The Impact of Using ChatGPT in enhancing Tourism Education in Higher Institutes

Generative artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, is one of the most prominent technological innovations that are transforming higher education systems, particularly in applied and professional disciplines such as tourism and hotels. This development has provided new opportunities to develop educational tools and methods in line with the requirements of the digital age. The research problem stems from the observation of the weak use of artificial intelligence technologies in tourism education at higher institutes, despite the significant potential these technologies offer to improve the quality of the educational process. This raises questions about the feasibility of using ChatGPT and its impact on student achievement and skills. The research aims to investigate the impact of using ChatGPT in enhancing tourism education by evaluating its effectiveness in improving academic achievement and developing students' linguistic and professional skills. It also aims to analyze the challenges that may hinder its effective implementation and propose an integrated vision for incorporating it into tourism curricula in a systematic and ethical manner that aligns with the needs of the tourism labor market in Egypt. The results also revealed the presence of institutional, technical, and human challenges that affect the effectiveness of the application, most notably the absence of regulatory policies, weak training, and poor digital infrastructure. The research recommended developing an integrated vision for employing ChatGPT in tourism curricula, including training, content adaptation, and promoting ethical and educational use to keep pace with the requirements of the tourism labor market.