Baja California is seeking to incorporate next-generation digital tools to build a more competitive and innovative tourism sector without sacrificing the cultural identity that defines its destinations. This is according to State Tourism Secretary Miguel Ángel Badiola Montaño who spoke on the challenges and opportunities of this technological shift.
To mark World Tourism Day, the Secretary of Tourism hosted the “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism” forum. The event served as a space for learning, professional exchange, and strategic networking across the regional tourism value chain.
Designed to unlock the potential of technological innovation and artificial intelligence, the forum featured two specialized lectures and a workshop tailored to equip local service providers with modern capabilities and raise destination competitiveness.
“Artificial intelligence offers incredible opportunities to refine experiences and strengthen the competitiveness of this vital sector. However, technology will never replace the intrinsic value of our people or the vibrant communities that give our destinations their unique identity,” Secretary Badiola Montaño noted.
Hosted at the Ámbar Interactive Center, the program opened with a keynote address by Hugo Cen titled “Artificial Intelligence: The Future of Tourism.” Cen detailed how emerging technologies are revolutionizing travel experiences.
Industry expert Adriana Rose delivered the second keynote, “Intelligence Lives Where Operations Happen: Roseiies, A Practical Case Study.” Her presentation demonstrated how AI can be integrated into daily hospitality operations.
Concluding the forum, Angélica Ospina led an interactive workshop titled “Design and Configuration of an Intelligent Tourism Service Agent.” Ospina guided attendees through building and deploying tailored AI tools for tourism services, emphasizing practical application alongside responsible adoption.
By prioritizing professional training, collaboration, and expert engagement, Baja California aims to unlock new commercial avenues for those in the value chain and drive regional destination growth under a model centered on shared well-being.
The gathering was attended by Martha Inés Domínguez Uscanga, Undersecretary of Tourism of Baja California; Napoleón Medina Miramontes, President of the Mexican Association of DMCs; Erika Bernal Escoto, President of the Women’s Association of Tourism Industry Executives of Mexico (AFEET); and Iván Cortez Chávez, President of the Association of Hosts and Tour Operators of Baja California.
Key Speaker Profiles
Hugo Cen is the CEO and co-founder of AI Lab School and Digital Lab Agency, specializing in tech community development and education. He is also media contributor and former presenter on Shark Tank Mexico (Season 8).
Adriana Rose, a systems engineer and CEO of Olivea Farm to Table, is the founder of Roseiies, a unified hospitality operating system designed to integrate AI directly into operational workflows.
Angélica Ospina serves as the Institutional Director of the Baja California Business School and founding director of VisorLab, a creative technology lab focused on digital experience design, communication, and education.
The Significance of World Tourism Day
Established during the third session of the UN Tourism (UNWTO) General Assembly in Spain in 1979, World Tourism Day is commemorated globally every September 27.
Each year, the global observance centers on an urgent contemporary theme. While the 2025 theme emphasized tourism as an engine for positive sustainable long-term change, the 2026 observance focuses on the “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”
Under this theme, industry stakeholders in Baja California and around the world continue to explore how AI and digital infrastructure can foster a smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable future for global travel.
