ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND FUTURE SKILLS IN TOURISM EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has 
significantly transformed higher education and the tourism industry, creating 
new demands for future workforce competencies. This study aims to 
systematically review the existing literature on the role of artificial intelligence 
in tourism education and identify the future skills required for tourism 
professionals in the digital era. Following the PRISMA guidelines, relevant 
studies were collected from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and 
analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal five major themes, 
including AI applications in tourism education, future skills development, 
curriculum transformation, opportunities and challenges of AI integration, and 
workforce development. The results indicate that AI contributes to educational 
innovation and promotes the development of digital and human-centered 
competencies essential for employability in the tourism sector. The study 
highlights the importance of curriculum redesign and stronger collaboration 
between universities and industry stakeholders. Furthermore, several research 
gaps and future directions are identified to support the sustainable development 
of tourism education in the era of digital transformation.