On Wednesday at the World Travel Market (WTM) London Ministers’ Summit, HBX Group CEO, Nicolas Huss, joined a distinguished panel of leaders to discuss the evolving role of AI for Good in Tourism.
Organised by UN Tourism and the World Travel & Tourism Council, it brought together voices from the public and private sectors to explore AI’s potential, while addressing ethical implications and the need for considered regulations. It inspired a thought-provoking debate on AI's transformative power in our industry.
WTTC President & CEO, Julia Simpson introduced the summit, highlighting how travellers of the future seek inclusive, sustainable travel, and that technology will play a pivotal role in enabling us to deliver on that vision. AI can help us streamline operations and assess our environmental impact more intelligently. Despite this, our sector trails behind others in AI adoption, and our progression will depend on clear, supportive regulation to address concerns.
Natalia Bayona, Executive Director, UN Tourism followed, sharing that AI’s power lies in partnership with human intelligence. As we face global challenges, tourism must build confidence, trust and security to ensure AI is used to make decisions that reflect sustainability, data privacy, and accountability.
A common theme among government figures was the importance of balance, and the need to “digitise the necessary, humanise the unnecessary.” Fully digitised experiences may lose the authenticity that is the heart of tourism. The Philippines Minister echoed this sentiment, pointing out that in the Philippines, the human element of tourism is its biggest asset.
Representing HBX Group, and offering a private sector perspective, Nicolas shared how AI is transforming our services. AI enables us to detect anomalies in pricing, forecast trends and prepare for market shifts. However, when unexpected events such as natural disasters occur, the human interaction is essential for putting the right people in front of the traveller to get them back on track.
To fully unlock AI’s potential, coordinated global standards are needed, backed by local regulations. Nicolas emphasised the need for government support to regulate AI’s use and reminded us that, in such an interconnected industry, we are only as strong as the weakest link in our chain.
The discussions underscored that AI must be used responsibly. Croatia’s Minister contributed that without data, you’re just another person with an opinion. Data is powerful, but it must be managed carefully, with global guidelines that adapt to local requirements and a code of conduct to ensure that AI remains transparent, secure, and human-centred.
At HBX Group, we’re proud to be part of this important conversation, advocating for sustainable, intelligent, and human-focused growth in travel and tourism. The goal is to work together to ensure that technology enhances—not replaces—the human touch that makes travel meaningful.
