06:42Construction is now underway after a long planning process.

06:45Investors will be interested to see how this project will affect its financial results

06:50in the coming year.

06:51British clothing and home products retailer NexPLC is preparing to announce its half-year

06:562024 earnings.

06:58The company is continuing its international expansion and is negotiating franchise and

07:02licence partnerships across Asia.

07:05Toys R Us, ANZ Ltd, the Australian and New Zealand branch of the toy retailer, is set

07:10to announce its full-year 2024 results.

07:13After exiting the UK market and transferring all assets to True Kids, the company is now

07:18focused on strengthening its presence in Australia.

07:21Investors will be eager to see how this move will drive growth in the Australian market.

07:28As we look to the future of tourism, AI is transforming how we travel, while regenerative

07:33practices ensure we do it responsibly.

07:36Together they're creating a new era of tourism that benefits both us and the planet, where

07:42technology and care for the environment go hand-in-hand.

07:45Well, that's all we have time for on this edition of the show.

07:50Please do check out Euronews.com for all your latest business news.

07:54And join us again next time on The Exchange.

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