An Open-data Repository for Sustainable Tourism

Abstract

This work outlines the benefits of an open repository of cultural and touristic content for promoting sustainability in tourism. The repository aims at sharing digital content with individuals, local communities, businesses, and tour operators to promote responsible tourism practices. By providing access to cultural and touristic content, the repository can increase awareness of local customs, traditions, and practices. This can promote respect for local culture and help reduce negative impacts on the environment and local communities. The repository also aims to promote off-season travel, which can reduce the strain on local infrastructure and support sustainable tourism practices. Additionally, it can reduce the need for physical souvenirs, which can contribute to waste and pollution. Through the sharing of digital content, the repository can support local communities and businesses by promoting their culture and heritage. This can help generate interest in the destination and support sustainable tourism development. To this end, the design and implementation of the technical infrastructure for such a repository are presented to act as an information system that is available online and contributes to sustainable development. The use case used for its demonstration facilitates cultural material from the region of Crete.