Rivers State and Kerala eye AI integration to boost tourism

Regional governments in Nigeria and India are moving to modernize their tourism sectors through digital integration and new policy frameworks.

In Rivers State, Nigeria, officials are looking to leverage artificial intelligence and digital technology to revitalize the tourism subsector. During a World Tourism Day event in Port Harcourt, Permanent Secretary Freddy Ndigbara and other stakeholders discussed strategies to return the state to a leading tourism destination, with officials suggesting a potential surge in the sector starting in late 2026.

Similarly, the state of Kerala in India is finalizing a new tourism policy aimed at granting the sector industry status to encourage infrastructure investment. The proposed policy seeks to integrate AI and data intelligence to analyze tourist behavior and enhance destination marketing. Tourism Secretary K Biju noted that while technology will be used to understand visitor preferences and tailor promotional strategies, it is intended to act as an enabler rather than a replacement for human interaction.