Leading the Intelligent Destination

Build an intelligent destination, not just another technology project. An executive masterclass for destination and tourism leadership teams.

AI is becoming the front door to your destination: 56% of US travellers used generative AI to plan a trip in the past year (Phocuswright, as reported by Travel Weekly, May 2026). At the same time, 51% of destination organizations are concerned about or preparing for AI-driven search disruption, and 72% say conversion, ROI and economic impact data are the proof their stakeholders want most (Sojern, 2026, 350+ DMOs). 42% of destination organizations foresee funding risks within three years (Destinations International, DestinationNEXT 2025). AI has to earn its budget.

DMO and CVB leadership teams, national and regional tourism boards, and tourism ministry officials, with board members welcome for the close. 6–24 participants.

• Map AI use cases across five destination domains and test each for value to visitors, residents, partners and funders.

• Read your institution's readiness on six dimensions, calculated from your own team's pre-work, and name the two gaps that matter most.

• Build a one-page value case showing cost, funding sources and the proof your funders will accept.

• Defend a 90-day roadmap at a simulated board meeting where budget, vendor and stakeholder pressures arrive at once.

• A prioritised use case with a public value score

• Your team's Institutional Readiness Canvas, before and after

• A one-page value case and a board-ready summary sentence

• A 90-day Decide–Prove–Share roadmap with named owners

• The Destination AI Readiness Canvas & 90-Day Roadmap tool, and a 60-minute follow-up 30 days later

15-minute pre-work · 150-minute session, in person or live virtual · 60-minute virtual follow-up. Available on its own or as part of the Destination & Tourism Leadership series.

Burcin Turkkan Zencirli, M.B.A., CHE, founded and led an international hospitality training and talent-mobility company for more than 25 years, working with more than 150 hospitality partner organizations. A former World President of Skål International and co-chair of the AI Ethics & Governance Subcommittee of the HFTP AI Council, she is a doctoral candidate at UCF's Rosen College of Hospitality Management, researching AI in hospitality recruitment.

Tell us about your team and the decisions in front of you. We'll reply within two working days to arrange a 20-minute briefing call.

Phocuswright via Travel Weekly, 4 May 2026

Sojern, 2026 State of Destination Marketing (Hospitality Net, 17 Feb 2026)

Destinations International, DestinationNEXT Futures Study 2025

Figures as published by their sources; checked October 2026.

New Era masterclasses are independent executive education. They are not endorsed or accredited by any organization cited, and they are not legal, financial or employment advice.

© 2026 New Era Business Innovation & Management Consulting. Programme designs, frameworks and materials are proprietary.