Embratur Launches Tourist Guide of Belém using AI

The “What’s UP, Belém?” tool serves as the official channel for tourist information about the city during COP30. The technology features a multilingual AI agent that interacts with users in real time, providing information on logistics, safety, transportation, culture, gastronomy, and sustainable tourism

By Embratur, the Brazilian Tourist Board

In an unprecedented initiative focused on hospitality and digital sustainability, the Brazilian Tourist Board (Embratur) is launching “What’s UP, Belém?” through EmbraturLAB. This interactive tourist guide uses Artificial Intelligence to enhance the visitor experience during COP30 in Belém (Pará). Now operational, the tool will serve as the official channel for tourist information about the city throughout the event.

Developed by the Agency and the startup SmartTalks.ai, in partnership with Fluminense Federal University (UFF) and supported by the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), this is a multilingual conversational AI agent that interacts with users in real time. The tool also provides accurate, verified, and georeferenced information on logistics, safety, transportation, culture, gastronomy, and sustainable tourism.

The channel will be WhatsApp, eliminating the need to download additional apps. To access the assistant, QR codes are placed at strategic locations such as Tourist Service Centers (CATs), informational totems, and hospitality stations at COP30.

According to Embratur’s president, Marcelo Freixo, the project reinforces the Agency’s role as a driver of innovation and sustainability in Brazilian tourism. “COP30 is the biggest showcase Brazil will have to demonstrate to the world its commitment to the environment and its organizational capacity. ‘What’s UP, Belém?’ is Embratur’s response to this challenge, offering technology in service of hospitality, combating misinformation, and promoting authentic and responsible tourism.”

During COP30, the focus of the information will be on logistics, safety, transportation, and services, with special attention to community-based tourism and experiences aligned with ESG principles. The initiative will also enable Embratur to collect data on visitor profiles and demands, strengthening public policies and tourism promotion efforts geared toward sustainability.

Methodology

To develop the information base for the conversational agent, the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) conducted a comprehensive survey of Belém’s tourism offerings. The research gathered data on cultural attractions, services, and tourism infrastructure, ensuring that the content provided by the tool is accurate, up-to-date, and representative of the local diversity.

For this work, the app developed by Fluminense Federal University (UFF) in partnership with Embratur for the Tourism Offer Identification Project in the city of Rio de Janeiro was used. This step was essential to ensure that “What’s UP, Belém?” reflects the Amazonian identity and contributes to a more authentic and high-quality tourism experience during COP30.

In addition, the conversational agent was designed with ESG and accessibility filters, enabling the Artificial Intelligence to respond to complex queries such as: recommend a wheelchair-accessible restaurant near the COP30 venue that has verified sustainable practices.

Translation: Michel Emmanuel Félix François (POET/UFC)
Proofreading: Tadeu Azevedo (POET/UFC)