Starting from the 2026–2027 academic year, the Department of Tourism of the School of Economic Sciences at the Ionian University is introducing three new elective courses on Artificial Intelligence into its Undergraduate Study Programme, responding to rapid technological developments and the evolving needs of the contemporary tourism sector.
The addition of these courses creates a coherent learning pathway, progressing from the fundamental concepts and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence to its specialised applications in tourism:
The course “Fundamental Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence” (5th semester) introduces students to contemporary areas of Artificial Intelligence—including machine learning, generative Artificial Intelligence, large language models and AI agents—and to the critical use of modern AI tools.
The course “Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Risks and Best Practices” (6th semester) focuses on ethical issues, risks and the European regulatory framework (the EU Artificial Intelligence Act – AI Act), fostering the responsible and evidence-based use of Artificial Intelligence.
The course “Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Tourism” (8th semester), designed specifically for the Department’s academic field, explores practical and strategic applications of Artificial Intelligence in tourism, hospitality and destination management—from intelligent recommender systems and review analysis to demand forecasting, smart destinations and the responsible use of data.
The first two courses are offered as university-wide courses across all Departments of the Ionian University, while the third was developed specifically to address the needs of the Department of Tourism. All three courses combine lectures with hands-on activities using contemporary Artificial Intelligence tools.
Through this initiative, the Department of Tourism strengthens its graduates’ digital literacy and innovative skill development, preparing them to respond responsibly and creatively to the challenges of a tourism sector being transformed by Artificial Intelligence.
