SMART TOURISM DESTINATION

Abstract

The dynamic of the contemporary society has determined the implementation of the technology in all areas of activity. The tourism sector has answered the new challenges by offering some alternatives aimed at ensuring the increase of the tourism destinations competitiveness: using ICT to collect data, information about tourists, using new technologies in order to increase tourists’ satisfaction and locals’ welfare; the interconnectivity of the interested parties (authorities, tourism service providers, tourists, locals) through digital platforms; offering a unique experience, customized services to tourists using ICT, increasing the degree of competitiveness of the tourism destinations and their sustainable development with the help of new technologies; the innovation offered by ICT as differentiation element of the tourism offers of a destination. Thus, the smart tourism destination represents an approach centred on capitalizing the advantages offered by ICT contributing to the increase of competitiveness and sustainability of tourism destinations. The purpose of this paper is to present different approaches of the smart tourism destination.