Experiential and Sustainable Tourism: Teaching with Artificial Intelligence to Native Corn Producers in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca

Native corn production in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, is an ancestral practice deeply rooted in the region’s cultural and gastronomic identity. However, producers face significant challenges, such as limited technological access and high illiteracy rates, which hinder their ability to diversify income through sustainable experiential tourism. This research proposes an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based teaching model that facilitates the training of native corn producers, enabling them to transform their agricultural products into culinary tourism experiences. The program leverages AI to create contextualized educational manuals, adaptive learning strategies, and interactive content, allowing producers to acquire essential skills without requiring literacy or advanced digital proficiency.The main objective is to empower the community, strengthen regional economies, and preserve cultural heritage by integrating AI-driven educational tools with traditional knowledge. Specific objectives include: (1) designing accessible manuals for teaching traditional gastronomic processes, (2) applying AI tools to generate visual and auditory learning materials, (3) training producers in preparing and presenting traditional dishes for tourists, (4) developing strategies for experiential tourism and sustainable commercialization, and (5) evaluating the program’s impact based on community participation and entrepreneurial initiatives.The methodology consists of three phases, tailored to the community’s socio-cultural conditions:Diagnosis and Development of Educational Materials – Conducting interviews with producers to assess prior knowledge and challenges, designing printed manuals with illustrated content and AI-generated audio recordings, and producing multilingual instructional videos with AI-assisted narration.Gastronomic Training for Experiential Tourism – Organizing hands-on workshops where producers learn to prepare and present traditional dishes, such as masita (corn-based dishes with beef or lamb), tasajo, chorizo, and machucadas (corn tortillas with regional chilies). The training integrates multisensory learning techniques, including tastings, live demonstrations, and guided cooking experiences for tourists.Implementation of the Sustainable Tourism Model – Designing interactive tourism activities such as guided visits to native corn fields, immersive traditional cooking classes, and tastings highlighting the distinct characteristics of native corn products. AI-powered market analysis will be used to optimize pricing and promotional strategies, ensuring sustainable commercialization.AI is applied in three key areas:Educational Content Creation – AI-generated illustrated manuals, multilingual audio guides, and interactive instructional videos.Personalized Learning – AI-powered virtual assistants answering producers’ questions, interactive diagrams explaining food preparation, and adaptive learning strategies tailored to different knowledge levels.Market Optimization – AI-driven analysis of tourism trends, pricing recommendations, and product promotion strategies based on gastronomic tourism data.The expected outcomes include training at least 50 producers in the first year, developing accessible educational resources, launching gastronomic workshops as a tourism product, strengthening the regional economy through food commercialization, and preserving traditional culinary knowledge for future generations. The initiative also aims to establish a sustainable tourism route in Tlaxiaco, showcasing native corn production and traditional cooking practices.The social and sustainability impact of this project is substantial. It fosters social inclusion by making training accessible to producers with varying literacy levels, empowers rural communities by promoting entrepreneurship, encourages responsible and sustainable tourism, and supports agroecological conservation efforts to protect native corn varieties.This initiative represents a pioneering effort to bridge traditional knowledge with emerging AI-driven educational technologies, creating a replicable and scalable model for rural development. By integrating AI into the learning process and sustainable commercialization of traditional foods, the project offers an innovative pathway for empowering indigenous communities, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting sustainable tourism in Tlaxiaco and beyond.