Can’t hire fast enough? Agentic systems—AI-powered “digital employees” can shoulder sales follow-up, inbox triage, social media and even itinerary design for a fraction of today’s costs. In this Tourism AI Podcast episode, host Peter Pilarski talks with Jesse Anglen (CEO, Rapid Innovation) about building agentic workflows that solve tourism’s labour crunch without compromising high-touch service.🎧 Topics & Timestamps00:00 Intro01:00 What are agentic systems?03:15 Why tourism’s problem is too few humans, not AI displacement06:00 Heli-ski case study: remote lodge, luxury guests, zero spare staff10:30 Three levels of AI adoption (and why “free ChatGPT” isn’t enough) 15:40 Building blocks: Intelligence • Tools • Process • Memory21:00 Marketing & lead-nurture agents that cost 99 % less than agencies 27:30 MCP & A2A protocols—why tool-calling is now plug-and-play33:00 Preparing data & SOPs (the “unsexy” work that pays off)40:45 Future outlook: 1 % of salary, 100 % of the value44:55 How to start your first agentic pilot🔗 Resources• RapidInnovation.io• Download the free AI Tourism Adoption Toolkit — https://tourismai.network/toolkit• Join Tourism AI Network community — https://tain.circle.so/join?invitation_token=fe0945e29ada9906803fb2a3089c73ee19954c63-901aa2d6-9846-4076-a764-40b3b3760f40 🤝 Connect Jesse Anglen — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseanglen/#tourismai AITourism #AgenticSystems #DigitalWorkforce #TourismAIagentic systems tourism,digital employees,AI workforce,tourism labour shortage,artificial intelligence in tourism,rapid innovation,jesse anglen,peter pilarski,tourism ai podcast,heli-ski lodge case study,ai marketing automation,model context protocol,mcP,a2a protocol,chatgpt plus,gemini 1.5,claude 3.5,travel tech,remote lodge operationsChapters (auto-detect OR paste into description) 0:00 Intro & episode goals 1:00 Meet Jesse Anglen / Rapid Innovation 2:30 Tourism’s labour crunch vs. AI “replacement” myth 6:00 Heli-ski lodge case study 8:45 Three levels of AI adoption 14:00 Paid vs free LLMs 17:00 Agentic building blocks 21:00 Marketing automation wins 27:30 Tool-calling via MCP 31:20 Data hygiene & SOPs 38:50 Quick-start experiments 40:45 Future cost curve 43:30 How to get started 44:55 Wrap-up & CTAs

Professor Lian Dumouchel reveals how she leveraged generative AI to create The Marketing Map, a free, Canada-specific tourism marketing textbook, in just eight weeks. We examine:

• AI as a research assistant that compresses months of work into days

• Using synthetic personas and data to validate new travel products

• Tactics to overcome staff resistance and prove ROI fast

• Three action items you can pilot this quarter

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• Rate & review—your feedback helps more travel pros discover AI solutions
tourism AI, hospitality technology, open educational resources, synthetic data, travel marketing, destination management, AI literacy
Travel, Technology, Business, Education, Marketing, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Data, Hospitality, Tourism

AI agents aren’t science fiction anymore—they’re creeping into search, customer service, and even itinerary planning. Peter Pilarski and Josh Huston unpack where agentic AI really stands in April 2025 and why tourism organizations must start preparing today. Expect candid insights on data hygiene, SOPs, and the coming wave of vertical, tourism‑specific agents that will let small teams punch above their weight.

Key takeaways

1. Current agents excel at deep research but still depend on your data being clean and structured.

2. Organizing Google Drive, documenting processes, and archiving old assets are the “unsexy” steps that unlock future automation.

3. Early wins: after‑hours booking bots, AI visitor‑centre desks, and instant key‑message generation from press‑release archives.

4. Vertical agents will shift—not erase—jobs, freeing humans for higher‑touch guest experiences.

5. The speed of change is accelerating beyond Moore’s Law; waiting means falling behind.

Download the AI Adoption Toolkit and start future‑proofing your destination: tourismai.network/toolkit

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Tourism AI Network | Empowering tourism leaders with AI literacy, strategic integration, and community support.

Join Peter Pilarski, Founder of the Tourism AI Network, as he sits down with Chapman Shaw of Indigenous Tourism British Columbia to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and Indigenous cultural stewardship. In this candid conversation, you’ll hear how Chapman is navigating his AI journey—from experimenting with AI note-taking tools to building a custom GPT trained on distinctions-based documentation for First Nations advocacy. They tackle crucial topics such as:

• Ethical AI in Community Contexts: Best practices for introducing AI note-takers in meetings, ensuring transparency and respect for data sovereignty.

• Capacity Building: How Indigenous Tourism BC teams are leveraging AI—from marketing content creation to automating meeting notes—to save hours each week.

• Forensic AI Models: Chapman’s step-by-step approach to feeding cultural primers and calls to action into a custom GPT that preserves heritage, language, and governance protocols.

