TSTT Tourism & Society - Artificial intelligence reshapes global tourism competitiveness

Artificial intelligence reshapes global tourism competitiveness

06-10-2026

Seville (Spain) will once again take centre stage in international tourism innovation with the Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS) 2026, taking place from 6 to 8 October at FIBES. The seventh edition of the event will bring together more than 8,000 industry professionals and 400 experts to explore how technology, innovation and new business models are transforming the tourism industry and creating tangible opportunities for destinations and companies. The summit is also expected to generate an economic impact of more than €23 million.

Under the theme ‘The new generation of travel & hotel tech’, TIS2026 will place particular emphasis on artificial intelligence as one of the main drivers of competitiveness in tourism. Data analytics, cloud computing, automation and digital trust will round out an agenda designed to demonstrate how emerging technologies can move beyond experimentation and become real, scalable applications capable of delivering measurable business results.

The exhibition area will bring together more than 200 companies specialising in tourism technology and innovation. Companies including Huawei, Orange Empresas, Microsoft, Telefónica, T-Systems, PayPal, SAP, A1 Digital, NFON, PastView and Septeo will showcase solutions aimed at increasing profitability, optimising management, strengthening cybersecurity and delivering increasingly personalised traveller experiences. They will be joined by a broad ecosystem of startups and technology providers demonstrating how digitalisation can transform destinations, hotels and other segments of the tourism industry.

The Tourism Innovation Global Summit will provide a platform for more than 400 national and international experts to share strategies and success stories. Speakers will include Wilfred Fan, CCO of Klook; Encarna Piñero, CEO of Grupo Piñero; Eduardo Bosch, CEO of Louvre Hotels; Francesco Ciuccarelli, Chief Innovation & Technology Officer at Alpitour World; Fabio Bin, CMO and co-founder of WeRoad; Sandra Farrero, Chief Brand Officer at Iberostar; Juan Orti, President of Exceltur and Country Manager Spain at American Express; and Miquel Reynés, CIO of RIU Hotels. Representatives from European institutions, tourism promotion organisations and international hotel groups will also take part.

Artificial intelligence and the strategic use of data will share the spotlight with issues such as hyper-personalisation, new distribution models, the evolution of the accommodation sector and the pursuit of greater profitability in an environment shaped by rising costs and talent shortages. The event will also examine the intelligent management of destinations facing increasing tourism pressure, with representatives from Andalusia, the Balearic Islands, Castile and León, Ceuta, Castile-La Mancha, Valencia and Galicia. Sustainability, regenerative tourism, regulation and cybersecurity will complete the range of major challenges addressed by the summit.

The programme will be structured around four key verticals: Leadership, Innovation & Scale; Destinations & Experiences; Hospitality & Accommodation; and Distribution & Agencies. It will also feature dedicated tracks for CEOs, CIOs, DMOs, CMOs, CHROs and tourism authorities, with sessions tailored to their responsibilities in areas such as strategic decision-making, technology adoption, talent management, business models and the traveller experience.

This year’s edition will also welcome Argentina as the guest country, following previous editions featuring Mexico, China and South Korea. Argentina will present its vision for sustainability, connectivity, digital transformation and the development of new tourism models, further strengthening the international scope of an event designed to connect knowledge, investment and business opportunities.

TIS2026 will round out its programme with initiatives aimed at recognising and accelerating innovation. The Tourism Innovation Awards will honour transformative digital and sustainable projects, while the Touristech Startup Fest will select 40 emerging companies to present their solutions to investors, venture capital funds and leading tourism companies. Over three days, Seville will become an international laboratory for exploring and demonstrating how technology can translate into greater competitiveness, efficiency and new growth models for the global tourism industry.

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