The Technology Pillar of the Spanish Smart Tourism Destination (DTI) Model

Abstract

Technology is a key pillar of the strategic management model for smart tourism destinations (DTI), as it represents an essential tool for improving the innovative capacity, governance, sustainability, and accessibility of tourism destinations, and therefore their competitiveness. The chapter begins by providing a contextualization of technology applied to the tourism sector and then describes how the DTI methodology integrates it into destination management through the technology pillar. This pillar represents a weight of 22% of the DTI model and is articulated through 21 requirements and 62 indicators through which the performance of the destination is evaluated in three areas: Technologies applied to governance; Technological infrastructures and connectivity; and Technologies for smart tourism management. This chapter also details, by areas of action, the requirements, and indicators together with the main recommendations, linked to each area of the technology pillar, which are usually formulated to destinations that are implementing the DTI model in terms of technological implementation. Finally, the chapter concludes with a reflection on the main challenges currently faced by destinations in relation to their implementation.

1 Introduction

Nowadays, available technologies offer great potential to meet many of the challenges that the tourism sector faces today, providing solutions that were unthinkable a few years ago, such as the measurement of tourist flows and the carrying capacity of the destination through sensors, the development of mobility management systems or object interaction systems.

The digital transformation of the tourism sector enables the development of new business models, introducing changes in the way work is organized, improving service delivery, bringing substantial benefits linked to more efficient management of transactions, and facilitating the collection, processing, and analysis of available information on tourism supply and demand, improving decision-making (Buhalis et al., 2019). Additionally, technology allows optimizing the connection between the different links in the tourism value chain, strengthening tourism ecosystems, and increasing the overall performance of the sector (Almeida-Santana et al., 2020).

Because of all these opportunities and competitive advantages derived from modernization linked to the promotion of a digital transformation of the tourism sector, the OECD (2020, 2022) recommended that countries promote regulatory frameworks that strengthen the capacity of SMEs to join and participate in digital ecosystems, incentivizing the adoption of and investment in new technologies, and preparing them for a digital future. The OECD, aligned with this initiative, in its Handbook on Competition Policy in the Digital Age (2022), discloses the key contents of the work carried out until December 2021 on digital competition policy.

In this global context, the technology pillar of the Spanish Smart Tourism Destinations (DTI) model takes on full significance, as part of the national strategy for the development of smart destinations. Tourism destinations rely on a cutting-edge technological base to improve and strengthen their governance, accessibility, sustainability, and innovative capacity.

This chapter looks at the technology pillar within the strategic management model for smart destinations and follows the same structure as the rest of the chapters dedicated to the five pillars of the model (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

Chapter outline

As shown in Fig. 1, following this introduction, Sect. 2 provides an approach to the theme of the pillar, conceptualizing and dimensioning the technologies currently available for the tourism sector. This section is not intended to be an exhaustive review of available technologies applicable to tourism. The current unprecedented technological revolution has undoubtedly led to the emergence of multiple technological solutions that could be implemented in the sector, although it is beyond the scope of this chapter to describe them as it would take us away from the primary objective of this manual, which is to explain with clarity the DTI strategic management methodology proposed by SEGITTUR in the field of technology. However, Sect. 2 does address the role that technology plays today in the provision of tourism services and destination management, helping to understand the technology management proposal that the DTI model establishes for tourism destinations joining this strategic management methodology.

Section 3 describes how the DTI model uses technology as the backbone of smart destinations, addressing the different areas of action identified for this pillar: Technologies applied to governance; Technological infrastructures and connectivity; and Technologies for smart tourism management. This section provides a detailed description of the technology pillar in the latest available edition of the model, relating to the first quarter of 2022, by listing objectively, for each of its areas, the requirements and indicators used to make the initial diagnosis of the destinations, as well as to monitor their performance until all the requirements of this pillar are met. Next, Sect. 4 takes a practical approach to the technology pillar and how it is implemented in destinations, illustrating some of the typical recommendations that are often made to destinations when working on this pillar of the model.

Finally, Sect. 5 concludes the chapter by presenting a reflection on the main challenges that destinations face when implementing this pillar and the aspects that are expected to demand future attention and development.

The reader can find, as in the rest of the chapters dedicated to the pillars of the DTI model, a list of bibliographical references on the role of technology in the tourism sector.

