Sustainability Meets Technology: AI-Enhanced Systems for Measuring and Reducing Carbon Footprints in Tourism

The world’s tourism industry already constitutes a major contributor to world greenhouse gas emissions, and hence it needs creative ideas to bring its carbon impact down. This paper explores artificial intelligence (AI) enabled systems to be included in tourism operations based on their efficiency in measuring and reducing emissions. An experimental method was used to use AI-based carbon footprint calculators with hotels and tour operators across several travel companies. Average emissions drop was shown to be 20% from before and after interventions, with only advantages and disadvantages seen in qualitative observations. However, stakeholder comments included both the desire for increased operational awareness and the problems of initial expenses and technical knowledge needs. Artificial intelligence is shown to have great potential in driving sustainability in travel and provides opportunities for further innovation and realizable ideas. The ideas are then given advice to industry players and legislators on how to scale them.