EICC Live: Artificial Intelligence - Can Tourism Stay Human?

Joshua Ryan-Saha is Director of Tourism, Travel and Festivals at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, University of Edinburgh. He established Traveltech for Scotland to cement our position as a European leader in travel technology innovation. He has delivered AI and tourism innovation lectures and workshops to more than 400 industry professionals across Europe, America and Asia, advising tourism destinations on the use of AI.

Edinburgh knows tourism's double-edged sword and is the topic of endless debate. Is the relationship between visitors and local residents under strain. Noise, house prices, traffic, and new developments have all at times attracted the ire of those who call Edinburgh their home. Yet this very tension makes our city the perfect laboratory for asking: what happens when you throw AI into the tourism mix?

Through interactive elements and real-world examples, Joshua will navigate how AI is already reshaping travel, from algorithm-curated itineraries to predictive crowd management. But as machines become better at planning perfect trips, are we losing the beautiful accidents, spontaneous discoveries, and genuine human connections that make travel transformative?

Drawing on his work around the globe, Joshua will explore the uncertain future ahead. Will tomorrow's tourists still get wonderfully lost? Can we harness AI's power while preserving tourism's capacity to surprise, challenge, and change us?

Hear how this technological revolution is unfolding in Scotland and beyond - and help shape what comes next.

Image: Cat O’Neil