In recent years, digital transformation has been driving profound changes in how travelers search for information, choose destinations, plan itineraries, and experience their trips. With the ability to analyze vast amounts of data, identify needs, and offer tailored suggestions, AI can help travelers select destinations and build itineraries, and find accommodation, dining, transportation, and experiences suited to their interests, schedules, and budgets. This is reshaping traveler behavior and, in turn, creating new demands on destinations and tourism businesses when it comes to content creation, product development, and market outreach.

However, the rapid pace of technological change also calls for responsible AI adoption. Technology should be used to support people, enhance the quality of experiences, and improve management efficiency - not to erode a destination's cultural identity, community values, or authenticity. Data use must also ensure accuracy, safety, transparency, and respect for travelers' privacy.

One of the key issues raised under this year's World Tourism Day theme is ensuring fair benefits for all destinations, communities, and businesses. Digital transformation should not be limited to major tourism hubs or technologically capable enterprises; it must also create opportunities for localities, small and medium-sized businesses, household enterprises, and local communities to participate in - and benefit from - the transformation process.

To adapt to this trend, building digital skills among tourism workers has become increasingly urgent. Managers, employees at tourism businesses, and community members working in tourism need to progressively master digital tools, gain a proper understanding of AI, and learn to apply technology effectively in their work - while also developing the ability to verify, evaluate, and appropriately use information provided by AI.

Ninh Binh Proactively Embraces the Digital Tourism Era

As a locality rich in tourism resources - home to the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, cultural and historical heritage sites, natural landscapes, traditional craft villages, and a diverse tourism landscape spanning mountains, plains, and coast - Ninh Binh stands at the threshold of significant opportunities to develop tourism on a digital technology foundation.

Recognizing digital transformation as a key solution for strengthening destination competitiveness, Ninh Binh's tourism sector has been steadily building a smart tourism ecosystem: digitizing destination information, applying QR codes, introducing automated audio guides, developing smart tourism applications, and stepping up promotion across digital platforms.

The Ninhbinhtourisminfo smart tourism app has been rolled out to provide travelers with information on attractions, services, experiences, and other essential details directly on their mobile devices. Alongside this, Ninh Binh's tourism websites, social media channels, and digital media platforms are being leveraged ever more effectively for brand promotion and visitor support.

Notably, Ninh Binh's tourism sector has begun applying AI in communications and content creation, text-to-speech conversion, the development of digital media products, and tools to support visitor consultation and information services. These are steps well aligned with the smart tourism development trend and open up new possibilities for boosting destination promotion in the digital environment.

In 2026, Ninh Binh continues to prioritize building digital capacity among its tourism workforce. Training courses on digital skills for tourism communications and product development - linked to the "Digital Literacy for All" (Bình dân học vụ số) movement - are among the concrete initiatives helping officials, businesses, and communities gradually strengthen their ability to apply technology in tourism operations.

In practice, digital transformation and AI adoption not only help promote Ninh Binh more widely but can also support the locality in analyzing market demand, identifying tourism trends, improving product quality, and building experiences better tailored to different visitor segments. As Ninh Binh's tourism offerings continue to expand, connecting heritage, cultural, ecological, community, and coastal tourism products increasingly requires the support of data and technology.

In the first eight months of 2026, Ninh Binh welcomed an estimated 19.787 million visitors, up 24.13% year-on-year, with total tourism revenue estimated at over VND 20,611 billion. These results reflect the destination's growing appeal, while underscoring the need to continue innovating management, promotion, and visitor service methods in this new phase of development.

Technology for a Smart, Inclusive, and Sustainable Tourism Industry

World Tourism Day 2026 offers an opportunity for localities and businesses to better recognize the opportunities that AI and digital technology bring, while proactively preparing for future changes in the tourism industry.

For Ninh Binh, the application of digital technology and AI must remain in harmony with heritage preservation, environmental protection, cultural identity, and improved community livelihoods. Technology should not replace a destination's inherent values but serve as a tool to help those values reach wider audiences, connect with the right visitors, and create deeper, more meaningful experiences.

Going forward, Ninh Binh's tourism sector will continue to accelerate the digitization of destination data, complete its smart tourism ecosystem, and expand the application of AI and other new technologies in management, promotion, and visitor support — while placing strong emphasis on training and upgrading digital skills for the tourism workforce and helping businesses progressively transition their operations to the digital environment.

In response to World Tourism Day on September 27, 2026, every management agency, business, worker, and community involved in tourism can become an active participant in the digital transformation process. When technology is used correctly, responsibly, and for the common good, AI can not only help tourism grow faster but also help build destinations that are smarter, friendlier, more inclusive, and more sustainable.

This is also the path for Ninh Binh to continue showcasing the value of this heritage land, strengthening its competitiveness as a destination, and bringing the image of "Ninh Binh - The Timeless Beauty of the Ancient Capital" closer to visitors at home and abroad in this digital era.