2 Technology in the Context of the Tourism Sector

In recent decades, technological advances in the field of telecommunications, the rise and development of new hardware and software devices oriented toward communication, the progress of disciplines related to artificial intelligence, massive data processing, semantic analysis and sentiment analysis through active listening systems have made it possible to take the gauge the pulse of society, and ultimately, to enhance the primacy of information management to support decision-making, promoting an unprecedented social transformation. Today, the impact of the changes brought about by technological adoption has spread to all sectors of economic activity, inaugurating an era marked by technological development, known as the “Knowledge Society,” a society characterized by the leading role played by technology.

The tourism sector has not been immune to this technological revolution and has been greatly influenced by the innovations that have emerged (Ivars-Baidal et al., 2023; Watkins et al., 2018). Buhalis (2020) published a review of the technological innovations that since 1946 influenced the development of the tourism industry, starting with the technological advances in the field of air transport after World War II, to the emergence of the first Tourism Intelligence Systems and Destination Management Systems, which supported tourism management and made it more efficient (Buhalis, 1993; Sheldon, 1993). Global Distribution Systems, Reservation Management Systems, and Management Systems for tour operators and travel agencies also improved inventory control, capacity management, revenue optimization and yields, increasing the productivity of these companies (Inkpen, 1998; Sheldon, 1997). Moreover, with the development of the internet and the emergence of search engines such as Google, access to information has reached levels never imagined before. At that time, the first Hotel Management Systems (O’Connor, 1999; Paraskevas et al., 2011; Sigala, 2003) or Customer Relationship Management Systems (Benckendorff et al., 2019; Buhalis, 2000; Werthner & Klein, 1999), designed at the end of the last century to revolutionize the way tourism marketing is done, enabling a customization of the offer, the recommendation of services adapted to tourists’ needs, interests, preferences, search patterns, purchase history, etc. (Mistilis et al., 2014). Similarly, the emergence of platforms that support social networks and blogs greatly encouraged interaction between users, which, in the field of tourism, gave rise to virtual travel communities and websites that disseminate travelers’ opinions, such as TrypAdvisor (Hays et al., 2013; Law et al., 2014). All these technological advances facilitated the interaction and interconnection between tourists like never before, being able to express and share their opinions, and gaining a capacity to influence the reputation, brand image, and performance of tourism companies that did not exist in the past (Inversini & Buhalis, 2009). Among the key trends of the digital age in the tourism sector, and from the demand side, is the hyper-connectivity of travelers, who are increasingly dependent on technology and permanent connectivity (Kim & Law, 2015; Wang et al., 2012). Tourists are constantly using electronic devices to stay connected to the Internet during their trips, not only to search for information and/or make reservations, but also to communicate with friends and family, interact with other tourists, share photos and videos while travelling, becoming true prescribers of the destination visited.

In the twenty-first century, the development of the Semantic Web, which makes interoperability between computers and databases feasible, integrating massive data and promoting collaboration between agents through the Web (Buhalis & Foerste, 2015; Buhalis & Sinarta, 2019; Werthner & Ricci, 2004), together with the intensive adoption by citizens of mobile devices and smartphones, with the capacity to mediate the tourist experience, have provided the necessary infrastructure for companies providing tourism services to co-create value “with and for” their customers (Boes et al., 2016; Buhalis & Amaranggana, 2015; Gretzel et al., 2015), improving their experiences and tourists’ satisfaction (Xu et al., 2017). Technology is a driving factor in the competitiveness of both tourism destinations and companies (Boes et al., 2016; Park et al., 2023), as discussed by Professor Guevara below.

Technological Challenges in Smart Destinations

The DMOs of tourism destinations are immersed in a transformative process to change their current model based on promotion. They are striving to establish an effective management model that enables them to tackle the current challenges of tourism destinations, linked to competitiveness, digitalisation and sustainability.

The priority is to promote quality tourism, with high added value, and meeting the needs of all agents in the tourism value chain: tourists, destinations and companies. This challenge must be addressed through coordinated planning of the various levels of governance that operate in the destinations, by promoting collaboration between public administrations (public-public), between companies and public administrations (public-private) and also between companies (private-private).

Consequently, it will be very important to plan an adequate digital strategy, by developing a “Smart Destination Platform”, based on interoperability and which enables the integration of various technologies, as the only possible way to increase the competitiveness of the tourism sector, and transform it into a sustainable model.

