The Future of Tourism: Examining the Potential Applications of Large Language Models

Abstract

Large language models such as the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) have recently gained attention for their impressive natural language processing capabilities. While their potential to revolutionize various industries is still being explored, the tourism industry stands to benefit significantly from their use. In this study, we conduct an early assessment of the impact potential of GPTs on the tourism industry using a mixed-methods approach. We first analyze the existing literature on the use of GPTs in the tourism industry and identify several potential applications such as personalized travel recommendations, language translation, and chatbots. We then collect data from various stakeholders in the tourism industry through surveys and interviews to understand their current practices and their willingness to adopt GPT-based solutions. Our results indicate that while there is a high level of awareness and interest in GPTs among tourism professionals, the adoption of these technologies is currently limited. The main barriers identified include a lack of technical expertise, concerns around data privacy and security, and the high cost of implementing GPT-based solutions. However, those who have adopted GPTs report significant benefits in terms of increased efficiency and improved customer satisfaction. To further explore the potential of GPTs in the tourism industry, we conduct a pilot study to develop a GPT-based travel recommendation system. The system uses GPT to generate personalized travel itineraries based on user preferences and feedback. Our evaluation of the system indicates that it performs well in terms of accuracy and user satisfaction, demonstrating the potential for GPTs to provide personalized and tailored experiences to travellers. Overall, our study provides an early look at the impact potential of GPTs on the tourism industry and identifies several avenues for future research. We recommend that tourism professionals and researchers collaborate to address the current barriers to adoption and explore the full range of applications for GPTs in the industry.