Globant and TOURISE are rewriting the operating model of global tourism, one AI agent at a time. Here’s what that looks like, and why Singapore just recognized it.
Think about the last time something went wrong on a trip: a flight delayed, a hotel room not ready, a transfer missed.
You know what happened next: you picked up your phone and started making calls. Waiting on hold. Navigating systems that have no idea the other systems even exist. Lines, documents, security checks, screens changing gates, notifications that don’t sync, and the silent hope that your suitcase makes the connection.
That’s not a customer experience problem. That’s a structural one. And it’s been there since the travel industry was built.
The global travel ecosystem, airlines, hotels, airports, operators, destination, is one of the most interconnected industries on earth, running on some of the most disconnected technology. Each player operates in its own silo. When things go wrong, the traveler is left to bridge the gaps manually, serving as the integration layer. And that’s a problem.
We think there’s a better way.
And we’re building it.
Enter the Agentic Tourism Initiative
Born from a shared conviction that AI can do more than automate tasks, it can fundamentally restructure how an entire industry operates.
Globant and TOURISE co-created the Agentic Tourism Initiative: a new operating model for travel, powered by AI agents that actually talk to each other.
Not another app. Not another dashboard. A new structural layer.
Built on top of the ecosystem, where AI Destination Agents operate as sovereign entities, coordinating across providers in real time to prevent disruptions before travelers even notice them.
What Makes It Different
Most travel tech adds digital layers on top of broken systems.
The Agentic Tourism Initiative replaces the operating model itself, introducing agent-to-agent communication as the new standard for how the travel ecosystem coordinates, resolves, and improves.
The initiative spans five purpose-built AI agents, each owning a distinct, high-impact domain across the traveler journey:
- Operations
- Sustainability
- Experience
- Wellness
- Opportunity
Together, they don’t just respond to what’s happening; they anticipate it.
The goal over the next 12 months is to deliver a stable v1.0 protocol: a standard communication method designed to serve as a reference model for global adoption across the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and beyond.
“Travel is one of humanity’s most powerful industries — it connects cultures, drives economies, and shapes how we see the world. But it’s been held back by fragmentation for too long. The moment has come to reinvent it from the inside out, and Agentic AI is the enabler that makes that reinvention possible at scale.”
— Julio de Salvo, Chief Solution Officer at Globant
Why This Matters for the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Global Tourism
The timing is not accidental. The MENA region is experiencing a tourism renaissance, from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its ambition to welcome 150 million visitors annually, to the UAE cementing itself as a global hub for smart, experience-first travel.
Across Southeast Asia, digital-first destinations are rapidly modernizing their infrastructure.
These markets aren’t just growing; they’re building from scratch
Which means the opportunity to embed agentic AI at the foundation is real, and it’s happening now.
For destination boards and tourism authorities across the Middle East and Asia Pacific, the initiative opens a direct path to smarter, more resilient infrastructure, one that can scale with demand without multiplying operational complexity.
“Building this initiative required bringing together partners who are not only technically capable but genuinely committed to changing how travel works. The collaborative journey with Globant has been exactly that — a shared belief that the industry deserves better, and the willingness to build it together from the ground up.”
— Sarah Altamimi, VP at TOURISE
Recognized at the Singapore Business Review Technology Excellence Awards 2026
Globant and TOURISE were recognized for the Agentic Tourism Initiative, honoring organizations leading digital transformation across Asia and beyond.
Winning in the AI Travel category at the Singapore Business Review Technology Excellence Awards isn’t just a milestone for our teams, it’s a signal.
Singapore is one of the world’s most important nodes for technology, aviation, and tourism infrastructure. Recognition here means the work is resonating where it matters most: at the intersection of ambition and execution, in a market that expects both.
The initiative is still growing. We’re bringing in the right partners, destination boards, operators, airlines, and hospitality groups who are ready to move from curiosity to action. If that’s you, we’d love to show you what we’re building.
Ready to be part of what’s next in travel?
Learn more about the Agentic Tourism Initiative here
