GuideGeek AI

Travel and tourism leaders now have a phased strategic framework for integrating AI processes and platforms across their organizations. Visit Mesa CEO Marc Garcia, CATP is helping lead the industry into the future with his new DMO AI Road Map. We break it down here.

PhocusWire takes a deep dive into the evolution and future of 6ix, the custom AI tool we launched with Destination Toronto last fall. “We started to see much more specific questions than a traditional website’s content covers... That was really our goal—just to understand how that search and that conversation was changing,” says Paula Port, Vice President, Global Marketing at Destination Toronto. You can read all about it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/guF9f234

In a fitting nod to their reputation as “Silicon Beach,” Santa Monica is the latest destination to launch a custom AI travel genius on the GuideGeek platform! “Innovation has long been part of our destination’s DNA and this tool is the next step in meeting the future,” says Misti Kerns President and CEO of Santa Monica Travel & Tourism. “Santa Monica Guide is the perfect way to help prospective visitors from near and far discover all our city has to offer, from our incredible year-round farmers markets, arts and culture landscape and shopping destinations to our burgeoning wellness and tech industries.” https://lnkd.in/eMurcQxA

According to Mashable, GuideGeek can be a little too hip? 🤯 Here's the author's summary from a recent test of our AI travel genius in Rotterdam: "What Worked Well and What Didn’t? What I Loved: ✅ The timing was perfect—no rushing, no long waits. ✅ Local, up-to-date tips—even weekend events were included. ✅ Accessibility—no app needed, just type via WhatsApp. ✅ Personalization—the more you chat with GuideGeek, the better the suggestions match your preferences. What Could Be Improved: ❌ A few suggestions were a bit too hip. ❌ No integration with a map app—you have to open Google Maps yourself." Check out the full article at the links below in the comments 👇

🏆 GuideGeek is a finalist for the eTourism 2025 eTSY Awards in the category of Best Emerging Technology Integration! 🎉 Join the team from Matador Network at the eTourism Summit in Las Vegas April 22-24 to learn about how we are helping destinations and travel brands harness conversational AI to drive growth and engagement.

For almost two years, Kara Franker, JD, CDME has showed the tourism industry how to capitalize on AI. When she was CEO at Visit Estes Park in Colorado, Franker integrated GuideGeek AI chat into the DMO's website and WhatsApp, FB Messenger and Instagram channels. She also published two seminal papers on AI strategy and policy. Today, Franker is newly installed as the chief executive in The Florida Keys & Key West where she's exploring how to scale AI across the entire organization. In this Q&A, Franker explains what she needs from AI related to policy, compliance, accounting, HR and other things, without having to pay enterprise AI prices. cc Roxanne Steinhoff

It's been just a couple months since New York City Tourism + Conventions launched Ellis—the world's first meeting planner AI—on the GuideGeek platform, and they're already seeing measurable success. PhocusWire reports that Ellis is driving: 🗽 100% increase in traffic to the meeting planner website 🗽 800+ AI-driven queries in the first month 🗽 150% growth in newsletter sign-ups 🗽 10% increase in time spent on the site Check out the report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gNnYE986

Every DMO/CVB leader is talking about AI to some degree, but there hasn't been much high-level direction for integrating AI platforms and processes specifically for CEOs. This post plants a flag in the ground for destination leaders moving forward with five questions that we as an industry need to answer to capitalize on the digital transformation of our time. Andrew Weir, president and CEO at Destination Toronto, and Richard W. Scharf, president at CEO at Visit Denver, helped vet these five key themes for developing AI strategy. Paula Port, vice president of global marketing at Destination Toronto, contributed as well. A ton of valuable insights in here. cc U.S. Travel Association Destinations International Janette Roush Cody Chomiak, CDME Signe Jungersted 喜娜 Justin Bresler Justin Dawes Al Hutchinson Tom Noonan

We are grateful for Royce Chwin, president and CEO of Destination Vancouver, for letting us get in his head about how and why DMO CEOs should consider experimenting with AI. Royce explains, "We needed to adopt AI and remove the fear. We said use it. We’re going to make some mistakes, sure, but we just need to use it. You're not going to learn AI if you don't use AI." cc Stefan Hawes

We spoke with a dozen CEOs leading DMOs across North America about what they want to know to help them integrate AI into their organizations. Here's an overview of their feedback and general direction for how the travel industry should prioritize: 1) AI policy; 2) AI SEO and data/content development; 3) AI platforms for visitor and community engagement; 4) AI tools and processes for all departments and not just marketing; and 5) AI education and ongoing support for all staff.