One of the most prominent debates of this edition will be the case of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which will analyse the lessons learned from planning a massive event such as the Olympic Games. From infrastructure management to cross-sector collaboration, the Paris Olympic Games leaves a clear roadmap for optimising the organisation of future major events, supported by advanced digital infrastructures that benefit not only the organisers but also the travellers and host communities.

AI, tourism data spaces and cybersecurity

In another context, the CIO's Summit will also address the power of data and AI to define the future of tourism. Dolores Ordóñez, vice president of Gaia-X; Olga Preveden, Project Manager of Data & Innovation at the Austrian National Tourist Office; Cristina Núñez, Strategy Director at NECSTouR; and Misa Labarile, tourism policy officer at the European Commission, will analyse the regulations that are shaping the use of AI in Europe and discuss the challenges in creating a tourism data space, essential to understanding how emerging technologies will transform travellers' experiences and improve operational efficiency across the industry.

However, as technologies advance, so do some risks, and the travel industry is not exempt from them. One of these is cybersecurity concerns, especially in an industry that handles large volumes of sensitive data, such as travellers' personal and financial information. David Alonso, Cybersecurity Consultant at Telefónica Tech, will address the importance of cybersecurity and the consequences that failures can have, such as loss of customer confidence or economic or reputational damage to the brand.

Artificial Intelligence at the service of sustainability and tourism management

No less important is sustainability and this will be highlighted by Edoardo Colombo, president of AI Associazione Italiana per l'Intelligenza Artificiale nel Turismo; Feliks Kasmi, CEO of Cientouno Group; and Lucía Martínez, CIO of AR Hotels. They will all discuss how AI and Big Data analytics are revolutionizing resource management in hospitality. They will also offer their vision of how technology can be an essential tool to drive sustainable practices, from predicting energy demands to optimising resource use, which not only improves efficiency but also the environmental responsibility of the industry.

In the field of strategic management, operations and marketing, experts such as Nina Colarić Cvirn, Head of Social Media at Slovenian Tourist Board; and Francisco Nogueira, Country Lead Iberia and LATAM at HiJiffy, will delve into how artificial intelligence not only transforms sustainability and efficiency but also revolutionises strategic management and personalised marketing campaigns. AI tools enable organisations to improve real-time decision-making, fine-tune their operations and design tailored customer experiences, ensuring a more personalised and effective approach to engaging travellers.

In addition, it should be noted that technological innovation also extends to more specific areas within hotel management. An example is the transformation of the management of gastronomic services in hotels because of digitalisation. Given that gastronomy is a sector with tight margins, technology is presented as a key ally to optimise processes, reduce costs and improve profitability, offering total control over operations management, as will be explained by Esteban Sedano, SVP of Hotel Operations of PortAventura World; and Marga Juan, Senior Project Manager of Barceló Hotel Group.