Introducing the LMMM model for AI in tourism – local money, local mobility, local mindset

In local tourism, AI is a product innovation, not a retail / distribution innovation. As such this will be more significant a change than web / mobile / social media which, although significant, left tourism product largely unchanged.

Even after the rise of the web and e-commerce, tourism still had itineraries & bookings, tour buses, and human tour guides

I have started to use a new term, LMMM, explained below. So although this is not a long post (I am behind on a whole number of things), I need to define it quickly because I am using it in our marketing without any glossary entry yet 😉

LLM only

The future of AI-driven tourism hinges on how technology integrates with the travel experience. A purely LLM-driven model turns AI into a vertical:

1. AI agents plan
2. AI tour guides narrate
3. Autonomous vehicles transport

This removes human involvement entirely. While efficient, this approach isolates tourism from the places it serves, bypassing local businesses and culture in favor of a fully automated, standardised experience.

LMMM

Instead, the LMMM model (Local Mobility, Local Money, Local Mindset) ensures AI operated product works with local ecosystems rather than replacing them:

1. AI-powered travel must support locally owned transport options instead of relying solely on centrally managed self-driving fleets. This may include locally owned autonomous vehicles (Local Mobility)
2. We must direct spending toward local businesses and retain local curators / creators / entrepreneurs / storytellers in the trading model (Local Money)
3. We must respect cultural authenticity rather than reducing destinations to algorithmic waypoints or “Starbucksification” with the same standard global experience (Local Mindset)

Just as sustainable tourism follows the “3 Ps” (People, Planet, Profit), AI tourism needs the “3 Ms” to remain human-centered and economically viable.

Image: OpenAI