AIR – AI-based recommender for sustainable tourism

null null The need for effective visitor management tools During the pandemic and associated travel restrictions, tourism destinations suffering from overcrowding and uncontrolled visitor flows realized that there were no effective visitor management tools on the market. Since then, destinations seek technology enhanced solutions that help them to better managevisitor streams, avoid tourism hotspots and distribute their visitors in a more sustainable way within their tourism regions.

null null Objectives of the AIR project The overall objective of the AIR project is to contribute to a more sustainable tourism development by effectively managing visitor flows. AI-based procedures will be implemented and evaluated to identify and predict tourism hotspots. Based on nudging approaches, a recommender system will be developed to provide potential visitors with relevant information on saturation levels and suitable trip alternatives to enhance the visitor experience, as well as the quality of life in tourism regions. All relevant elements of a digital visiter management system are examined in several pilot studies by the project partners Outdooractive, Kempten University of Applied Sciencecs, the German Institute for Tourism Research of the FH Westküste, Kiel University of Applied Sciences, and the institute for Tourism Research in Northern Europe. The pilot regions are located in the Allgäu, in the Ruhr area, in the Sauerland and on the North Sea and Baltic Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein.

Project video null Research design The work plan of the project is designed in two dimensions: In the first dimension, the elements of a digital visitor management system (frequency measurement, data provision & streams, modelling/alternative generation, touchpoint management/deployment, smart destination integration and evaluation) are developed and elaborated as independent work packages. The developed digital management system is then implemented in the second dimension, the six use cases, and examined with regard to effectiveness. This results in a work plan with a matrix of research and development tasks and application tasks in the use cases.

null null The role of Outdooractive in the AIR project The role of Outdooractive in this project is backend and frontend related. Regarding the backend, we are involved in the work package “data streams”. We can use this work package for connecting to Open Data Hubs in the pilot regions and developing technologies to better handle and process big data, real-time and historical data, apply knowledge graph technologies and Linked Open Data (LOD) approachesy for enhanced data integration and structuring and integratinge AI technologies for personalized recommendations.

On the frontend side Outdooractive is responsible for the work package “deployment & touchpoint management”. Effective communication channels are identified and used to gain maximum outreach to potential visiters and provide them with all the information they need via a to be developed recommender system.

Project partners Institut für Tourismus- und Bäderforschung in Nordeuropa GmbH (NIT), Kiel (coordinating body) Outdooractive AG, Immenstadt Fachhochschule Westküste, Deutsches Institut für Tourismusforschung, Heide Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Kempten, Wissenstransferzentrum &bdquo;Innovative und Nachhaltige Tourismusentwicklung“ InNaTour (WTZ) in Kooperation mit Füssen Tourismus und Marketing AöR, Füssen Forschungs- und Entwicklungszentrum Fachhochschule Kiel GmbH, Kiel (FHKI) Nordsee Tourismus Service GmbH, Husum (NTS) Tourismus-Agentur Lübecker Bucht AöR, Scharbeutz (TALB) Wintersport-Arena Sauerland/Siegerland-Wittgenstein e.V., Winterberg (WAS) in Kooperation mit Sauerland Tourismus e. V., Schmallenberg Ruhr Tourismus GmbH, Oberhausen (RTG) Contact Dr. Dominik Huber | dominik.huber@outdooractive.com | +49 8323 8006 501

Stefan Neubig | stefan.neubig@outdooractive.com | +49 8323 8006 520

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