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Smart tourism destinations: ecosystems for tourism destination competitiveness

Kim Boes (Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK)
Dimitrios Buhalis (Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK)
Alessandro Inversini (Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK)

International Journal of Tourism Cities

ISSN: 2056-5607

Article publication date: 3 May 2016

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Abstract

Purpose

Grounded in service-dominant (S-D) logic, the purpose of this paper is to explore the core components of smartness to present a framework for the development of the smart tourism destination.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores the core components of smartness through case study analysis of well-established smart cities.

Findings

The paper conceptualises smartness and argues ICT, leadership, innovation and social capital supported by human capital are core components of smartness. Although ICT is a critical enabler for smart tourism destinations, it is insufficient on its own to introduce smartness. The combination of hard and soft smartness components within a S-D logic ecosystem structure holds the potential for sustained competitive advantage and enhancement of quality of life of both residents and tourists in smart tourism destinations.

Originality/value

The paper extends the application of S-D logic to the context of smart tourism destinations, specifically to examine the smartness concept as a means for competitiveness in tourism destinations.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

© International Tourism Studies Association

Citation

Boes, K., Buhalis, D. and Inversini, A. (2016), "Smart tourism destinations: ecosystems for tourism destination competitiveness", International Journal of Tourism Cities, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 108-124. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-12-2015-0032

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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