Implementing such platform will involve facing different challenges. First, the integration of public and private data, essential to generate competitive intelligence. Second, planning to incorporate various technologies into the organisation. This involves analysing the interoperability with existing, implemented systems. The risk of poor systems planning is of an exponential increase in the necessary technological investment. As a result, the processes and their management become so complicated that they do not produce the intended competitive advantages. Third, one of the main challenges will be to encourage companies in the territory to be competitive in the marketing and distribution of tourism products, and not only in the response to and provision of tourist services. This requires a focus on knowledge management and the design of an adequate digitalisation plan, using the platform as a facilitating tool to directly access the global market.

In short, achieving interoperability for the implementation of integrated destination management systems becomes vital. The development of an integrative technological platform will therefore allow destination companies and organisations to understand the preferences of tourists and residents, facilitate marketing, identify demand profiles, trace and manage tourist flows, etc., resulting in the reinforced competitiveness and sustainability of destinations.

—Antonio J. Guevara-Plaza

Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at the University of Málaga,

Professor in the Computer Sciences Department.

In the tourism industry, digital transformation has had a particularly significant impact in recent years, allowing the traveler’s experience to be improved and optimized at all stages of the travel cycle (Gretzel, 2011). It is a fact that digital technologies are changing the way travelers plan, book, and experience trips (Ivanov and Webster, 2019), while offering new opportunities for businesses to improve their processes (Mandic & Garbin-Pranicevic, 2019). The use of Online Reservation Systems is now widespread, allowing travelers to book flights, accommodation, transport and activities on their own; the same is true for mobile technologies that help them plan their trip, make reservations, receive real-time updates and obtain useful information about tourism destinations, places they visit, reviews from other travelers, interactive maps, personalized recommendations, etc. (Pan & Fesenmaier, 2006). Recently, Virtual and Augmented Reality make it possible to provide personalized immersive and enriching tourism experiences (Soliman et al., 2021). Artificial Intelligence and Massive Data Analysis optimize the management of tourism supply, help predict demand, improve efficiency, and reduce costs and unwanted impacts (Gössling, 2016). The digitization of the tourism sector improves accessibility and inclusiveness of tourists in destinations (Buhalis & Michopoulou, 2013), contributes to the sustainable management of resources (Del Vecchio et al., 2018; Rodrigues et al., 2023), and improves the governance of destinations, making it more participatory and involving the various agents operating in the destination (Dexeus, 2018; Trunfio & Campana, 2019). New economic agents are emerging from the perspective of tourism service supply, with a significant disruptive capacity, which are moving toward Industry 4.0, basing their business model on new enabling technologies, among them: Artificial intelligence (AI), Big data and analytics, Internet of things (IoT), Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, etc. (Kim & Law, 2015; Tussyadiah et al., 2018). In view of the above, the technification of destinations and their ability to move toward digital transformation becomes a strategic tool to meet the challenges of the tourism industry (Gretzel et al., 2015; Ivars-Baidal et al., 2023). The main success factor in digital transformation is the adoption of Digital Enabling Technologies (DETs) such as IoT, Bigdata, AI, Blockchain, supercomputing and future 5G networks, gamification, radio-frequency identification, 3D printing, cryptocurrencies, etc., all of which have the power to shape what Buhalis et al. (2019) calls a “Smart Atmosphere for Tourism”¹ based on a network of related technologies that generate the enabling infrastructures for new forms of tourism management. These DETs have a high capacity for disruption and impact, as well as having an enabling, horizontal, and strategic nature for the digital transformation of any productive sector, and particularly the tourism sector, as professor Buhalis develops in the box below. Accordingly, the availability of a competitive offer of DET products and services is a catalyst for accelerating digital transformation processes, but also a great opportunity for the industry sector of digital technologies (Kalia et al., 2022) as well as for the tourism sector. Thus, it is essential that any model that pursues the intelligent management of tourism destinations necessarily relies on the technological dimension to achieve its goals, which is why the smart destination strategic management model proposed by SEGITTUR includes the technology pillar as one of its fundamental pillars. Consequently, it is fundamental that any model that pursues the intelligent management of tourism destinations necessarily relies on the technological dimension to achieve its goals, which is why the smart destination strategic management (DTI) model proposed by SEGITTUR includes the technology pillar as one of its fundamental pillars.

