The Future of Destination Governance in the AI Era
The Postgraduate Studies and Research Committee at PUA’s Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, held an extensive research seminar titled: “Should AI-Based Smart Tourism Systems Replace Humans in Destination Management? Sustainability and Governance Perspectives.” The study was developed and presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmed Abdel Rauf, in the presence of faculty members, teaching assistants, and the faculty’s administration, continuing the specialized academic activities adopted by the faculty to encourage and spread a culture of scientific research.
The seminar addressed a contemporary and highly vital issue regarding the feasibility of tourism destinations relying entirely on artificial intelligence systems for management, planning, and decision-making. The researcher highlighted the centrality of AI-based smart tourism systems in supporting destination management, citing their high capacity to improve the efficiency of visitor flow management, monitor environmental resources, analyze big data, and support sustainability-related decisions. The research indicated that these systems can contribute to achieving several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action.
Conversely, the research analyzed a variety of challenges and concerns associated with full automation in managing tourism destinations, led by the risks of diminishing the human role, the potential negative impact on job opportunities, and the quality of hospitality-driven tourism services. Furthermore, it addressed the complexities of transparency and accountability in algorithm-based decisions. The speaker emphasized that destination management is not merely about digital operational efficiency; rather, it demands human and ethical judgment that safeguards the interests of tourists, local communities, and the environment.
The scientific seminar concluded that artificial intelligence should remain a supportive tool for policymakers and professionals in the tourism sector, rather than a total replacement for the human element. It recommended the adoption of flexible governance models based on integration and synergy between humans and AI, ensuring a delicate balance between rapid technological innovation, sustainability, justice, and transparency in managing global tourism destinations.
The Future of Destination Governance in the AI Era
The Postgraduate Studies and Research Committee at PUA’s Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, held an extensive research seminar titled: “Should AI-Based Smart Tourism Systems Replace Humans in Destination Management? Sustainability and Governance Perspectives.” The study was developed and presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmed Abdel Rauf, in the presence of faculty members, teaching assistants, and the faculty’s administration, continuing the specialized academic activities adopted by the faculty to encourage and spread a culture of scientific research.
The seminar addressed a contemporary and highly vital issue regarding the feasibility of tourism destinations relying entirely on artificial intelligence systems for management, planning, and decision-making. The researcher highlighted the centrality of AI-based smart tourism systems in supporting destination management, citing their high capacity to improve the efficiency of visitor flow management, monitor environmental resources, analyze big data, and support sustainability-related decisions. The research indicated that these systems can contribute to achieving several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action.
Conversely, the research analyzed a variety of challenges and concerns associated with full automation in managing tourism destinations, led by the risks of diminishing the human role, the potential negative impact on job opportunities, and the quality of hospitality-driven tourism services. Furthermore, it addressed the complexities of transparency and accountability in algorithm-based decisions. The speaker emphasized that destination management is not merely about digital operational efficiency; rather, it demands human and ethical judgment that safeguards the interests of tourists, local communities, and the environment.
The scientific seminar concluded that artificial intelligence should remain a supportive tool for policymakers and professionals in the tourism sector, rather than a total replacement for the human element. It recommended the adoption of flexible governance models based on integration and synergy between humans and AI, ensuring a delicate balance between rapid technological innovation, sustainability, justice, and transparency in managing global tourism destinations.
Digital Documentation of Dispersed Artifacts
The Postgraduate Studies and Research Committee at PUA’s Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, held an extensive scientific seminar to present and discuss the academic research delivered by Dr. Basant Shahin. This event activates the Faculty’s research plan for the 2025-2026 academic year, in the presence of a distinguished group of faculty members and teaching assistants.
During the panel sessions, Dr. Basant Shahin addressed the latest scientific methods in the digital documentation of artifacts discovered in the city of “Thonis-Heracleion,” recognized as one of the most significant sunken cities of ancient Egypt. The researcher presented advanced practical models demonstrating how to utilize 3D digital technologies to reconstruct, reassemble, and precisely link scattered artifact fragments, directly contributing to providing a comprehensive historical picture of the city’s civilization and heritage.
The seminar featured extensive academic exchange and discussions regarding the technical challenges associated with digital data preservation mechanisms and ensuring long-term historical accuracy. Furthermore, it emphasized the centrality of international cooperation and cross-border academic partnerships in safeguarding human heritage and preserving rare antiquities.
A Seminar on Gastronomic Event Loyalty
Continuing PUA’s Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management’s interest in supporting and encouraging scientific research activities and international publication, the Faculty’s Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Committee hosted a seminar presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tamer El-Sawy.
The seminar addressed a published research paper entitled: “From Flavor to Fidelity: Exploring Satisfaction’s Mediating Role in Gastronomic Event Loyalty” The research was published in the International Journal of Event and Festival Management (Emerald Publishing), in collaboration with international researchers from prestigious foreign universities in Spain.
Attendees from faculty members and teaching assistants discussed the research methodology and PLS-SEM model, and results demonstrated that satisfaction plays a strong mediating role between event engagement and loyalty to it, with differences in local visitors’ behavior in Egypt where collective identity and cultural pride predominate.
This study is the first to test these relationships in the context of local gastronomic events in a developing country, presenting an integrated theoretical framework combining theories of: experiential consumption, community attachment, and expectation confirmation/disconfirmation.
Final Recommendations and Proposals
Discussions concluded with the following recommendations:
- Encouraging international collaboration between faculty researchers and their counterparts abroad, with focus on gastronomic tourism and events fields.
- Prioritizing publication in Emerald journals and other major international publishing houses, and benefiting from accumulated expertise in data analysis (PLS-SEM).
- Conducting future studies addressing other tourism sectors (heritage, museums, medical tourism) using the same methodological framework.
- Developing local gastronomic events based on study findings, with focus on social and cultural dimensions, not just food quality.
