Dimensions impacting tourists’ perception of Smart Tourism Destinations

Abstract

A Smart Tourism Destination (STD) focuses on improving the tourist experience through the integrated use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in cities. This study investigated how tourists’ perception of the “degree of smartness” of a given destination can be influenced by the STD dimensions outlined by the specialized literature, namely Sustainability, Accessibility, Technology, and Innovation. To this end, we conducted a quantitative survey with 303 tourists visiting the cities of Natal, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, Brazil. Multiple Linear Regression analysis revealed that the indicators associated with the Innovation and Sustainability dimensions influenced the STD dependent variable. The indicators with the most significant impact on STD according to tourists’ perception were: “New technologies employed by companies in the tourism sector,” “Innovation projects for improving tourism products and services,” and “Urban planning.” Although low, significant correlations were found between the variables associated with Technology and Accessibility and STD. We conclude that the dimensions most perceived by tourists are those with the most significant potential for rapid return and lower risk for destinations, which increase competitiveness and therefore require special attention from public and private managers.

Keywords
Smart Tourism Destination; Technology; Innovation; Sustainability; Accessibility