Smart Tourism, Artificial Intelligence, and Metaverse

Smart tourism revolves around the harmonious interaction and interlinking of various stakeholder systems and entities within the tourism ecosystem. Drawing insights from the literature on smart cities, smart tourism unifies the different elements of the tourism ecosystem to enhance the collaborative creation of value for all stakeholders (Buhalis, 2020). The concept of smart tourism encapsulates the convergence of information technologies, business networks, and the realm of tourism experiences. Smart Tourism uses sensors and tools to collect and dynamically analyze big data; networks to seamlessly interconnect different systems and intelligence to develop suitable propositions that maximize value for all stakeholders.

In practice, smart tourism empowers destinations to establish a network encompassing all involved parties, while simultaneously streamlining the functioning of the entire digital framework. Leveraging extensive data garnered from a variety of sources, it can aid destinations in strategically and tactically managing their resources sustainably. This dataset encompasses forecasts of tourist volume and movement patterns, traveler preferences, and consumption trends. These diverse data streams are pooled within the cloud and originate from sources such as sensors, telecommunications operators, social media platforms, smartphone applications tailored for tourists, access monitoring systems employing assorted cards, e-commerce and mobile commerce platforms, banking cards and their associated applications, street surveillance cameras and security systems, intelligent terminals, advanced reading technologies, radio frequency identification, and GPS-based systems for positioning, guiding, touring, and reservations.

Big data serves as the input for intelligent destinations, which employ Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other transformative technologies for data mining towards bolstering decision-making processes and optimizing the overall ecosystem (Buhalis, 2020; Bulchand-Gidumal et al., 2023). The culmination of this endeavor manifests as an array of real-time services that are contextually and location-specific (Buhalis & Sinarta, 2019), ultimately maximizing value for all involved parties and revolutionizing marketing (Buhalis & Volchek, 2021).

The Metaverse stands as a transformative technological concept poised to reshape society by blending virtual and physical realms, ushering in immersive and illusionary experiences that transcend current boundaries. The Metaverse envisions a fusion of the digital and physical universes, facilitating seamless transitions between them (Buhalis et al., 2023⁶). Within this interconnected landscape, users can engage in diverse immersive recreational activities and social interactions. Metaverse is anticipated to revolutionize hospitality, travel and tourism by improving destination awareness and support trip planning (Buhalis et al., 2022). This innovation is expected to transform consumer behaviors and interactions, potentially motivating real-world travel experiences (Buhalis & Karatay, 2022). As 3D simulations mature, immersive technologies like mixed reality, augmented reality, and virtual reality are becoming increasingly recognized for their role in allowing tourists to preview destinations prior to their journeys and enhance their real experiences.

Smart tourism, AI and Metaverse propel a transformation of the tourism industry ecosystem generating a paradigm shift a reengineering of the business models and procedures across the entirety of the tourism ecosystem.

—Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, Bournemouth University,

Bournemouth, UK

Email: dbuhalis@bournemouth.ac.uk

3 The Technology Pillar in the Framework of the Smart Tourism Destination (DTI) Strategic Management Model

As discussed above, technology is one of the key factors in successfully tackling the current challenges in the tourism sector and effectively addressing them. For this reason, the DTI model includes among its pillars the technology pillar, structured in three areas of action: Technologies applied to governance; Technological infrastructures and connectivity; and Technologies for smart tourism management. These three areas take the form of 21 requirements that are measured through 62 indicators (Table 1).

Table 1 Requirements and indicators of the different areas of the technology pillar

Each of these areas of action is discussed in more detail on the following pages, describing the requirements that make them up, as well as the indicators that allow destination managers to diagnose their starting situation in the area in question and to measure their progress while the model is implemented.

3.1 Area of Action 1: Technologies Applied to Governance

In area 1, the DTI model contemplates six requirements to achieve destination governance that, on a technological basis, can be more effective, participatory, and transparent. Requirement 1 concerns the existence of a unit for the management of ICTs to facilitate their adoption and management; requirement 2 assesses that the destination has a “SMART” Plan, strategy and projects linked to tourism activity, as well as the existence of a Smart technical office in charge of promoting and managing these projects; requirement 3 promotes the technological development of the destination linked to the “SMART” strategies and projects of the previous requirement; requirement 4 ensures that there are strategies and technologies that promote cybersecurity; requirement 5 assesses the existence of a data portal made publicly available for consultation, redistribution, and free reuse, respecting the privacy and security of information; finally, requirement 6 measures whether the destination uses two-way communication tools between the administration and citizens (residents and non-residents) for the transmission of alarms, incidents, complaints, warnings, or any other relevant information.

