Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Experts gathered in Shillong to warn against letting artificial intelligence dominate the tourism sector. The symposium, titled Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism, brought together government officials and academics at Synod College. They focused on how to keep human oversight at the center of industry policy.
Aiban Swer, director of the Meghalaya Institute of Governance, argued that technology must stay a secondary tool. He wants policies that ensure human decision-making remains supreme. Policies must account for inclusivity, global branding, and sustainability. Swer also warned that local Autonomous District Councils should regulate these tools to protect community interests. "Policies must see to it that AI does not give judgement but must be used for planning," Swer said.
Digital transformation carries heavy risks. Speakers flagged concerns about algorithmic bias, data ownership, and the displacement of local livelihoods. Dr. Benjamin F. Lyngdoh pointed to the environmental costs of high-tech systems and the dangers of misleading, automated content. He pushed for a model that prioritizes authentic local interests over aggressive digital marketing.
Tech serves best as a support system. Dr. Pynshailang Syiemiong, an expert in caving and adventure tourism, noted that tools like GPS and AI belong in the field as aids, not replacements for local expertise. North-Eastern Hill University’s Prof. Desmond L. Kharmawphlang suggested that digital records, such as the PARADISEC catalogue, can help document cultural heritage rather than commodifying it.
The industry faces a massive skills gap. Vikas Tembhare of DTORR noted that workers need more than technical training to survive in a shifting market. He demands better collaboration between schools and businesses to build ethics, communication, and adaptability. Dr. E. B. Majaw summarized the consensus: "If AI is a tool, humanity must remain the compass."
Updated at 30th September 2026 at 5:47am
Swer proposed a fail-safe mandate for regional policies, insisting that human operators must retain the power to override automated systems if they malfunction. He pointed to European Union standards as a potential benchmark for building local safeguards against data misuse and digital exploitation.
Technical discussions expanded to cover specific digital tools reshaping the industry. Richieson Warjri detailed how predictive analytics, natural language processing, and recommendation engines now form the backbone of modern tourism IT infrastructure.
The event, hosted by the Sociology Department, opened with formal remarks from Synod College Vice Principal Dr. M. Rani and ICFAI University Meghalaya Vice Chancellor Dr. Alicia Gatphoh. Beyond the policy debates, the symposium featured interactive student events including infographic design contests, video competitions, and public debates on the digital shift.
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