The document emphasizes that tourism should not be viewed solely as an economic activity or a form of leisure. It is also an experience of discovery, learning, and encounter, capable of fostering mutual understanding and strengthening ties among communities with different traditions, languages, and ways of life.
Within this context, the Vatican acknowledges that artificial intelligence can bring significant benefits to the tourism industry. These include improved access to information, more personalized services, optimized travel planning, and the potential to reduce certain environmental impacts through more efficient resource management. Such technologies can also enhance accessibility for travelers with disabilities and help make tailored travel experiences available to a broader range of people.
At the same time, the message warns that the widespread adoption of digital systems raises ethical questions that cannot be overlooked. One of the principal concerns highlighted is the possibility that the travel experience could be reduced to a sequence of decisions guided by algorithms, diminishing the spontaneity, sense of wonder, and authentic discovery that have traditionally defined tourism.
According to the reflection offered by the Dicastery, when technology directs every step of a traveler’s journey and pre-selects what should be seen, visited, or experienced, there is a risk of weakening genuine human and cultural encounters. Travel could become an overly programmed experience in which the pursuit of efficiency gradually displaces the value of personal interaction and direct engagement with the realities of a destination.
Another key issue addressed is the growing collection and use of data related to travelers’ habits and behaviors. The Vatican stresses that the handling of such information must be governed by clear ethical standards and appropriate regulatory frameworks to safeguard privacy, individual freedom, and human dignity. Technological innovation, the document notes, should never evolve into a tool of surveillance or become a factor that encourages new forms of discrimination or exclusion.
The concerns raised also extend to communities whose economies depend heavily on tourism. The message highlights the challenge of the so-called digital divide, a phenomenon that could marginalize regions and populations with limited access to emerging technologies, restricting their opportunities to participate in an increasingly digitalized marketplace. For the Holy See, technological transformation must be inclusive and generate shared benefits, rather than widening existing social and economic inequalities.
The text further reminds readers that artificial intelligence is not a neutral reality, as it reflects the choices, values, and priorities of those who design, develop, and deploy it. For this reason, the Vatican calls for the responsible use of these technologies, grounded in principles of transparency, fairness, and respect for the human person.
The reflection prepared for World Tourism Day invites governments, businesses, industry professionals, and travelers alike to embrace a shared commitment to building a more sustainable, accessible, and people-centered tourism model. Technology, the Vatican argues, can become a valuable ally in achieving these objectives, provided that it does not replace what constitutes the true richness of travel: encounters with other people, the discovery of different cultures, and the capacity to marvel at the diversity of the world.
Through this message, the Holy See reaffirms its commitment to an approach to innovation that promotes the integral development of every person. It also reminds the international community that technological progress reaches its fullest meaning only when it contributes to strengthening human dignity, fostering dialogue among peoples, and building a more open, compassionate, and fraternal society.
