From Reels to AI: Discovering Madhya Pradesh

By Dr Vanita Srivastava

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When Geetika Mishra began planning her maiden trip to Madhya Pradesh with her family, she had a specific wish list: moderate temperatures, a stay amid nature, serene surroundings with minimal traffic - and enough "fun space" to keep her two children engaged.

Instead of spending days researching destinations, Mishra turned to an AI tool. She entered her preferences and, within minutes, received a list of 10 destinations in Madhya Pradesh that matched her requirements. She narrowed her choices to Gwalior and Orchha and then asked the tool to create a detailed seven-day itinerary.

"The entire process took just two hours, unlike the days I used to spend earlier researching travel," she says.

For Latika Sharma, social media plays a bigger role in deciding where to go. When she planned a trip to Madhya Pradesh in December 2025, she scrolled through Instagram posts and reels, explored destinations virtually and then mapped out her travel itinerary.

The way travellers discover, plan and experience destinations is changing rapidly - and Madhya Pradesh is part of that transformation.

The theme of World Tourism Day 2026 - "Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism" - puts the spotlight on how AI and digital transformation can help create a smarter, more sustainable and inclusive tourism sector through better decision-making and destination management.

Tech Tourism

In Madhya Pradesh, AI tools and digital platforms are increasingly becoming part of the tourism ecosystem. From online ticketing at heritage monuments to personalised itineraries and social-media-led destination discovery, technology is changing the vocabulary of travel.

Digital transformation is already visible at the state's heritage sites. AI-powered chatbots facilitate ticket bookings and provide information on exhibitions, cultural events and other heritage activities. Online e-ticketing has reduced dependence on physical counters, while GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping is helping visitors locate historical monuments and explore nearby attractions.

The state is also exploring AI, AR/VR and map-based technologies to create immersive virtual tours and personalised travel experiences. At sites such as Sanchi and Khajuraho, QR-based audio guides, AI-enabled storytelling and immersive VR experiences can make complex historical narratives more engaging and accessible.

"AI and digital platforms have played a transformative role in the travel landscape of Madhya Pradesh. From customised recommendations to AI-driven virtual tours, technology is reshaping the state's tourist ecosystem," says Sohini Agarwal, who used an AI tool for the first time to plan her itinerary.

"I have always relied on the advice of a travel agent, but now I can create my own travel circuit."

For Miti Nenava Malviya, Director, Luxe Comfort Travels Pvt Ltd, the transformation is evident across the tourism sector.

"Today, travellers don't wait for a brochure or rely only on word-of-mouth. They discover places through Instagram, YouTube, Google - and increasingly, through AI," she says.

The Indore-based technology-driven travel company is using AI for destination discovery, personalised itineraries and real-time assistance. It has also developed Leo, its multilingual AI travel assistant, designed around the way travellers communicate and seek information.

Satveer Yadav, CEO and Founder of Flyeraa Tourism Pvt Ltd, Indore, says his company is using it for itinerary planning, destination research, personalised recommendations, customer communication, digital marketing and operational efficiency.

Its B2B travel platform, he says, is used by more than 1,000 travel agents to book flights, hotels, buses and holiday packages, helping make the booking process faster and more efficient.

Maaz Hussain, CTO, TravelTech, Indore, says AI is particularly useful during the early planning stage - helping travellers discover destinations, compare itineraries, understand estimated costs, suggest activities and build day-wise travel plans.

"AI can also help personalise trips - for instance, suggesting different experiences for a solo traveller, a family, a honeymoon couple or a group of friends," he says.

Challenging Canvas

Yet, as with any rapidly evolving technology, AI comes with limitations. Experts caution that over dependance on the tools can sometimes not be productive.

"The biggest challenges are building traveller trust in AI, ensuring accurate and updated information, integrating different tourism and booking services, and maintaining a human touch in travel planning," says Malviya.

Travel information can change from one day to the next. A hotel may close, a road may be under repair, an attraction may change its timings, or a destination may face unexpected weather conditions. AI-generated recommendations may not always reflect these ground realities.

There is also the wider problem of misinformation. AI and digital platforms can be used to generate misleading reviews, create artificial hype around destinations or amplify inaccurate information.

The answer, therefore, may not lie in choosing between technology and human expertise. The future is not AI versus humans. It is AI with humans.

Hussain points out that travel remains highly dependent on real-world factors such as weather, traffic, local conditions, hotel availability, seasonal closures, transportation delays and changing prices.

AI-generated information, he says, can sometimes be outdated or inaccurate, particularly when it comes to live availability, local regulations or very specific destination-level details. There is also a risk of creating an itinerary that looks perfect on paper but is too hectic or unrealistic to actually follow.

Akash Malviya, Chief Growth & Technology Officer, Luxe Comfort Travels maintains that the biggest challenge comes from building traveller trust in AI, ensuring accurate and updated information, integrating different tourism and booking services, and maintaining a human touch in travel planning. "These can be addressed through reliable data, continuous AI training, strong technology partnerships, transparent communication, and keeping human assistance available whenever required."

The way forward is not to replace human travel expertise with AI, but to combine the two. and make real-time decisions during the journey.

And perhaps that is the real transformation underway in Madhya Pradesh tourism.