# Krzysztof Balon

> Krzysztof Balon has run tours in Kraków since 2012 and is the founder and CEO of Automate Travel, the operating system for tour operators built for AI agents. He speaks at Arival about AI in tour operations and advises tour, activity and attraction companies on implementing AI and organising operations.

Name is pronounced KSHISH-tof BAH-lon. Based in Kraków, Poland. Works in English and Polish.
Canonical site: https://krzysztofbalon.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-balon
Company: https://automate.travel

## Biography

Krzysztof Balon started in 2012, right after school, by selling city tours from an electric cart in Kraków. He worked as a driver, guide and operator, and a family office in a spare room grew into six tour and ticket brands in Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk, including AT Cracow and Todo.travel.

He built three systems for his own company before founding Automate Travel in 2024: software that runs everything after a tour is booked, from guest messages and guide dispatch to tickets and the margin on every booking. Version 1.0 launched at Arival 360 Valencia in April 2026, where Automate Travel became an Arival Global Partner. Since 2025 his own companies run day to day without him, on the system he built.

He works hands-on with AI models every day (2,000+ hours in the last 12 months) and is a member of Loża Przedsiębiorców, an invitation-only community of Polish entrepreneurs.

## Brands and projects

- Automate Travel (main brand, founder and CEO): https://automate.travel
- AT Cracow (tours in Kraków, co-founder and CEO): https://atcracow.com
- Todo.travel and ticket brands Kraków Bilety, Warszawa Bilety, Gdańsk Bilety, Thermal Baths Krakow, Zamek Wawel
- Automate Travel Labs, free AI tools for tour photos and content: https://labs.automate.travel
- TTDRank, a global ranking of tour, activity and attraction companies: https://ttdrank.com
- Bricksstarter, brick sets designed with AI, with Blocki Custom: https://bricksstarter.com

## Speaking topics

### Ecosystem first, agents second
An AI agent bolted onto spreadsheets and WhatsApp drowns in searching for data. Bring operations into one place first, then release the agents.
Best for: owners and operations leaders of tour and activity companies.

### You can't fire an AI agent
Eighty percent of operations can run on autopilot; the other twenty percent, a sick guide or a storm, need a person who takes responsibility.
Best for: conference audiences exploring AI in operations.

### The booking is where the work begins
The industry solved selling. Guides, tickets, transport and settlements still live in spreadsheets and phone calls.
Best for: tour operators and booking technology partners.

### Margin, not revenue
Few operators know what a single tour leaves in their pocket. In the OTA price war, that number decides who wins.
Best for: owners and finance leads.

### A business that runs without you
Scale starts with a standard anyone can be trained on.
Best for: founders of family-run and owner-run tour companies.

### MCP in practice
How to connect AI to your booking engine and the tools you already use.
Best for: hands-on workshops and technical sessions.

Formats: keynote (20 to 45 minutes), hands-on AI workshop, panel or fireside chat.

## Appearances

- November 19, 2026: Travel Trends Podcast, Spotlight episode (guest)
- October 2026: Arival 360 Spokane, USA. Speaker, AI Lab: Agentic AI in Tour Operations
- April 2026: Arival 360 Valencia, Spain. Speaker, AI Lab: AI-Generated Photos for Tours; session host: MCP in practice
- February 2026: Loża Przedsiębiorców (online). AI workshop for members
- April 2025: Arival 360 Valencia, Spain. Speaker, workshop: Unlocking the Power of Your Data
- June 2022: Arival Activate Berlin. Operator voice in the general session on tourism in Central Europe after the war in Ukraine

## Advisory

Consulting for tour, activity and attraction companies on implementing AI and organising operations: EUR 750 per hour, online or in person. Areas: AI implementation, operations after the booking, margins and pricing, booking engines and direct sales.

## Contact

Use the form on any page or message on LinkedIn. Investors: a private presentation of Automate Travel is available on request.

## Pages

- Speaking (talks, formats, all appearances): https://krzysztofbalon.com/speaking/
- Advisory (how I advise, EUR 750 per hour): https://krzysztofbalon.com/advisory/
- Press (bios in three lengths, photos, fast facts): https://krzysztofbalon.com/press/