Special Track on Tourism Management at ICET 2026

By IATELS Board Business Management, Education, IATELS Conferences, Workshops & Training 0 Comments

Special Topic Track: New Horizons in Tourism Management – Rethinking the Field through AI-Based Applications

Track Overview

As the global tourism landscape undergoes a profound digital transformation, AI has emerged as a cornerstone for innovation, efficiency, and personalized traveler experiences.

This special track at ICET 2026 explores the critical intersection of advanced technology and tourism management, moving beyond theoretical frameworks to examine real-world professional applications.

The track focuses on the paradigm shift from traditional management to AI-driven ecosystems, where predictive analytics, generative AI, and autonomous systems are redefining hospitality, travel planning, and strategic marketing.

A unique feature of this track is its emphasis on pedagogical integration, showcasing how students and future professionals are currently researching and applying AI tools to solve contemporary industry challenges.

Meet the Track Leader — Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nil GÖKSEL, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Türkiye

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nil Göksel is an expert in language education and educational technology at Anadolu University, specializing in the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and professional practice. Her research focuses on Intelligent Personal Assistants, Augmented Reality, and immersive learning environments to enhance global communication. She has delivered key seminars on Innovative Approaches in Tourism: AI-Based Applications and Smart Gastronomy through AI, bridging the gap between theory and industry. Her work directly explores New Horizons in Tourism Management, rethinking how digital tools can transform customer experience and management processes. Through her international projects, she continues to lead the integration of AI-supported pedagogy into real-world tourism and hospitality contexts.

Aims and Objectives

The primary goal of this track is to foster a dialogue between academic inquiry and professional practice. By highlighting student-led research and practical AI applications, the track seeks to:

Analyze the latest AI-based tools currently reshaping the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Evaluate the practical implementation of these tools in diverse professional contexts.
Provide a platform for students and educators to demonstrate how technology-enhanced education prepares the next generation of tourism leaders.

Key Topics and Themes

Hyper-Personalization in Travel: Using AI to move from fixed personas to behavior-based, real-time traveler journeys.
AI in Hospitality & Smart Room Orchestration: Autonomous control of energy, service automation, and predictive maintenance in hotel management.
Customer Service Revolution: The evolution of conversational AI—from basic chatbots to “Agentic AI” capable of autonomous decision-making and multilingual support.
Strategic Marketing & Predictive Analytics: AI-driven dynamic pricing, demand forecasting, and real-time sentiment analysis for destination management.
Sustainability & Overtourism: Leveraging AI to monitor visitor flows and promote resilient, sustainable tourism ecosystems.
Education to Industry Bridge: Case studies on student-led AI projects, experiential learning in tourism management, and closing the “skills gap” in the EdTech-Tourism nexus.

Prof. Dr. Ilknur Istifci, IATELS Committee Board, Anadolu University, Turkiye:

“I am truly excited to see the ‘New Horizons in Tourism Management’ track at ICET 2026. This initiative perfectly aligns with our focus on digital literacy and self-regulated learning at Anadolu University. We are moving beyond teaching tools to a complete rethinking of a professional field.

By engaging with AI-based applications, our students move from passive learners to active innovators. They are using English and AI as a dual-engine for their future careers. This track bridges the gap between academic theory and real-world hospitality and marketing. It demonstrates exactly how AI-supported pedagogy can transform a traditional industry into a modern ecosystem.”

Register for ICET 2026 and Its Special Tracks

If you would like to join the conference as a Speaker, a Special Track Leader or register as a participant of the conference workshops and special tracks, follow the link here.