The ABCs of AI for Ontario Tourism: 30 Practical Opportunities to Attract, Build and Connect

The ABCs of AI for Ontario Tourism: 30 opportunities to attract visitors, build stronger operations and connect with visitors and communities.

Artificial intelligence is no longer simply a stand-alone chatbot that helps someone write a social media post.

In Fall 2026, AI is changing how visitors discover destinations, compare experiences, build itineraries and ask questions before and during a trip. It is also becoming more deeply embedded in the Microsoft, Google, marketing, website and operational platforms tourism organizations already use.

This does not mean tourism should become less personal.

Tourism is built on people, places, stories, trust and memorable experiences. The opportunity is to use AI to remove hours of tactical work, strengthen decision-making and make helpful information easier to find—while preserving the authentic voices and human relationships that make Ontario destinations special.

AI adoption is accelerating across Canadian businesses. Statistics Canada reported that 19.2% of Canadian businesses used AI to produce goods or deliver services during the 12 months preceding the second quarter of 2026, up from 12.2% in 2025. By the third quarter of 2026, 25.2% of businesses said they planned to use AI during the following 12 months. These are economy-wide figures rather than tourism-specific results, but they show how quickly expectations and workplace practices are changing. Review the Statistics Canada analysis and third-quarter findings.

The traveler journey is changing too. Google’s latest travel tools demonstrate how AI is becoming part of researching, planning and booking a trip. Travelers can use conversational AI to organize research into customized itineraries incorporating flights, hotels, attractions and maps. Google has also introduced global hotel-price tracking and expanded AI-assisted restaurant booking to Canada. Some features, including Canvas travel planning and Ask Maps, remained limited to selected countries as of April 2026. Explore Google’s latest AI-powered travel tools.

There is also a strong, current statistic you could add:

Google reported that search interest in “AI travel assistant” and “AI concierge” grew by 350% over the previous year, while searches for “AI flight booking” increased by 315%. These are Google search trends rather than Ontario-specific figures, but they demonstrate the rapidly growing interest in using AI throughout the traveller journey. Review Google’s 2026 travel trends.

My work in tourism did not begin with AI. I bring decades of hands-on digital-marketing experience supporting tourism operators and organizations across Ontario, and I have been working with the sector specifically on practical AI since generative AI first became widely available.

That combination matters. I understand the realities behind the technology: seasonal operations, small teams, destination partnerships, visitor expectations, limited time and budgets, and the responsibility to represent real places and experiences authentically. It allows me to connect what is changing in AI with what tourism professionals actually need to accomplish.

Through my work with tourism associations, destination leaders, operators and business professionals across Ontario, I have consistently found that the strongest results come when AI learning is connected to real tourism responsibilities, familiar technology and a clear visitor or organizational need.

Here are the ABCs of AI opportunity for Ontario tourism.

A. 10 Ways AI Can Help Attract Visitors

AI is becoming part of how visitors research where to go, what to do, where to stay and which experiences suit their interests. Tourism leaders, destination organizations and operators can use AI to:

1. Assess and strengthen AI visibility by testing how a destination, business or experience appears in answers produced by ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and AI-powered search—and identifying missing, inconsistent or outdated information.

2. Clarify what makes an experience distinctive by turning local knowledge, visitor feedback and business strengths into a stronger value proposition for specific audiences.

3. Build seasonal marketing plans more efficiently with campaign themes, timelines, responsibilities, content requirements and measures of success.

4. Repurpose one strong story across multiple channels by adapting it for websites, newsletters, social media, media pitches, partner toolkits and short videos without losing the organization’s voice.

5. Create themed itineraries, routes and partner packages that connect accommodations, attractions, restaurants, retailers, events and outdoor experiences into more complete visitor journeys.

6. Develop useful audience profiles from approved or aggregated information to better understand the needs of families, couples, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, business visitors or accessible-travel audiences.

7. Identify patterns in reviews, inquiries and visitor feedback to discover recurring strengths, unmet needs, seasonal concerns and language visitors use when describing an experience.

8. Strengthen public relations and earned-media outreach with support for media releases, story angles, key messages, interview preparation and community announcements.

