SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE DIGITAL ERA: THE EVOLUTION OF SMART DESTINATIONS
Abstract
Smart tourism represents an innovative concept for developing tourist destinations by leveraging modern digital technologies to enhance the efficiency and quality of tourism services. Key elements of this concept include implementing digital tools for managing tourist flows, booking transportation and accommodations, providing access to information about cultural and tourist sites, and applying interactive technologies like mobile apps, virtual and augmented reality. Moreover, smart tourism focuses on designing personalized travel itineraries tailored to individual needs, promoting sustainable development and ecological stability, improving tourist safety through modern monitoring systems, and preserving the sociocultural uniqueness of regions by supporting local communities and heritage conservation. This study emphasizes the integration of smart tourism with smart city and smart destination concepts to develop strategies for economic growth and sustainable social development in regions. International research highlights the role of information technologies, artificial intelligence, and big data in creating innovative tourism experiences. The research objective is to analyze the sustainable development of tourism in the digital era and identify innovative approaches for creating smart destinations that integrate modern digital technologies. Key directions for adopting artificial intelligence include personalization of customer services, responding to crises, optimizing tourist flows, and automating service processes. The findings demonstrate the importance of integrating smart tourism within the broader framework of smart cities to create a holistic system. Ukrainian cities like Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa are actively adopting smart technologies, including AI, for improving tourism experiences, indicating a positive trajectory toward smart tourism. These advancements support the transition to «Tourism 4.0», enhancing the attractiveness and sustainability of tourism destinations while fostering economic and social development through strategic stakeholder partnerships.
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