• Policy & Trust: The distinction between cultural sharing and cultural sling, and why clear organizational policies are essential for building comfort and trust among knowledge keepers.

Whether you’re a tourism professional curious about AI or a community leader seeking to responsibly integrate emerging technologies, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring stories to guide your journey.

🔗 Resources & Next Steps

• Join the Tourism AI Network community for exclusive webinars and peer support: https://tourismai.network/community

• Subscribe and leave a review—each rating helps us bring you more conversations at the cutting edge of AI in tourism.

Tourism’s data mess is real—but it doesn’t have to be.
In this episode, Peter talks with Ryan Malcolm (Director of Business Development, Tourismo) about building a single source of truth for destinations and using AI to lighten the load on small teams. Topics include:

• Tourismo’s origin story and “rise‑all‑ships” vision

• Using AI to auto‑create business listings, tag media, and suggest new content

• Overcoming data silos and legacy‑system blockers

• Balancing first‑party data protection with actionable insights

• What content AI can’t replicate—and why that matters for 2025

• Ryan’s one wish for the future of AI in tourism

Links & resources

• Join the Tourism AI Network community for webinars & peer support: https://tain.circle.so/join?invitation_token=fe0945e29ada9906803fb2a3089c73ee19954c63-901aa2d6-9846-4076-a764-40b3b3760f40

Follow the show for weekly conversations with tourism leaders turning AI into real‑world results.

Hashtags

#TourismAI #TravelTech #Tourismo #Podcast #DataStrategy #AIAdoption

In this episode of the Tourism AI Network Podcast, we’re live from the BC Tourism Industry Conference with a trio of inspiring voices shaping the future of tourism in Canada—from community development and AI adoption to real-world business operations.

🌐 Lisa from Tourism Kamloops shares her journey with AI—from initial hesitation to making it a dinner-table topic with her kids. She dives into how AI boosts storytelling, strategic planning, and even Indigenous language integration.

⚙️ Barb, houseboat entrepreneur and tourism advocate, brings a grassroots perspective, highlighting challenges with seasonal staff, safety protocols, and real-time communication—and how AI could offer solutions beyond the marina.

Join us for an enlightening chat with Arin from Okanagan College as she shares her first-hand experience using AI responsibly—both in the classroom and beyond. Discover why AI literacy is crucial for tomorrow’s tourism leaders, how students self-police proper AI usage in group projects, and why open dialogue between industry veterans and digital-savvy newcomers drives true innovation.

If you’re excited to build a future-ready tourism business, subscribe and explore our AI Adoption Toolkit. Let’s shape a more efficient, customer-centric, and forward-thinking tourism industry—together.
#TourismAI #AIInTourism #OkanaganCollege #TourismConference #StudentPerspective #AIIntegration #DigitalTransformation #HospitalityIndustry #InnovationInTourism #FutureOfWork #Agritourism #AIAdoption #EducationAndAI #PodcastEpisode

Ever wonder how a small destination marketing organization can harness the power of AI to streamline workflows and enhance visitor engagement? In this episode, we sit down with Destination Marketing Manager Carly Brkich from Tourism Chilliwack to discover how her team embraced AI tools—from custom GPTs for marketing copy to automated processes for HR and operations. Carly shares the real-world challenges they faced—from initial skepticism to ethical adoption—along with the breakthroughs that allowed Tourism Chilliwack to scale its marketing efforts without losing the personal touch that makes their destination special.

If you’re leading a tourism or hospitality business and are curious about AI’s potential to save time, reduce costs, and elevate the guest experience, this conversation is a must-watch. Gain insights into responsible AI frameworks, leadership buy-in strategies, and the continuous learning mindset essential for staying ahead. Join us as we unpack Tourism Chilliwack’s journey to becoming an innovative AI-powered DMO—and learn how you can start or refine your own AI journey today
• Subscribe for more interviews with leaders revolutionizing tourism through AI!

#TourismAI #DestinationMarketing #AIinTourism #HospitalityInnovation #DMOInsights

Join us as we sit down with Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia (#TIABC), for an in-depth conversation on how conferences, policy advocacy, and emerging #AI tools are transforming the #TourismIndustry and #Hospitality sectors. Discover why face-to-face gatherings remain crucial for building relationships, learn about key policy hurdles affecting tourism businesses, and explore how #AIInTourism can provide a competitive edge.

If you’re a tourism professional eager to stay ahead, you won’t want to miss Walt’s insights on the biggest opportunities shaping our industry and how the #TourismAINetwork can help you integrate cutting-edge tech—without losing the human touch. Stay tuned until the end for actionable tips and resources to guide you forward!

#TourismConference #InnovationInTourism #DestinationMarketing #TravelIndustry #HospitalityInsights #TourismLeaders

• Breaking down large language models (LLMs) vs. reasoning models.

• The truth about AI agents – what’s hype and what’s real?

• How businesses can structure AI projects for success.