As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the travel and hospitality sector, workshops are being held to support businesses with hands-on training in digital marketing and content creation.
A recent session in New Town, hosted by Mid Wales Tourism Board (MWT Cymru), was the first in a second series funded by the Welsh Government and carried out on behalf of Visit Wales.
Zoe Hawkins, CEO of MWT Cymru, said: “We are seeing a significant shift in visitor search behavior.
“They are increasingly using AI tools to ask questions, find destinations, and plan trips.
“The way people find information online is already changing, so the tourism industry needs to understand how this technology works.
“The workshop will help businesses stay ahead of that change, and those that understand how AI is impacting search today will be in a stronger position in the future.”
Sessions will focus on practical applications of AI, specifically understanding how travelers search, find, and plan their vacations.
Participants will discuss how AI influences visitor choices and how small changes can enhance digital marketing, save time, and improve online reach.
A key feature of the workshop will be ‘Harri’, MWT Cymru’s AI-powered content assistant, trained to use local insights, Visit Wales brand guidance and visitor data.
Mark Brown, Chute Sales and Marketing Manager at Betts Hall at Betts Sedewijn, said: “We already use AI commercially, but this workshop was extremely beneficial to our hospitality and accommodation requirements.”
“The Mid Wales Tourism team have done a fantastic job in presenting something so complex.
“I leave with a full understanding of what Hari and other AI assistants can offer and the importance of authentic and trustworthy content.”
Alina Turrell, head of marketing for Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, said: “We think Harri is a very useful tool, but it was interesting to compare it to other AI assistants.
“We used AI for the event, but the workshop confirmed that we needed to update our website.”
Lee Bebb, director of Love2Stay Mid Wales resort in Caersws, said: “The workshop was very informative and gave me confidence in using Harri, a tool from Mid Wales Tourism.
“We understand how important AI is to the tourism and hospitality industry.”
Further workshops will be held across Wales until October.
