Ivan Ivanovic and Peter Pilarski discuss AI adoption in tourism

AI in Tourism: People First, Then Tools

Most AI rollouts in tourism don’t fail on tech.

They stall because teams aren’t aligned, trained, or clear on the first win.

In this episode of AI Tourism Talks, I sat down with Peter Pilarski (Tourism AI Network) to unpack a simple approach any DMO, tour operator, hotel group, attraction, agency, or travel-tech team can run in 30 days.

Why AI Adoption Stalls in Tourism

Tourism is a network of partners: DMOs, operators, agencies, hotels, attractions, and tech vendors. Without a shared starting point, meetings loop and nothing ships.

Fix this first:

  • Build a shared definition of what AI is (and isn’t) for your team
  • Agree on where AI fits in 1–2 real workflows
  • Set one owner, one date, one metric

“AI adoption is a people and culture challenge first, a systems/process challenge second, and a technology challenge third.” – Peter Pilarski

A 30-Day Win Any Team Can Run

Pick one use case that saves time or improves consistency.

Starter use cases

  • Draft and human-edit tour/experience descriptions from guide notes
  • Inbox helper for FAQs, changes, and refunds in your brand voice
  • Itinerary draft that respects dates, budget, and accessibility
  • Photo captions + alt text to lift listing conversion

How to run it

  1. Name one owner and write a one-page how-to (inputs, steps, output)
  2. Train the 2–3 users who will actually do the work
  3. Measure hours saved, response time, quality score (1–5)
  4. Share the win. Repeat next month.

Leadership When You’re “Not Technical”

You don’t need to be a data scientist to lead AI adoption.

  • Set the direction and guardrails (what AI is for, what it’s not for)
  • Create a weekly 15-minute check-in on pilots (evidence over opinions)
  • Ask for a before/after with the three metrics above

This is the “unsexy” part that creates repeatable value.

Do the Groundwork That Makes Wins Stick

  • Clean file naming and folder structure
  • Up-to-date SOPs and playbooks (1–2 pages is enough)
  • A simple prompt library linked to real tasks
  • Clear owner per workflow

Peter’s Simple Adoption Framework 

  1. Align people: a short session to build common understanding
  2. Pick one workflow: small scope, real value
  3. Train + document: one-pager, two users, one metric
  4. Pilot 30 days: measure and share outcomes
  5. Scale carefully: keep what works, park what doesn’t

Quick Q&A 

1. What’s the best AI use case for a small tour operator?
➝ Start with guest messaging or itinerary drafts. Fast to test, easy to measure.

2. How do we measure AI success in tourism teams?
➝ Track hours saved, response time, and a simple quality score (1-5).

3. Do we need new software to start?
➝ No. Begin with what you have. The foundation is people + process.

4. What about agentic AI?
➝ Prepare content, SOPs, and clean data now. Agents add value when your house is in order.

Watch the Full AI Tourism Talks Replay

Watch on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghrj5y9zEgE

Download the Free 100 AI Prompts Guide

Get the prompt pack → https://ai-tourism-innovator.framer.website/

Final Thoughts

AI won’t replace travel professionals. But those who learn to use it will move faster, show up more often, and stand out.

Start small, align your team, prove one win, and make it repeatable.

Next Steps with AI Tourism Innovator

Work with me (services, case studies, guides):
https://ai-tourism-innovator.com/services/