Following the recent launch of its AI-powered virtual travel assistant SARA at London’s World Travel Market exhibition, the Saudi Travel Authority (STA) is hoping that this innovation will boost their tourism industry. With this innovative travel tool, Saudi Arabia is fully committed to boosting its smart tourism sector using cutting-edge technology.
As a digital human assistant, SARA leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to provide real-time information about the kingdom’s tourist attractions, rich culture, and natural diversity. The London exhibition showcased the beta version of this application, which showcased its ability to interact directly with exhibition visitors and attendees.
With its advanced AI capabilities, SARA can deliver much more than simply providing generic information about Saudi Arabia. It can respond to user’s queries in natural human language and also adapt its answers based on the user's interests and preferences. For instance, if an interested tourist wants to explore Saudi Arabia's ancient history, SARA can accurately guide them to historical destinations such as:
Similarly, an adventure seeker is directed towards snorkeling activities in the Red Sea, sandboarding in the Red Sand dunes near Riyadh, or camel rides in the Al Ahsa oasis.
With a smart conversational tone, SARA can provide a touch of personalization by:
This level of personalized responses sets SARA apart from traditional chatbots. SARA is also proficient in English and Arabic languages, thus making it accessible to diverse international travelers. Besides providing relevant answers, SARA can also elevate interactions with humans by asking them questions to understand their requirements. Effectively, SARA imparts a "human touch" to the entire interaction, thus making it more engaging and interesting.
The SARA tool is just one part of Saudi Arabia's larger goal to become a global leader in the smart tourism sector. This goal is closely aligned with Saudi's Vision 2030 which aims to reduce the kingdom's economic dependence on oil products. As part of this goal, the country wants to increase its tourism's share in its GDP from 3% in 2021 to 10% by 2030.
Saudi Arabia is betting big on AI-powered innovations like SARA to position itself as a top destination for international travelers. With forthcoming events like the Saudi Grand Prix and Riyadh Season, international tourists now have a “friendly” travel companion in SARA to help them with their travel itineraries and hotel bookings.
Saudi Arabia plans to increase its AI investments in alignment with the growing number of international travelers in recent years. The kingdom wants to attract over 150 million each year by 2030 up from 100 million in 2023. With AI-powered tools like SARA, Saudi’s tourism industry can complement the growing number of music and sporting events in the country. For instance, SARA can direct sports spectators to the nearest hotels and local transport modes.
With the rising global focus on the environment and sustainability, SARA can also contribute to sustainable tourism in Saudi Arabia. This includes encouraging tourists to opt for eco-friendly accommodations and educating them on conservation efforts from local communities.
Overall, SARA has a pivotal role in reshaping Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination and attracting international tourists from more countries.
AI-driven solutions like SARA meet the growing expectations of tech-proficient travelers who are seeking a new travel experience across the globe. In its future versions, SARA is expected to perform real-time language translation for seamless interaction and also partner with local businesses in Saudi Arabia to offer attractive discounts and offers to international tourists.
SARA's arrival as a digital ambassador for Saudi Arabia provides a glimpse into an AI-powered future. With a human-like appearance and language proficiency, SARA “self” identifies as a traditional Saudi girl and can play a central role in building Saudi’s virtual world.