The new collaboration will involve the development of an AI-driven itinerary planner and a workshop for smart tourism leaders from across the EU.
Dublin City Council has announced a new partnership with OpenAI to leverage AI in support of tourism.
The new partnership will see the development of various smart tourism initiatives, while setting a “new standard for smart tourism innovation across Europe”.
One of these initiatives is the co-development of a Dublin itinerary planner proof of concept called ‘A Day in Dublin’, which intends to use the advanced capabilities of ChatGPT-4 to “showcase how bespoke travel recommendations can make Dublin’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant city life more accessible to visitors”. This project is a collaboration between Dublin City Council, OpenAI and Dublin-based data consultancy Data & Design, and is described as an alternative to generic tourist to-do lists.
Another initiative announced is a hands-on workshop for leaders of smart tourism destinations across the EU, which will be held in Ireland’s capital city in September. This workshop will examine how AI can be utilised in various aspects of tourism, from city promotion and destination branding to tourism engagement and itinerary planning.
This collaboration aligns with Dublin’s recent designation as the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024, which was announced late last year. Dublin was picked out of 30 candidates spanning 17 countries by a panel of judges, who deemed the city as having embedded the best smart tourism practices from across Europe through its collaborations, as well as the publication of a five-year tourism strategy.
One of the key objectives of this tourism strategy, which covers 2023 to 2028, is to improve innovation in Ireland’s tourism industry though a number of initiatives, including the support of the city’s smart tourism programme.
Speaking about the new collaboration, Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste said the council is “delighted” to partner with OpenAI, and is looking forward to welcoming city destination leaders in September for the AI and tourism workshop.
OpenAI’s VP of global affairs Anna Makanju expressed similar excitement. “We look forward to working together to create innovative solutions that will benefit visitors and cities alike.”
Tourism remains a significant part of Ireland’s economy, with expenditure from overseas tourists amounting to €5.3bn in 2023 according to a report from the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation.
This new collaboration is the latest project to integrate innovative technologies in the sector, following Dublin City Council’s Door into the Docklands augmented reality app, which was announced at the start of 2023.
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