The Tourism Innovation Program is expanding its support for AI projects in 2024 thanks to the financial support of the Ministry of Tourism.
Montreal, April 22, 2024 – The MT Lab is very pleased to announce its first call for artificial intelligence (AI) solutions applied to tourism, which will support the brand new Quebec Working Group on Artificial Intelligence in Tourism. The MT Lab is now offering a call for solutions, with a grant of $25,000 to $200,000 per project, specifically to test artificial intelligence technologies within tourism businesses.
Recent advances in AI technologies, including conversational robots, have clearly demonstrated that the evolution of this technology is already having significant impacts in several sectors, including the tourism industry.
"The democratization of artificial intelligence that has emerged in recent months is shaking up the way we do things as well as that of our customers, the tourists. We can only positively highlight the MT Lab initiative which will allow, for the first time, to create projects for our industry that will serve as an example for all. In this sense, the collaboration between the Working Group, the MT Lab and the Quebec Ministry of Tourism is to be highlighted," said Pierre Bellerose, President of the Quebec Working Group on Artificial Intelligence in Tourism.
"In 7 years, the MT Lab has become the preferred vehicle for promoting innovations and new technologies to the entire Quebec tourism industry. The support of major industry leaders and the Ministry of Tourism, combined with the agility of a small organization like ours, has allowed us to implement this call for AI solutions to quickly respond to the current challenges posed by this revolution for all tourism stakeholders. " adds Martin Lessard, Executive Director of the MT Lab.
Objectives
- To arouse the interest of tourism companies in artificial intelligence.
- Concretely demonstrate the potential of the use of artificial intelligence in tourism companies in the areas of marketing, customer experience and management.
- Quickly identify artificial intelligence solutions, including those from different sectors of activity, to adapt them to the tourism industry.
Key dates
Phase 1:
- April 22, 2024 – Launch of the call for solutions
- May 1, 2024 – Public Information Session
- June 21, 2024 - Applications close
- July 2024 – Public announcement of the winners
- September 2024 - Start of the implementation of the solution in tourism companies
- March 2025 – Completion of the implementation of the solution in tourism companies
About the Tourism Innovation Program
In March 2021, the Government of Quebec entrusted MT Lab with the management of a tourism innovation fund consisting of $10 million over 5 years. The Ministry of Tourism (MTO) wishes to support and democratize innovation for the tourism industry and accelerate the implementation of structuring projects to enhance the quality of tourism businesses' offerings from a sustainable development perspective.
For more information on the call for solutions, visit the website.
About the MT Lab
First incubator-accelerator dedicated to the world of tourism, culture and entertainment in North America. The MT Lab is both an incubator and an accelerator for startups, a platform for open innovation and networking, a space for experimentation and monitoring, as well as a place for co-working and entrepreneurial support in Montreal and Quebec City. The MT Lab was created in 2017 by UQAM and Tourisme Montréal, and supports some fifteen major partner companies to encourage innovation and accelerate opportunities in their field.
For more information on the MT Lab's mission, visit the website.
About the Quebec Task Force on Artificial Intelligence in Tourism
Founded in 2024, this working group dedicated to the exploration of AI in the tourism sector aims to raise awareness, train and support business on the potentialities and challenges that AI represents for the various sectors of the tourism industry. The group is made up of 16 members from tourism companies and organizations.
To learn more about the group's objectives, see the press release.
Contact the MT Lab to register for the program and its details:
Program Officer
Contact at the MT Lab for interviews and press relations:
Communications Coordinator
