The following is the Message sent by the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, on the occasion of the 47th World Tourism Day, to be held on 27 September 2026 on the theme: “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”:
Message
“Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”:
World Tourism Day, which every year on 27 September invites the entire global community to reflect on the meaning and value of this extraordinary form of encounter between peoples, presents a challenge of historic significance this year: to understand the role that artificial intelligence and digital transformation can play in envisioning the future of tourism.
The Dicastery for Evangelization welcomes this theme with interest and pastoral responsibility. It is not a purely technical or economic issue: rather, we are invited to ask ourselves how we wish to promote the human person through tourism, and how new technologies can truly serve the dignity of every person for the sake of the common good, as Pope Leo XIV states in his recent Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas: “Technology has the power to heal, connect, educate and protect our common home; but it can also divide, exclude and generate new forms of injustice. In the abstract, technology in and of itself is not a solution to humanity’s problems, just as it is not inherently evil. In practice, however, technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it” (Magnifica Humanitas, 9).
1. We live in a time of profound transformations. Artificial intelligence is not just a tool; it is giving rise to a new culture, with a new form of mediation between people and the world. Like every mediation, it brings with it extraordinary possibilities, but also challenges that we need to know how to interpret with wisdom and discernment. As Pope Leo XIV affirmed: “Artificial intelligence has certainly opened up new horizons for creativity, but it also raises serious concerns about its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, and capacity for wonder and contemplation. Recognizing and safeguarding what characterizes the human person and guarantees his or her balanced growth is essential for establishing an adequate framework for managing the consequences of artificial intelligence” (Address to participants in the Conference “Artificial Intelligence and Care of our Common Home”, 5 December 2025).
Therefore, the answer does not lie in rejecting technology, but in using it humanely. Artificial intelligence can become a valuable ally of sustainable and accessible tourism, provided that it remains a tool at the service of the person and does not become a system of control, discrimination or exclusion.
2. Tourism stems from a desire as old as humanity itself: to get to know others, to discover new horizons, to be amazed by the beauty of creation and the richness of cultures. This desire is profoundly human and also carries with it a spiritual dimension. It echoes that thirst for the infinite which dwells in the heart of every person. Today, artificial intelligence can certainly facilitate travel: making information more accessible, personalizing experiences, optimizing routes, and reducing environmental impact. All this is valuable. But no technology will ever be able to replace the gaze that falls for the first time upon a landscape never seen before, the handshake between strangers, the emotion felt before a work of art or a sacred place. The encounter with others, with traditions different from one’s own, can become an opportunity for growth. It is not a question of erasing differences or standardizing cultures, but of fostering an exchange that enriches everyone. We therefore invite all stakeholders in the tourism sector – institutions, operators, travellers – to safeguard this irreducibly human dimension of tourism. Pope Leo reminds us that “new technologies open up a horizon extending in directions that are imaginable but not yet fully predictable. This complicates the assessment of their potential impact and the long-term effects they may have on both the dignity of individuals and the common good” (Magnifica Humanitas, 4). Digital platforms and artificial intelligence systems must be designed and used in such a way as to encourage authentic encounters between people and peoples, and not reduce them to a mere virtual experience or the consumption of images. As can be seen, there is a human and personal dimension that cannot be disregarded without losing the profound meaning for which we set out on our journeys. It is important that this dimension is always recognized, especially by those working in the tourism sector, so that a heritage that marks the passage from generation to generation is not lost.
3. There is, however, no shortage of reasons to view the potential of artificial intelligence applied to tourism with healthy realism and positivity. When guided by an ethical vision that places the dignity of the person and respect for creation at the centre, technology can contribute significantly to making tourism fairer, more accessible and more sustainable. Consider people with disabilities, who, through intelligent digital systems, can now access places and experiences that were previously denied to them. A thought goes to local communities in developing countries, which can find in digital platforms new channels to promote their cultural and natural heritage. At the same time, we can consider the possibility of monitoring and reducing the environmental impact of tourist flows, thereby contributing to the care of creation, as Saint John Paul II asserted: “Science and technology are a wonderful product of a God-given human creativity, since they have provided us with wonderful possibilities, and we all gratefully benefit from them” (Address during the meeting with scientists and representatives of the United Nations, Hiroshima, 25 February 1981). In this sense, artificial intelligence can become an instrument of fraternity and justice, not merely of efficiency. Provided, however, that technological choices are guided by a genuine commitment to the common good and not merely by the logic of profit.
4. Pastoral clarity requires us to consider the challenges that accompany this digital transformation. The first is the lack of humanistic significance when the tourist is regarded as a mere object, the journey as a product to be optimized, and the cultural encounter as a spectacle to be consumed. In such cases, something essential is lost. The tourist experience risks being reduced to what the algorithm predicts will be popular, preventing the discovery of the wonder of personal encounter, which is often the most precious of discoveries. Awe at beauty, in fact, is a perception that always goes further, personally discovering new destinations that technology cannot provide. Awe is a true form of knowledge that also opens up the spiritual dimension and leads to the contemplation of God, the source of beauty and the Creator of all things. Then there is the challenge of digital exclusion. Those who lack access to technology, those who do not know how to use it, and those living in areas with poor connectivity risk being further marginalized in a sector such as tourism, which for many communities represents an essential source of livelihood. Unjust digitalisation can deepen inequalities rather than reduce them. This therefore requires particular attention that can rediscover true personal and social needs, so as to identify the right path to seeing tourism as a genuine source of the common good. Finally, we cannot remain silent with regard to the challenge of surveillance. The mass collection of data on travellers’ behaviour, if not properly regulated, can become a tool of control incompatible with the freedom and dignity of the person. It is therefore desirable that international institutions promote clear and binding regulatory frameworks that guarantee respect for fundamental rights in the age of artificial intelligence. In this context, the words of Benedict XVI resonate with particular relevance: “The key to development is a mind capable of thinking in technological terms and grasping the fully human meaning of human activities, within the context of the holistic meaning of the individual’s being… But human freedom is authentic only when it responds to the fascination of technology with decisions that are the fruit of moral responsibility” (Caritas in Veritate, 70).
5. We are called to rediscover the profound meaning of travel: not as an escape from reality, but as a journey towards creation, towards others, and towards God. When experienced with authenticity and responsibility, tourism can be a school of fraternity, an experience that broadens the heart and mind, and teaches us about the richness of diversity and solidarity. Those working in the tourism sector and those involved in pastoral care for tourism are therefore called to be vigilant. Artificial intelligence can reshape tourism and make it more attractive. However, we have a responsibility to pay attention to every person who sets out on a journey. It is indeed necessary to preserve the vision of the person as a relational being, free, capable of wonder, and the bearer of an inalienable dignity that no algorithm will ever be able to fully capture.
26 May 2026, Memorial of Saint Philip Neri
✠ Rino Fisichella
Pro-Prefect
