A New Theory of Tourism Value Co-Creation in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence: The GAIT-VC Framework

The rapid development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) is reshaping the operational logic of the tourism industry. Traditional tourism theory is mainly based on resource supply, tourist demand, and service management, while the emergence of generative AI is gradually evolving the tourism system from an "information service model" to an "intelligent co-creation model." This paper proposes a Generative AI Tourism Value Co-Creation Model (GAIT-VC) based on Service-Dominant Logic, Experience Economy theory, and digital tourism theory. This model posits that tourism value is no longer unilaterally provided by the destination, but is dynamically generated among tourists, generative AI, and the destination. This paper constructs the GAIT-VC theoretical framework, mathematical expression, and five-stage cyclical operation mechanism, and analyzes its application value in smart scenic spots, personalized travel planning, digital tour guides, cultural heritage dissemination, and virtual tourism. Research shows that generative AI is driving the transformation of the tourism industry from resource-driven to intelligence-driven, forming a new tourism ecosystem.