9. Translate and localize public-facing information while requiring knowledgeable human review for cultural nuance, regional terminology, accessibility and accuracy.

10. Analyze campaign, website and engagement results and turn the findings into clear reports, recommendations and next actions.

The benefit: Tourism teams can move more quickly from scattered ideas and information to coordinated, audience-focused campaigns—while spending more time on partnerships, creative direction and the visitor experience.

B. 10 Ways AI Can Help Build Stronger Tourism Operations

Many tourism organizations and businesses operate with small teams, seasonal employees and competing priorities. AI can help leaders, operators and staff:

1. Turn meetings into decisions and next steps by summarizing approved notes, identifying responsibilities and preparing follow-up communications.

2. Create practical standard operating procedures and checklists from existing policies, staff knowledge and recurring processes.

3. Build engaging onboarding resources for seasonal employees, volunteers and partners using approved information about services, safety, accessibility, visitor expectations and local recommendations.

4. Create an internal knowledge assistant or searchable information hub grounded in approved manuals, policies, tourism resources and frequently asked questions.

5. Respond to group, event and partnership inquiries more efficiently with reusable discovery questions, proposal structures, timelines and follow-up templates.

6. Develop stronger grant, sponsorship and partnership materials that connect the opportunity with community, visitor and economic outcomes.

7. Support staffing, inventory and operational planning by organizing historical information, assumptions and scenarios for human review rather than treating an AI forecast as a guaranteed answer.

8. Improve the accessibility of internal and public information through plain-language drafts, captions, transcripts, document summaries and alternative formats.

9. Track and communicate key performance indicators by helping organize visitation, occupancy, inquiries, conversions, campaign, event or visitor-feedback data into understandable summaries.

10. Turn successful prompts into repeatable workflows with clear source information, quality standards, privacy checks, approval steps and measures of success.

The benefit: AI can reduce repetitive administration and time spent starting from a blank page, helping small tourism teams work more consistently without removing local knowledge or professional judgment.

C. 10 Ways AI Can Help Connect With Visitors and Communities

Visitors expect timely, accurate and useful information—but they also want confidence that a real organization will be there when plans change or something goes wrong. AI can help tourism organizations and operators:

1. Create reliable visitor FAQ resources grounded in current, approved information about hours, locations, policies, amenities and experiences.

2. Develop personalized itinerary drafts based on travel dates, interests, mobility needs, group composition, available time and verified local options.

3. Prepare helpful pre-arrival communications covering directions, parking, weather preparation, check-in, accessibility, local events and what visitors should bring.

4. Support multilingual visitor communication while ensuring important instructions and culturally sensitive content receive qualified human review.

5. Make accessibility information easier to understand and find by organizing verified details about entrances, washrooms, trails, seating, sensory considerations, transportation and available assistance.

6. Cross-promote local businesses and experiences more thoughtfully by creating complementary recommendations and routes that encourage visitors to stay longer and explore more of the community.

7. Prepare clear updates during closures, disruptions or changing conditions while requiring staff to verify weather, safety, operating and emergency information before it is released.

8. Analyze visitor surveys, reviews and service questions to identify opportunities to improve the experience and communicate expectations more clearly.

9. Respond to concerns and service-recovery situations more thoughtfully with drafts that acknowledge the visitor’s experience, explain next steps and preserve an appropriate human response.

10. Create post-visit follow-up and re-engagement communications such as thank-you messages, review invitations, seasonal updates and return-visit ideas while respecting consent and Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation.

The benefit: AI can help visitors receive faster, clearer and more personalized information, while tourism professionals remain responsible for accuracy, empathy, local context and the final experience.

What Ontario Tourism Leaders Need to Know About AI in Fall 2026

1. Visitor Discovery Is Becoming More Conversational

People increasingly describe what they want rather than typing only a short keyword phrase. They may ask for a three-day accessible getaway, a dog-friendly fall road trip, an Indigenous cultural experience, a rainy-day family itinerary or a restaurant near a specific attraction.

Your website still matters—but clear positioning, accurate details, structured information, trusted third-party references and consistency across the digital footprint now also affect whether an AI system can understand and represent your experience appropriately.