Through these requirements with their corresponding indicators, it is possible to make a diagnosis of the different resources available (ICT areas, plans, strategies, technologies) that can facilitate the management and governance of the destination from a technological point of view. Table 2 presents each of the requirements with their associated indicators.

Table 2 Technology pillar in the DTI model: Area 1: Requirements and indicators

3.2 Area of Action 2: Technological Infrastructures and Connectivity

Area 2 was defined to assess the availability in the destination of the technological infrastructures necessary to improve the management of some aspects of the destination and to facilitate connectivity for the visitor and the resident. In this area, the DTI model considers seven requirements: Connectivity to fixed networks at the destination (fiber-optic, mobile, satellite, etc.); Connectivity to Mobile networks at the destination; Connectivity at tourist points of interest (POIs) and Tourist Information Offices; Cloud Computing and Edge Computing Solutions; Free Wi-Fi Availability; Sensorization and management systems; and Management systems for tourism spaces (in the COVID 19 context). These requirements, together with its 16 indicators, make it possible to diagnose aspects related to connectivity in destinations, the quality of coverage, the availability of sensorization systems, the existence of Cloud Computing and Edge Computing services, and in general, systems that facilitate the management of tourism services (information, reservations, payment, flow control, etc.). Table 3 describes each of these requirements with their associated indicators.

Table 3 Technology pillar in the DTI model: Area 2: Requirements and indicators

3.3 Area of Action 3: Technologies for Smart Tourism Management

Area of work 3 of the technology pillar of the DTI model was defined to ensure that destinations apply technology in the service of tourism management, promoting the implementation of systems, technologies or applications that enable the exchange of information, the development of apps and web spaces that project an attractive and accurate image of the destination, facilitating interaction with tourists, and the latter with the resources, products, and services offered at the destination. Within this area, 8 requirements are considered: Requirement 14 related to the availability and use of tourism intelligence systems, technologies, and tools; requirement 15, which assesses the quality of the destination’s Tourism Web Portal; requirement 16, which determines the traceability of the promotional campaigns developed in the destination; requirement 17, which specifies whether the destination has a Tourist Card with advanced technological support that enhances its tourism offer; requirement 18, which refers to the tourism applications developed by the destination to gather information and interact with its visitors; requirement 19, concerning smart signage; requirement 20, which assesses the level of technology in the destination’s tourist offices; and lastly, requirement 21, which analyzes whether the destination manages its relationship with visitors in an automated way, gathering information about them to enable it to adapt its offer. These 8 requirements along with their 25 indicators are detailed in Table 4.

Table 4 Technology pillar in the DTI model: Area 3: Requirements and indicators

4 The Technology Pillar in Practice: Standard Recommendations

With a view to offering an idea of the practical implications of applying the technology pillar in tourism destinations that aspire to fully adopt the DTI model, this section sets out, by area of action, some of the most common recommendations made to destinations after the diagnosis phase. Therefore, the following pages pursue to illustrate and guide DMOs when implementing the DTI model.

4.1 Main Recommendations, Area 1

Area 1 relates to technologies applied to governance, therefore, the most common recommendations refer to the strategic planning and Smart projects being developed in the destination, as well as the incorporation and continuous improvement of technological developments related to security and transparency, which allow for a more efficient destination governance and better communication between tourists, residents, and local administration (Table 5).

Table 5 Examples of recommendations of technology pillar in the area of action 1

4.2 Main Recommendations, Area 2

In area 2, Technological infrastructures and connectivity, the recommendations focus on improving connectivity, both to fixed and mobile networks, as this is the basis for the development of different technologies implemented. It also contains recommendations regarding the availability of the Wi-Fi service, both in points of tourist interest and in public spaces. Finally, in this area, recommendations are included regarding systems that facilitate the management of public services and tourism services (Table 6).

