Innovation in tourism (KULTKIKÖTŐ panel)
A panel discussion on tourism innovation at the KULTKIKÖTŐ cultural tourism conference, together with an expert from Visit Hungary. Topics: AI “becoming invisible”, GEO, and the findings of an own study of 73 Lake Balaton businesses.
KULTKIKÖTŐ – In the Same Boat Cultural Tourism Conference (2026)
Adam Schmutz discussed the innovation opportunities of tourism on the panel of the KULTKIKÖTŐ – “In the Same Boat” cultural tourism conference. His fellow panelist was Botond Boros, head of the business intelligence and digital solutions division at Visit Hungary; the panel was moderated by Daniel Molnar (National Innovation Agency). A central idea: AI has “become invisible” – no longer a standalone tool but part of the infrastructure of search engines, maps and booking systems, which is why GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) matters more and more. The panel built on own research: of 73 Lake Balaton gastro-tourism businesses, 92% have an advanced digital presence yet only 5.5% sell online (a 17:1 ratio) – the barrier to innovation is not a lack of technology but decision logic. It also covered front-end vs. back-end AI, a case study (direct booking rising from 23% to 41% in a year), and the idea that in tourism the best innovation is invisible and the technology-to-human “translation” is the key.
“The barrier to innovation in tourism is not a lack of technology, but decision logic.” (73 Lake Balaton businesses: 92% advanced digital presence, but only 5.5% selling online – a 17:1 ratio.)