Participate in the UN Tourism Global Artificial Intelligence Challenge and Pitch at UN TOURISM Demo Day. Register by March 31!
About the Challenge
With AI and advanced technologies reshaping the travel industry, 2024 presents a key moment to redefine tourism. As international travel reaches full recovery, the challenge focuses on using AI to improve personalized services, streamline operations, and elevate customer engagement, delivering scalable solutions that bring measurable results.
The UN Secretary-General’s report highlights the need for accessible technology and AI solutions that close the digital divide. This vision drives the UN Tourism AI & Deep Tech Start-up & Scale-Up Challenge, which aims to spark innovation in tourism with practical, high-impact AI applications across the tourism value chain.
Objectives
- Innovate: Support AI-driven solutions that enhance efficiency and transform traveler experiences across the tourism ecosystem.
- Adopt: Ensure AI adoption is equitable, providing access to all communities and fostering widespread participation and benefits from these technologies.
- Drive Growth: Foster AI solutions that optimize operations and improve service delivery, benefiting stakeholders across the industry.
- Collaborate: Unify governments, industries, and experts to advance AI’s role in addressing tourism’s key challenges.
- Shape the Future: Use AI to meet user demands, from optimizing logistics to enhancing the visitor experience, reinforcing tourism as a driver of economic growth.
Categories
- Branding, Promotion & Marketing
- Smart Destinations & Deep Technologies
- Education & Technology
- Efficiency & Operations
Timeline
- Launch: November 2024
- Deadline submissions: March 2025
- Announcement finalists: April 2025
- Final Pitch To be announced
Evaluation Criteria
Participating startups will be assessed according to their:
- Ease of value capture
- Scalability
- Potential business impact
- Maturity of the product/technology
- Maturity of the team and the organization
- Partnership readiness
- Contribution to the selected Sustainable Development Goals
Benefits
Benefits for winning startups include but are not limited to:
- Pitch at the UN TOURISM Demo Day
- Acceleration Programme at SPARK, the Innovation Sphere of Les Roches
- Access to 90+ Venture Capitalists
- Access to Top Corporations and 150+ Countries
- Curated mentorship programmes
- Potential pilot project with private sector collaborators and institutions
- Plug and Play will offer a registered profile on Playbook, an invitation to participate in our Silicon Valley Summit, and access to talent and synergies with their Portfolio
Application Process
Applicants are advised to adhere to the following steps to ensure their submission meets the criteria of the Challenge
- Review Challenge Guidelines: Thoroughly read and understand the Terms & Conditions of the Challenge available on our website to ensure compliance with all requirements.
- Selection of Category: Carefully select the category under which your submission will be evaluated. Ensure that your project aligns with the specified category’s objectives.
- Prepare a Pitch Deck: Develop a concise and compelling pitch deck in English, limited to no more than 15 slides, that clearly outlines the problem, solution, impact, and business model of your project.
- Compile Information: Provide a complete list of your organization’s web page, social media handles, and essential contact information to facilitate effective communication.
- Submission of Application: Once your materials are prepared and reviewed, complete the Application Form in English. The form is accessible on our official website and should be submitted by the specified deadline.
How to Register?
Interested participants can register through this link.
Deadline
The deadline for registration is March 31, 2025.