Table 6 Examples of recommendations of technology pillar in the area of action 2

4.3 Main Recommendations, Area 3

In area 3, aspects related to technologies for Smart Tourism Management are addressed, therefore, frequent recommendations in this area are those related to improving communication tools with tourists, whether the website, tourism applications, through the continuous improvement of offices and tourist information points or the provision of technological tools to existing signage. Furthermore, in this area, recommendations are also made to encourage destinations to implement technological tools that improve tourist knowledge or intelligence (Table 7).

Table 7 Examples of recommendations of technology pillar in the area of action 3

5 Lessons Learned from the Technology Pillar in the Smart Destinations: Challenges

The application of the DTI methodology, relating to the technology pillar, has facilitated the identification of common patterns and challenges that tourism destination managers must face. Based on the experience accumulated in more than a decade of implementation of the DTI methodology by SEGITTUR, this last section has been prepared in order to share the lessons learned and offer the reader a reflection that facilitates the performance of this pillar, both its diagnostic phase and the implementation of actions that are defined to reinforce the management and technological development of destinations.

The review of the experience acquired made it possible to identify a series of “lessons” that can help tourism managers set priorities for action in their destinations, focusing their efforts on those aspects critical to the success of the smart management strategy proposed in this manual.

Regarding the technology pillar, it is important to consider that given the speed technology evolves, destination managers must address the demands and needs of an increasingly qualified and technologically demanding tourist, who also expects immediate answers and solutions. Nowadays, technology must be present in all phases of the travel cycle and must respond to the challenges posed by the destination in order to increase the competitiveness of the destination and the multiple services provided, beyond the tourism services themselves.

The technology pillar is therefore a cross-cutting pillar (like the innovation pillar, addressed in the previous chapter) and the indicators and requirements proposed to measure and manage the technology pillar affect all areas of a local authority, supra-municipal bodies, and multiple agents of the destination’s tourism network. Its cross-cutting nature is one of the main challenges for tourism managers, since some of the indicators that are assessed do not depend directly on the DMO, and in some cases, such as those related to connectivity, not even on the local entity. In any case, it is the mission of the DMO of the destinations to promote and encourage supra-municipal actions, which establish the bases or supports necessary for the implementation of technological developments essential to optimize the tourism management of the territory.

Derived from this cross-cutting nature and the multiplicity of actors involved, one of the common problems identified in relation to this technology pillar is the lack of structured, more orderly planning that articulates and integrates the different initiatives and technological solutions adopted at the destination. Furthermore, a certain lack of coordination is usually seen between the different areas of the local entity, which implement their own technological solutions without taking into account the work of other areas, generating duplications, overlaps, and unsupervised implementations that ultimately do not achieve the expected results. In this respect, a lack of technical support to the areas in charge of new technologies in small and medium-sized destinations is observed, which should function as supervisory areas and liaison with other areas to facilitate communication and information regarding the various technological systems implemented in the destination. In order to solve these common problems, the DTI model promotes the creation of an ICT unit/table to ensure that all technological implementations in the destination are agreed upon and have an appropriate and coordinated technical review. The DTI model, through the technology pillar indicators, helps destinations identify dispersed technological developments, appraise their potential, set priorities and define scope, stimulating planned and structured work.

Furthermore, it should be noted that this methodology values not only the implementation of widely used technologies, but also the development of innovative technologies, which require a high level of technical knowledge and financial resources to ensure proper implementation and maintenance. For each solution, scalability, functionalities, and its potential as a solution or improvement to a problem are assessed. In this regard, it has been detected that small destinations are those that generally have less technological maturity and fewer economic resources, core elements for the succeed implementation of the different technological solutions proposed in the DTI methodology.

In relation to the assessment by areas of action, it is important to stress that the division by areas responds to a way of organizing the work, and in no case could it be concluded that any of them is more relevant than others. Appropriate development and progress in each of the areas will mean success in the implementation of the DTI model in the technology pillar.

In the area of technologies applied to Governance, one of the most significant lessons learned has been the verification of the effort being made by the local administration to place residents and tourists at the focus of their management, with most destinations having different technological solutions for open government and transparency, such as city or open data platforms. This strategy has also been reinforced in Spain at the state level, through actions such as: the 2015 National Smart Cities Plan; the Digital Agenda for Spain; or the standardization promoted through the formulation of UNE standards referring to the regulation of smart city platforms, such as UNE 178511:2023 (Guide for the application of the Smart Destination Platform layered model) or UNE 178104:2017 (Integrated Smart City Management Systems. Interoperability requirements for a Smart City Platform). For further information, read chapters “Origin of the Spanish Smart Tourism Destinations Program” and “Methodological Framework of the Spanish Smart Tourism Destinations Model” addressing these issues.

