Smart tourism destinations: a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to present a systematic review of smart tourism articles using a meta-synthesis method. Effective systematic reviews are essential for assisting stakeholders in implementing smart destinations. A systematic comprehension of studies on smart tourism is needed regarding the various components of smart tourism destinations, the metrics to map these components and their expected results. This study creates a framework for understanding how smart tourism destinations are theorized and developed. Design/methodology/approach Based on the meta-synthesis approach, this study collects, analyzes and synthesizes relevant research in smart tourism published in online databases by following a predetermined review protocol. Findings This study contributes to the discourse on smart tourism destinations by increasing the knowledge on the subject of smart destinations in regard to different categories. The selected articles were analyzed according to the proposed research questions and classified into three main categories: components, measurement and outputs. This study presents a new archetype for developing smart destinations and addresses efforts to bridge the gap in this research field. Practical implications This paper is noteworthy for stakeholders because it provides a comprehensive vision into the components that influence the growth of smart destinations. The advantage of the proposed methodology is that it creates a framework for understanding how smart destinations are theorized. Furthermore, it is helpful to use qualitative methodologies that efficiently allow the analysis of related literature and that also offer conceptual insights. Originality/value The findings provide information that can be used to help shape a fully conceptualized understanding of the smart destinations concept and can also prove important in providing a guide for policymakers and stakeholders in the tourism industry who seek to intelligently develop tourism destinations.

Heritage protection and tourism income: the tourism heritage Kuznets curve

“…Smart tourism technology plays an important role in modern heritage tourism (Balakrishnan et al , 2021). Smart tourism can offer many benefits to visitors, differentiating available tourism offerings at destinations and creating more memorable experiences for visitors (Huang et al , 2017; Shafiee et al , 2021; Tussyadiah et al , 2018; Yoo et al , 2017). Tourists increasingly use mobile phones and social networks to search for information (Chung et al , 2015; Huang et al , 2017), find themselves in interactive smart cities (Gretzel et al , 2015) and co-create tourism experience facilitated partly through technology (Cai et al , 2019; Marques and Borba, 2017).…”

Building Resilient Smart Cities for Sustainable Urban Tourism in Africa Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Shafiee et al [24] categorized smart tourism destinations under five components: stakeholders, structure, process, technology, and policies. Per stakeholders, these comprise the public and private sectors.…”

“…This requires destinations to strategically implement more digitally sustainable programmes to be resilient from the effects of the pandemic and remain competitive in the long term. The adoption of smart tourism technologies (STT) by tourist destinations has gained popularity in recent years [14,24]. STTs imply various technologies embedded at destinations to enhance value-added to the people [4].…”

Hindrances to smart tourism development

“…Several previous studies have discussed the driving factors for the development of smart tourism or the application of the smart tourism concept to destinations (Gretzel et al , 2016; Wang et al , 2021). Shafiee et al (2021) evaluated smart tourism articles comprehensively to assist stakeholders in developing smart destinations. Developing smart cities can also assist the government in realizing effective governance.…”