2. AI Can Work With More Than a Blank Prompt

The strongest results often come from working with reliable source material: approved visitor guides, operating information, policies, past campaigns, audience research, meeting notes, spreadsheets and examples of the organization’s voice.

The quality of the source matters. AI should not be asked to invent hours, prices, accessibility information, policies, historical facts, cultural details or safety instructions.

3. AI Is Moving Into Familiar Workplace Platforms

Before purchasing multiple stand-alone products, tourism organizations should examine the AI already available—or available through an appropriate licence—in Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, customer relationship systems, website platforms, email-marketing tools, design platforms and meeting applications.

The tool name alone is not enough. The account type, settings, integrations, contractual protections and organizational approval determine which information is appropriate to use.

4. Trust and Authenticity Are Competitive Advantages

AI can create polished content quickly, but polished is not the same as true, useful or distinctive.

Visitors should not be shown a fabricated view, amenity, room, trail condition, event or cultural experience. Tourism content must continue to reflect the real place and the experience a visitor can reasonably expect.

5. Governance Makes Useful AI Adoption Easier

Governance is not simply a list of restrictions. Clear guidance helps employees understand which tools are approved, which information is appropriate, what must be verified, when AI use should be disclosed and who approves the final work.

Destination Ontario provides a useful sector example. Its public AI disclosure statement addresses fit-for-purpose use, data security, reliability, human oversight, transparency, accessibility and accountability. It also states that sensitive or confidential data should not be submitted to AI tools and that materially AI-generated public content should be disclosed. Review Destination Ontario’s AI disclosure statement.

Destination Canada has also reported launching targeted internal learning initiatives to strengthen staff capabilities and support responsible AI use—an important reminder that successful adoption requires employee learning as well as technology. Review Destination Canada’s Q1 2026 report.

Five Ways to Make Tourism AI Easier, Safer and More Effective

1. Begin With One Real Tourism Need

Do not begin by asking which AI tool to buy. Choose one challenge: a repetitive visitor question, a slow proposal process, inconsistent seasonal content, difficult staff onboarding or information visitors cannot easily find.

Define the desired outcome before deciding how AI might help.

2. Use Approved Tools You Already Have

Review the AI capabilities inside the platforms your organization already uses. Confirm the account type, privacy protections, administrative settings and approved uses before adding organizational information.

3. Give AI a Verified Source of Truth

Provide current source documents, approved links, examples, audience information and quality standards. Tell the AI to identify missing information, cite sources where appropriate and avoid guessing.

4. Turn a Useful Prompt Into a Measurable Process

Save and test successful prompts. Document the required inputs, review steps, responsible person and expected output. Measure something meaningful: time saved, response time, content consistency, inquiry quality, visitor satisfaction or another appropriate result.

5. Protect the Real Experience

Ask whether the result is accurate, inclusive, appropriately disclosed and recognizably yours. Keep people accountable for facts, safety, cultural representation, accessibility details, brand voice and anything that affects a visitor’s decision or experience.

The Canadian Privacy Question Every Tourism Team Should Ask

One of the most important questions someone can ask before using AI is:

Am I allowed to put this information into AI?

Canadian privacy laws continue to apply when organizations use artificial intelligence. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada recommends establishing appropriate authority for using personal information, limiting the sharing of sensitive or confidential information, being transparent about AI use, implementing appropriate safeguards and building privacy into AI processes from the beginning. Read the OPC’s current AI, Privacy and Your Business guidance.

For a more detailed framework, consult the federal, provincial and territorial privacy commissioners’ joint Principles for Responsible, Trustworthy and Privacy-Protective Generative AI Technologies.

Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation continues to apply when AI is used to create commercial outreach. Organizations must still address consent, identification information and an unsubscribe mechanism. Review the CRTC’s CASL guidance.

A simple tourism traffic-light model can help teams pause before entering information:

Green: Generally Lower Risk

• Published hours, locations, prices and event information

• Public website content and approved visitor guides

• Published media releases and tourism reports

• Fictional examples and synthetic information

• Images and content your organization owns and has approved for the intended use

  
  

Yellow: Stop and Check First

• Unpublished campaign plans or business information

• Partner contracts, proposals and financial details

• Employee schedules or internal operational information

• Booking patterns, survey responses, complaints or detailed visitor feedback

• Images, maps, articles or partner materials with uncertain copyright or usage rights

Use this information only when the tool, organizational account and purpose have been approved, the information is genuinely required and appropriate safeguards are in place. Remove names and unnecessary identifying details wherever possible.

