social innovation, and civic engagement

Smart tourism and social innovation

Sustainable tourism and smart social innovation: 

Recent events in different European regions and cities have raised concerns not only about environmental sustainability but also about social sustainability. Rising rental prices in city centres, gentrification, consumption of natural resources such as water, have put the spotlight on tourism as an unsustainable activity not only from an environmental point of view, but also from a social perspective. 

Tourism experiences are based on two basic pillars, the physical place being visited and the socio-cultural structure of the local inhabitants, and the need to find a balance between a constant activity that brings a sufficient flow of tourists to a certain place to deseasonalize certain destinations, avoid seasonal avalanches, and protect the territory and the rights of the inhabitants of that same place is becoming more and more evident.  

The European Union does not have an official definition of smart tourism. Under the initiative of European Capital of Smart Tourism it offers the following definition of Smart City: a smart tourism capital is defined as a destination facilitating access to tourism and hospitality products, services, spaces and experiences through ICT-based (Information and communications technology) tools. It also implements innovative, intelligent solutions and fosters the development of entrepreneurial businesses and their interconnectedness. (Source: https://smart-tourism-capital.ec.europa.eu/document/download/0496f0f9-aa83-4312-b2ec-2bbb1077ef3f_en?filename=Capitals_Guide_for_Applicants_2025_FINAL_0.pdf)

At the same time the UN Tourism office states that technological advances such as Internet of Thigs (IoT), location-based services, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, have been successfully incorporated into tourism sector, which has constitute an advance in terms of environmental sustainability by being used to control tourist flows, calculate the impact of seasonally tourism, ensure the accessibility in places, and to gather a great amount of data to help tourism managers to better adapt their offer to the needs and trends on the sector. 

Under this module we will explore how the use of smart tools for tourism can be applied not only to seek environmental sustainability but also social sustainability. 

The European Social Fund defines social innovation practices as “the creation and implementation of new ideas, practices and policies designed to address social challenges and enhance the well-being of European citizens”. Source: https://european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu/en/social-innovation-and-transnational-cooperation#:~:text=Social%20innovation%20involves%20the%20creation,well%2Dbeing%20of%20European%20citizens.

The concept of smart data is used in the development of technological and social products that are based on technological infrastructure, and the data generated, as well as new forms of connection and exchange of knowledge, are used as part of that development. 

The UNWTO highlights the relationship between technological development and new forms of tourism, since it is a sector that has incorporated technological development from the beginning, whether by developing reservation centers, adapting to the promotion of destinations through social networks and other new forms of marketing, web technologies, etc. Currently, tourists have a large amount of information available in the palm of their hand through their phone, which allows them to find out what a place has to offer, compare prices, make reservations, and create their own experience by choosing from all the available options. . Smart tourism has the ability to make destinations more attractive options for tourists and offers them the ability to create experiences tailored to their interests and needs. 

Examples of social innovation in tourism: 

Couchsurfing: 

Models for creating social innovation initiatives in smart tourism. 

Co-creation and other methodologies.