What an AI agent actually is
In plain language, with no vendor slides. What separates an agent from a chatbot, and why the difference matters for an office of three people.
AITC · Tulalip Resort · October 19–22, 2026
AI agents, for tourism offices that run lean.
I’m Daniel Willems, and I’m presenting a workshop on AI agents at this year’s American Indigenous Tourism Conference. It’s built for tribal tourism directors and Native-owned tourism businesses — people carrying a big mission with a small team. No hype, no jargon. Just what these tools actually do, shown with systems that already run in this industry.
The workshop
What we’ll cover.
Real examples from real tourism operations
The weekly leadership brief that costs about two cents to send. Listings that keep themselves current. Reports that build themselves. All running today, all built for this industry.
What's worth doing on a small budget
Where AI genuinely saves a lean office time, where it's a distraction, and how to start in a way that's sustainable — something your team still uses a year from now.
Who’s presenting
I work with the AIT team as their technical partner and consultant on tech and AI. For ten years my studio has supported American Indigenous Tourism with tech and AI — we built and still operate destinationnativeamerica.com and the systems the AIT team runs on every day. That work is now the studio’s sole focus.
The examples in the workshop aren’t demos built for a stage. They’re the systems this industry already runs on — the full story is here.
“We rely on Daniel and the Lanier team for the technology that powers Destination Native America — from our public-facing travel website to the internal systems our staff use every day, as well as the new AI tools that save our team hours every week. After ten years of working together, Daniel has developed a deep understanding of our community, our mission, and he consistently delivers innovative solutions and exceptional service.”
Sherry Rupert
Chief Executive Officer, American Indigenous Tourism Association
At the conference
Coming to Tulalip? Two things worth grabbing.
The workshop.Drop your email and I’ll send the session details — day, room, and what to bring — as soon as the conference schedule is final. If you tell me your organization, I’ll shape an example or two around operations like yours. One thing to know: conference and workshop registration itself runs through AIT’s official AITC registration — this list doesn’t reserve a seat, it just keeps you in the loop.
A free 1:1 consult, in person. I’m setting aside a limited number of free one-on-one sessions at the conference. Bring whatever your office is wrestling with — your listing, your season, a grant report that eats a week — and we’ll look at it together. No pitch, no follow-up.
Can’t make Tulalip? The consult works from anywhere — book a free AI consult and we’ll do it on a call.
Rather just talk it through now?
You don’t have to wait for October. A free AI consult is the same conversation without the conference badge — what you’re working with, where AI could actually help, and what to skip.
Book a free AI consult