Sherpa: Implementing a Hybrid Recommendation System for Next-Gen Tourist Experience

Inam Ullah Khan; Abdur Rahman; Muhammad Awais Khan; Madiha Sher; Yasir Saleem

Authors

Inam Ullah Khan Department of Computer Systems Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Pakistan
Abdur Rahman Department of Computer Systems Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Pakistan
Muhammad Awais Khan Department of Computer Systems Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Pakistan
Madiha Sher Department of Computer Systems Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Pakistan
Yasir Saleem Department of Computer Systems Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Pakistan

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, Digital Tourism, Collaborative Filtering, Content-Based Filtering, Hybrid Recommender System, Singular Value Decomposition, Cosine Similarity Matrix.

Abstract

In the digital era, Sherpa revolutionizes personalized tourism with an AI-driven recommendation system, fostering meaningful connections between travelers and local guides. This study explores Sherpa's integration of collaborative and content-based filtering—specifically, singular value decomposition (SVD) and cosine similarity—to tailor travel experiences uniquely. Our methodology includes a detailed examination of Sherpa's algorithm and its implementation within a cross-platform, MERN Stack-powered backend. We assess the system's efficacy in aligning recommendations with individual user preferences, based on quantitative user feedback and engagement metrics. Initial results demonstrate a significant improvement in personalized experience satisfaction. The paper concludes that Sherpa's innovative approach not only enhances the quality of travel recommendations but also sets a new standard for interactive and adaptive tourism platforms. Through continuous algorithmic refinement, Sherpa is positioned to lead a transformative shift in how travelers explore new destinations, offering not just journeys, but transformative experiences.

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