Page 17 - Smart tourism: A path to more secure and resilient destinations

2.3.2 Methodology

As mentioned above, Smart Tourist Destinations works on five different pillars: governance,
innovation, technology, sustainability and accessibility. 3

1. Governance: The pillar of governance implies strong tourism governance (public-private
partnerships and the local community), with the support of the governments, needed in order
to implement and operate a Smart Tourist Destination. The governance must create a strategic
vision for the future of the destination, and identify and implement all actions identified as
strategic for the destination. It is important to ensure efficient management through the rational
use of available resources in the territory and proper measurement, guarantee transparency
and implement participation channels for citizens and for the tourism sector.
2. Innovation: The pillar of innovation involves a process of continuous improvement of services,
marketing and promotion at the DMO. The continuous improvement process, carried out
systematically, brings new ideas and facilitates value generation, helping to reduce risks. Training
and knowledge-based solutions allow the DMO’s management team and the different actors of
the tourism ecosystem to be updated permanently with tools, legislative changes and trends
that set the pace of technological advances in the 21st century.
3. Technology: The pillar of technology defines the digital transformation of the destination across
the board, deploying cutting-edge technologies for critical processes. These may include tools
to improve the tourist experience (e.g., digital tourism information offices, free Wi-Fi connection,
apps, QR codes, VR), online reservation systems to streamline conversion of Big Data analysis
to understand the tourist/customer behaviours, or the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence in
different management processes throughout the value chain. The destination must take into
consideration the rapid obsolescence of technology and develop strategies of risk assessment
to avoid pitfalls or failures.
4. Sustainability: The sustainability pillar imposes a long-term perspective on tourism activity,
such that DMO’s management does not compromise the future of the local resources nor the
quality of life. Treating the authenticity and cultural diversity of the destination with respect and
expanding the opportunities and benefits of tourism to the local population are key to social
and economic sustainability. This pillar involves sustainable, responsible tourism policy; a strong
focus on conservation of culture and its heritage, as a differential element of the destination;
and environmental preservation and improvement, as a key element for long-term survival.

5. Accessibility: Finally, the accessibility pillar aims to develop a “universal design for everybody”
that allows anyone full access to the destination, without exclusions of any kind, thus guaranteeing
the equal right to fully enjoy the destination. Consequently, DMO should evaluate the current
normative framework on accessibility and its implementation. Accessibility must be guaranteed,
especially physical and sensory accessibility, for the different tourist attractions, public spaces,

3 The methodology has been proposed by SEGITTUR. This methodology is also supported by UN World Tourism Organi-
zation a United Nation Specialized Agency (UNWTO).

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