Keeping Tourism Human in the Age of AI, with Mike Jacobs
Artificial intelligence is transforming tourism, but it is only one part of a much larger technological shift.
In this episode of Forward Motion, Andrew Siegwart is joined by Mike Jacobs, founder of The New Business and Whereabouts, to explore how emerging technology is changing the way tourism businesses operate, market themselves and connect with visitors.
The conversation moves beyond the hype surrounding AI to examine what these tools can realistically do for tourism organizations today. Andrew and Mike discuss how businesses can use AI to improve internal systems, analyze customer information, rapidly test ideas and make their products and experiences easier to discover.
They also explore how AI could reshape the entire visitor journey, from the first moment of inspiration to trip planning, booking and the experience itself. As technology becomes increasingly capable of creating highly personalized recommendations, tourism businesses will need to ensure their online information is accurate, organized and accessible to the platforms visitors are using.
While AI can reduce friction and improve efficiency, Mike emphasizes that tourism’s greatest competitive advantage remains distinctly human. Creativity, authenticity, personal interaction and genuine hospitality will become even more important as technology becomes embedded in everyday life.
The episode also examines customer data privacy, the risks of ignoring emerging technology and how businesses can experiment with new tools without feeling pressured to adopt everything at once.
Andrew and Mike close the conversation by discussing Whereabouts, a platform designed specifically for tourism organizations. By bringing business listings, events, communications, surveys and industry data into one connected system, Whereabouts aims to reduce duplication, strengthen collaboration and help Ontario’s tourism industry make better use of its information and technology.
The message for tourism leaders is clear: businesses cannot afford to ignore AI, but the goal should not be to replace the human side of hospitality. It should be to use technology to create more time and space for it.
About Mike Jacobs
Mike Jacobs is the founder of The New Business and Whereabouts. He works at the intersection of tourism strategy and technology, helping destinations and tourism organizations use emerging tools to improve operations, collaboration, marketing and the visitor experience.
Learn more
Explore Whereabouts and The New Business.
Forward Motion thanks its partners for their support of this show:
Ontario Travel & Tourism Monthly
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