About UNWTO
UN Tourism is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.Activities by UNWTO
UN Tourism - Artificial Intelligence Challenge
Global BrazilColombiaSaudi ArabiaSpainUnited StatesWith AI and advanced technologies reshaping the travel industry, countries around the globe have been integrating these solutions to improve personalized services, streamline operations, and elevate customer engagement, delivering scalable solutions that bring measurable results. This vision drives the UN Tourism AI & Deep Tech Start-up & Scale-Up Challenge, which aims to spark innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism with practical, high-impact AI applications across the tourism value chain. The competition closed with a total of 441 applicants from 84 countries. The winner, Consensus Framework (Smart Tour) from Brasil, is a GovTech startup that uses IoT, AI and real-time data to help cities manage visitors and develop smart-tourism destinations, was announced during the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) 7-11 November 2025.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsPolicy/Regulatory GuidanceNetworks/Mentorship/ExchangeImplementing Artificial Intelligence in Tourism: Guidelines and Recommendations for the Public Sector
Global Not ApplicableArtificial Intelligence is transforming how tourism is planned, managed, and experienced. This UN Tourism report presents a global outlook on responsible AI adoption in the sector, based on insights from the first-ever global AI in tourism survey conducted with Member States. The report introduces the UN Tourism AI Readiness Framework to help governments assess progress and strengthen institutional capacity. Key recommendations call for integrating AI into national tourism strategies, investing in digital talent, promoting ethical governance, fostering public–private collaboration, and building innovation ecosystems. The report positions AI as a catalyst for a more inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready tourism sector.
Activity Type Research/Reports/AssessmentsPolicy/Regulatory GuidanceUN Tourism AI Innovation Challenges and Startup Competitions
Africa, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Latin America and the Caribbean ArgentinaAustriaBelgiumBoliviaCambodiaChadUN Tourism has developed additional programmes which identify startups with use cases of AI in different segments of the value-chain, tourism products, and destination types. These include competitions for event tourism, island destinations, hospitality, and gastronomy.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsPolicy/Regulatory GuidanceNetworks/Mentorship/ExchangeUN Tourism – Women in Tech Startup Competition Middle East 1st Edition
Arab States EgyptSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesCountries across the Middle East have been integrating innovation and women empowerment within their long-term economic development plans. With women across the region becoming more interested in STEM degrees and launching startups, they need support and access to growth and funding opportunities. In this regard, the Women in Tech Startup Competition offers a platform for innovation opportunities in tourism for new entrepreneurs. All the winning startups of the competition were based off AI-solutions: Sparkle Haze (UAE): Award-winning voice AI assistant speaker for luxury hospitality. Plastus Biotech (KSA): Patented tech converts organic waste into 100% biodegradable bioplastic. Fosha (Egypt): AI-powered app for travel service bookings. Xenios Academy (UAE): AI powered EdTech startup with gamified training programs for cafes, restaurants, and hotels to bridge skill gaps. This competition closed with a total of 143 applicants from 11 countries in the Middle East.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsPolicy/Regulatory GuidanceAwareness/AdvocacyNetworks/Mentorship/Exchange