Towards Smart Creative Tourism

Abstract

Creative tourism has recently emerged as an evolved, interactive and integrated form of cultural tourism. Active participation of tourists in creative and learning experiences characterizes the shift from traditional cultural tourism to creative tourism. Tourists are no longer mere consumers and spectators of tangible and intangible cultural attractions, but active co-producers and co-creators of their experiences. Tourist destinations have increasingly developed creative tourism strategies to enhance competitiveness and for urban regeneration. The growth of creative tourism can be associated with the diffusion and use of advanced Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). While such dynamics have been largely addressed in literature, there is still little understanding of the impact of smart technology (e.g. internet of things) on cultural and creative tourism industries. Academic works, in particular, tend to focus on isolated smart technology applications for creative attractions and cultural heritage. In the light of recent smart tourism developments, this paper explores the current trends in creative tourism to find elements of convergence with smart tourism. In doing so, the paper focuses on the role of technology, the business context and the social dimension as key components of the emerging smart creative tourism phenomenon. The need for an all-encompassing approach to smart creative tourism development is finally suggested by proposing some potential lines of further research.