Red: Do Not Place in an Unapproved AI Tool

• Passwords, access codes or security credentials

• Payment-card, banking or passport information

• Unredacted booking, customer, mailing or loyalty lists

• Personal health, accessibility or dietary information connected to an identifiable visitor

• Private HR, performance or disciplinary information

• Confidential complaints, legal matters or sensitive visitor stories

• Personal information about children or vulnerable individuals

  
  

Before entering information, ask:

1. Is this an approved tool and organizational account?

2. Does the content contain personal, confidential, sensitive or copyrighted information?

3. Is the information genuinely required for the task?

4. Can names, identifying details or unnecessary data be removed?

5. Who will verify and take responsibility for the result?

6. Could the final content mislead a visitor about the real experience?

This information is educational and is not a substitute for legal advice or for your organization’s privacy, security, intellectual-property and records-management requirements.

Try This Ontario Tourism AI Opportunity Scan

Copy this prompt into an approved AI tool without including personal, confidential or sensitive information:

Act as a practical AI process advisor for an Ontario tourism organization or business. Help me identify one low-risk, high-value way to use AI in destination marketing, visitor communication, staff onboarding, administration, partnership development, operations or experience planning. Ask me one question at a time about the visitors or stakeholders involved, desired outcome, current process, seasonality, approved tools, available source information, privacy, copyright, accessibility and where human judgment is required. Recommend one small pilot using technology we already have. Then create a step-by-step process, reusable prompt, human-review checklist and simple measures of success such as time saved, response time, consistency, inquiry quality or visitor satisfaction. Do not invent missing information or request personal, confidential or sensitive data.

How to Bring Practical AI Learning to Your Tourism Organization

Different tourism organizations and businesses need different starting points:

• A conference presentation or current-state webinar can provide a shared understanding of what has changed, demonstrate tourism-specific applications and introduce practical Canadian privacy and authenticity guardrails.

• A customized half-day or full-day hands-on workshop gives participants time to apply AI to real marketing, administration, visitor-service and operational responsibilities.

• A multi-session tourism AI learning series allows leaders and staff to identify opportunities, practise with familiar tools, build reusable prompts and workflows, and report back on results.

• An AI visibility and visitor-discovery session can examine how destinations, communities and businesses are represented in AI-generated answers and identify improvements to positioning, website content and authority signals.

• An organizational AI strategy and readiness session can help leaders clarify approved tools, priorities, risks, employee responsibilities, governance requirements and appropriate first pilots.

The objective is not simply to show tourism professionals what AI can do. It is to help them use it confidently, responsibly and productively while strengthening—not replacing—the personal visitor experience.

Public Learning Opportunities for Fall 2026

Individual tourism professionals can also continue developing their skills through these upcoming programs:

• October 15: Work Smarter with Copilot Micro-credential — Trent University

• October 27: AI for Business Solutions Micro-credential — Trent University

The online Trent programs combine independent learning with live online sessions and practical assignments. Participants work toward an AI solution connected to a real workplace need.

Public programs are useful for individual professional development. A customized tourism webinar, workshop or multi-session series provides a different benefit: the examples, technology, privacy considerations and solutions can be designed around the organization’s destination, operators, visitors and priorities.

I bring decades of hands-on digital-marketing experience supporting Ontario tourism, together with practical AI work in the sector since generative AI first became widely available. I deliver customized AI strategy sessions, practical webinars, conference presentations, hands-on workshops and multi-session training for tourism leaders, organizations and operators across Ontario.

This is not generic AI training with tourism examples added afterward. Each learning experience can be delivered virtually or in person and is designed around the realities of your destination or organization—your tools, responsibilities, policies, audiences, partnerships and seasonal priorities.

Book a complimentary 15-minute AI conversation with Sofie

Sofie Andreou, M.Eng.AI Strategist & EducatorSofieAndreou.com705-931-0727