It is also important to note that, in general, there is much room for improvement with regard to the implementation of security-related technological solutions, with cybersecurity, for example, being a commonly underdeveloped element that requires more attention and future development. Another area for improvement is identified in relation to the lack of smart strategic planning: most destinations have smart developments or operational smart projects, but almost none have taken the step toward consolidating a smart plan that integrates these projects and establishes a coordinated long-term strategy. Furthermore, in very few cases a “Technical Office or Data Office” has been created to support smart projects.

Regarding the area of work 2, Technological Infrastructures and Connectivity, destinations face two key challenges. The first challenge relates to connectivity, which is fundamental for the correct development of the technological solutions and implementations identified in the other two areas of the pillar, but over which the DMO has a limited capacity to influence, as they can only have an indirect impact. The second challenge concerns the application of technology to improve the efficiency and management of the environment and public services, such as mobility or cleaning; destinations and managers are aware of the benefits of its use, including cost advantages and improved efficiency, and have greater room for maneuvering, and are making significant efforts to apply sensorization and other alternative systems. In addition to the two challenges indicated above, significant room for improvement is identified in the implementation of management systems for tourism sites. Although the pandemic crisis gave a major boost to the development and implementation of reservation systems, capacity planning and control, and tourism flow management systems, these developments have come to a halt since the pandemic ended, and therefore constitute a future challenge to be faced.

Lastly, regarding the field of Technologies for Smart Tourism Management, area of work 3, two different aspects are analyzed: (1) the implementation of technologies applied to communication with tourists; and (2) tourism knowledge and information. Regarding communication with tourists, it can be seen that destinations dedicate resources and effort to the continuous improvement of the main technological elements of communication with tourists, such as the tourism website, mobile applications, use of social networks, or the use of technological tools in tourist offices. Furthermore, in this area there is an interest and sensitivity to constantly improve, incorporating multiple new communication technologies, or improving marketing elements through the application of technologies. Along these lines, interesting developments have been identified with technological tools (some in beta phase), even in small destinations, illustrating the interest of tourism managers in this area of work.

With regard to the second aspect covered in this area, knowledge and tourist information, there is considerable room for improvement in the application of technology to enhance tourist knowledge and decision-making. In general, destinations do not yet have technological implementations that allow the use of ICTs for data collection and analysis. Despite the important technological advances in this area, the use of technological solutions to achieve greater knowledge of supply and demand is still very incipient in destinations.

In conclusion, and from the experience of the diagnoses carried out in destinations that have adopted the DTI strategic management model, it can be said that in general, technological developments and implementations related to many of the indicators included in the technology pillar have been addressed, highlighting the implementation of technologies to improve communication with tourists at all stages of the travel cycle. However, destinations still need to address the challenge of improving planning and coordination between platforms and technological solutions, as well as fostering the use of technology applied to knowledge management and tourist information. To attain this, it will be essential for destinations to have qualified personnel capable of providing a strategic vision that integrates new technological developments with existing ones and leads the processes of change inherent to the introduction and adoption of technological innovations.

Appendix

Dimitrios Buhalis, Ph.D., is Professor and Strategic Management and Marketing expert with specialization in Information Communication Technology applications in the Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, and Leisure industries. He is Director of the eTourism Lab and Deputy Director of the International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research, at Bournemouth University Business School in England. He is the Editor in Chief of the most established Journal in Tourism: Tourism Review, and the Editor in Chief of the Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing. His research pioneers smart and ambient intelligence tourism with a particular focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and destination ecosystems management. Professor Buhalis has written and co-edited more than 25 books and 300 scientific articles.

Antonio J. Guevara-Plaza, Ph.D., is the dean of the Faculty of Tourism at the University of Málaga and Professor in the Computer Sciences Department. Degree and PhD from the University of Malaga began his relationship with the tourism since the creation of the studies at the University of Málaga in 1995. His research interests focus on the field of Information Technology and Communication (ICT) applied to tourism. He is the principal researcher of the SICUMA research group (Cooperative Information Systems, University of Malaga). He has directed several projects for R&D related to the implementation of ICT in tourism and published research works at relevant journal publications.