📈 AI Reshapes Sri Lanka’s Hospitality and Tourism Future

Industry experts at the 'EME Level Up: AI Hospitality Connect Sri Lanka 2026' conference revealed how artificial intelligence is redefining brand discovery, guest experiences, and marketing for Sri Lanka’s hospitality and tourism sectors. • AI Adoption & Traveler Trends • 84% of AI-using travelers report an enhanced experience, saving 1–3 hours per trip. • Nearly 50% of travelers use Generative AI for trip planning, with queries averaging 3x longer than traditional searches. • 70% of surveyed travelers are willing to manage travel within an AI-Agentic ecosystem. • AI Brand Visibility & Search Shift • 1,207 Sri Lankan hotel brands were discovered across 32 segments (e.g., beach, luxury, wellness) on ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. • Hotels are shifting from traditional SEO to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to secure direct recommendations in AI-driven search results. • Colombo Sentiment & Score-to-Revenue Benchmarking • Based on 2.4+ Mn reviews across 394 properties, Colombo achieved a Reputation Performance Score (RPS) of 87.45%. • Strong positive sentiment: location, beach, service, pool facilities, and food. • Highest negative sentiment: cleanliness, amenities, room comfort, and Wi-Fi connectivity. • Value of 1 RPS Point: Colombo generates US$ 222,000 in revenue, trailing Bangkok (US$ 283,000) and Singapore (US$ 641,000). • National Context & Strategic Focus • Industry leaders emphasized creating reliable, structured digital content to market undiscovered Sri Lankan destinations and reduce commission leakage to Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).