Introduction

According to the European Commission, smart tourism “responds to new challenges and demands in a fast-changing sector, including the evolution of digital tools, products and services; equal opportunity and access for all visitors; sustainable development of the local area; and support to creative industries, local talent and heritage.”

The SMARTOUR project and the e-learning course have been developed having this definition in mind. The course is structured in seven training modules to help any VET student or tourism operator to understand what smart tourism is  and implement techniques and new ideas to become smarter and more sustainable.

At the end of the course you will find a survey to help us to assess the quality of the modules and if improvements on the quality of the contents are needed.

What is Smart Tourism?

According to UN Tourism Glossary (2025) a tourism destination is “a physical space with or without administrative and/or analytical boundaries in which a visitor can spend an overnight. It is the cluster (co-location) of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism. A destination incorporates various stakeholders and can network to form larger destinations. It is also intangible with its image and identity which may influence its market competitiveness”.

Smart tourism refers to the application of modern technologies in tourism to improve the travel experience and enhance the efficiency of destinations. By using digital tools such as mobile apps, geolocation, data analytics and interactive platforms, visitors receive personalized information as well as real-time access to the content. Smart tourism enables better organization and reduces the negative impacts of mass tourism, helping cities manage tourist flows, reduce congestion, and provide tourists with valuable and sustainable services. The key purpose of smart tourism is to create an interactive and personalized experience for tourists, as part of an innovative tourism offer, using technology as a tool to enhance mobility and tourist engagement.

According to Lopez de Avila (2015, n.p.) smart tourism destination is “an innovative tourist destination, built on an infrastructure of state-of-the-art technology guaranteeing the sustainable development of tourist areas, accessible to everyone, which facilitates the visitor’s interaction with and integration into his or her surroundings, increases the quality of the experience at the destination, and improves residents’ quality of life”. According to the European Commission, the concept of "smart tourism" is the development of digital tools to connect destinations, operators, and guests with various products and services that together support the sustainable development of local communities, both within new creative industries and cultural heritage. In summary, smart tourism seeks to contribute to making tourism sustainable and accessible to all.

A comprehensive definition of sustainable tourism is inspired by Andrew Holden's (2000) book, Environment and Tourism, which summarizes that sustainable tourism takes into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of tourism in both the short and long term while ensuring that resources are preserved, promoting social justice, and supporting local communities.