By Farhan Rafi and Lorenzo Trevisan
The United Nations reported that around 790 million tourists travelled abroad in the first seven months of 2024. However, the growth of the travel industry also introduces new challenges, ranging from extreme weather events to the spread of infectious diseases. To safeguard travellers, companies are increasingly leveraging advanced technologies such as media monitoring tools and artificial intelligence (AI) to swiftly identify and respond to disruptions.
In recent years, travellers have faced more uncertainties due to various factors, including climate change, which has led to more frequent and severe weather conditions. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), over 70 per cent of air traffic delays in the US are attributed to weather-related issues. The surge in cross-border travel has also contributed to the spread of diseases, such as the mpox outbreak, prompting more than 60 countries to implement screening measures for travellers.
The increase in these challenges across the world means a more incessant flow of information that travel companies should be delivering to their clients. Practical technologies that can help collect and filter relevant information from the internet are media monitoring tools and possibly, artificial intelligence (AI).
How media monitoring tools enhance travel risk intelligence
Travel disruptions often come and end abruptly. These include flight delays or cancellations, border closures and security threats, among others.
The use of media monitoring tools, which are software solutions that track and collect public mentions of travel disruptions or other information, is highly effective for travel management companies to receive a constant flow of real-time data. Examples of media monitoring tools are Talkwater, Brandwatch and Google Alerts, or they may be internally developed software.
Depending on how sophisticated the software is, these tools may scrape relevant information through broad channels such as news outlets, social media, weather reports, government travel advisories and many others. Some media monitoring tools also have the remarkable ability to gather data from sources that use different languages.
The raw data can then be processed and turned into valuable reports or advisories, informing travellers about events that might affect their itineraries or safety.
Limitations of media monitoring tools
Analysts must conduct comprehensive open-source intelligence (OSINT) to set up monitoring tools that yield optimal results.
Without initial intelligence before setting up media monitoring tools, they may deliver inadequate or excessive results, fake news, outdated information, spam, or even not pick up any valuable information. Raw data gathered by the tool needs a thorough analysis to confirm its accuracy and reliability.
Media monitoring tools also require routine maintenance, as government websites or social media pages can become inactive, change URLs, or be removed entirely.
Tweaking the ‘commands for search results’ for the media monitoring tool from time to time is also important to enhance its accuracy. As an example, the term ‘monkeypox’ was rejected by the majority of the public as it was deemed inappropriate in 2022, with the World Health Organisation renaming the disease as “mpox”. Monitoring tools that are not updated will barely deliver any data related to mpox.
Use of AI in travel risk intelligence
The rapid advancement of AI in recent years—including technologies like ChatGPT, self-driving cars, and virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa—has captured global attention. AI software, equipped with machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics, can monitor vast amounts of relevant data at a pace far exceeding that of humans. This gives travellers more flexibility to take corrective or precautionary actions to avoid potential issues.
One example of this is “dynamic routing”. AI systems are already in widespread commercial use in the aviation and maritime industries. By analysing large pools of data patterns, namely the fuel usage, traffic, time windows and likely risks, AI allows for real-time adjustments in providing the most efficient and safe route.
The prospective use of such technology in travel risk intelligence is substantial. For instance, consider the seasonal bushfires in Australia. Bushfires are wildfires that burn in grasslands, scrublands or forests, occurring around 45,000-60,000 times annually nationwide. Unfortunately, as time goes by, bushfires occur even more frequently outside of their regional seasons due to climate change, making it increasingly hard for people alone to track and manage.
By processing data such as vegetation density, changes in temperature, humidity and wind, AI-powered predictive analytics can be used to forecast wildfires. This capability offers human analysts the opportunity to develop more proactive advisories rather than simply reacting to incidents as they arise.
How can AI and humans collaborate effectively?
AI remains a relatively new field, especially in the travel risk environment. At present, people are still exploring the best ways to utilise it. The available AI technologies in the world right now are still categorised as ‘Weak’ or ‘Narrow’ AI. Weak AI is designed and trained for a specific task or a narrow set of tasks.
Current AI tools can handle specific tasks—like scanning large datasets or responding to simple queries. However, they lack the broader reasoning abilities of human intelligence, known as ‘Strong AI.’ Current examples of Strong AIs remain in science fiction only. In travel risk management, for instance, AI is a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human analysts
Currently, public information circulating online contains much misinformation, disinformation, and exaggerations. Such information is even published by accounts run by AI or bots themselves. Travel risk intelligence providers must maintain utmost care for the quality of their data. Completely replacing people with AI would risk leading to the deterioration of factual accuracy. Since human analysts leverage intuition, experience, and local context to interpret raw data—elements that AI may not yet fully grasp—, human expertise remains essential. Therefore, the best way forward is to combine the best of both worlds: verified human intelligence supported by AI tools and analysis.
What does the future hold for us?
Technology is becoming increasingly essential in travel risk intelligence, helping to keep travellers informed and safe. As AI continues to evolve, travel risk intelligence providers must integrate these tools while recognising the vital role human analysts play, as they are essential in fact-checking the raw data transmitted by these tools and turning it into a usable product for customers. Together, they can create a more resilient and responsive travel industry, ensuring greater safety for travellers in a constantly changing world. The future lies not in replacing human intelligence, but in harnessing AI to enhance it.
