Soon, a chatbot to give recommendation of tourism spots in TN

CHENNAI: In a first, Tamil Nadu Tourism will be launching a project to design and develop a Machine Learning-based chatbot providing real-time information and personalized recommendations to the tourist. A chatbot is a computer programme designed to simulate conversation with human users, either through text or voice.

The chatbot will help tourists optimise their travel experiences and expenses, and navigate the tourism landscape in the State more effectively.

A senior official from the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) said, “The proposed chatbot will also help promote sustainable and responsible tourism by offering eco-friendly travel tips, encouraging local cultural experiences, and sharing insights on minimising environmental impact and supporting local communities.”

The chatbot will address the tourism department’s public service requirement by providing instant, accurate and standardised messaging about tourist destinations, accommodation support, transport and local amenities available for tourists. “It will help overcome language barriers in service delivery, by offering personalised recommendations, and assistance in travel planning by providing timely and reliable information,” he added. “The project will offer accessibility and personalised assistance to a wide range of users. The chatbot will facilitate efficient customer service to drive tourism revenue and promote local businesses to generate economic benefits.”

The proposed chatbot would seamlessly integrate with WhatsApp, mobile, and web platforms, ensuring access to information and services for tourists. “It will have language conversion features, allowing users to switch between English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi for personalised interactions based on their language preference. When users inquire about events like festivals, concerts, exhibitions, or temple functions, ChatGPT will provide a response,” stated the official.

To maintain a focused and tailored user experience, the tourism bot will be programmed to restrict its responses to queries that are directly related to tourism of Tamil Nadu. “This design ensures that the interaction remains centred around travel and exploration, optimising the users’ engagement with the bot,” he pointed out.