The role of AI as competitive advantage in the Caribbean tourism industry

This thesis explores the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) as a competitive advantage in the Caribbean Tourism industry within the field of Media and Business. The main objective of this research was to identify how small businesses operating in the Caribbean tourism sector perceive the role of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), read AI technologies in shaping their competitive landscape. The study investigated how the availability of AI in the region can be understood, where the opportunities lie as well as the potential obstacles regarding AI adoption. The main concepts that were identified to support the research question were the IT-capabilities theory, flexibility, the Organizational Information Processing Theory (OIPT), the Resource-based view (RBV) theory and AI technologies such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Deep Learning (DL), robotics, virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) and emotional chatbots. This research employed a qualitative thematic analysis approach. Industry experts were interviewed to investigate how AI might enhance or disrupt their business and the tourism industry as a whole and what the operational competencies are to drive growth in the industry. The findings of this research suggest that small businesses operating in the Caribbean tourism sector perceive the role of AI technologies as a possibility and inspiration for their businesses as a competitive edge. The main capabilities these technologies bring include the ability to process vast amounts of data, marketing, effectiveness, speed, productivity and decreasing employment issues. However, there are certain obstacles they incur. These are regarding affordability of AI, the lack of knowledge among staff members, awareness, as well as cultural differences. Lastly, the operational competencies needed to inspire growth in the tourism industry must carry an entrepreneur-driven innovation approach while fostering authenticity and creating tools which are based on representative data sets. Knowledge, investment and expertise are the main competencies needed for small businesses to thrive. These findings contribute to our understanding of a deeper view into the experiences and obstacles entrepreneurs in the Caribbean region face when being confronted with implementation and adoption of AI technologies in their businesses. The research opens doors for further investigation into the cultural identity of these islands and how this can be better represented through AI. Additionally, further research could explore the use of VR and AR in its application to the tourism industry on the Caribbean islands as well as other AI methods such as ANN and DL. Privacy issues and legislation are also aspects that need to be addressed to realize growth. This could significantly improve the tourist experience and provide reliable insights into lesser known destinations such as the islands. Additionally, tackling these issues could help in reaching the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN SDGs).