#103 Smart Tourism: Innovations for Smarter Destinations at TIS 2024

In this special last episode of the year, we take you back to the Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS) 2024 in Sevilla, where we sat down with experts shaping the future of tourism and urban innovation. This on-the-ground episode dives into how smart technologies, data, and emerging trends are transforming urban tourism.

Key guests include:

• Misa Labarile (European Commission)
• Daniel Martinez Junquera (General Manager, Visit Gijón)
• Virginia Borges (General Director for Tourism and Regional Promotion, La Rioja)
• Miguel Angel Martin Rodriguez (Innovation Manager, Smart City Cluster)
• Sergio Lopes (Advisor for Innovation and Technology and Smart Cities Project Manager, Famalicão)
• Nina Nesterova (Professor of Sustainable Tourism, Breda University)

Together, they explore themes such as:

• Sustainability and Smart Tech: How cities like Valencia measure carbon footprints and shift tourist behavior.
• The Power of Data: From AI-driven analytics to gathering actionable insights for tourism management.
• AR, VR, and Smart Destinations: Balancing virtual innovation with authentic, human experiences.
• Funding Challenges: Public-private cooperation and addressing capacity gaps for smaller municipalities.
• Citizen Quality of Life: Creating harmony between tourists and local residents while preserving cultural heritage.

Overview of the episode:

[00:01:09] Meet Our Guests

[00:02:14] Sustainability & Smart Technologies: How innovation helps reduce the environmental impact of tourism, featuring examples from Valencia and Copenhagen.

[00:08:46] The Role of Data in Tourism Management:
Insights on gathering, analyzing, and applying data to improve tourism strategies and urban decision-making.

[00:27:16] Emerging Technologies in Tourism: AR, VR, and their potential to enhance accessibility and visitor experiences while preserving authenticity.

[00:32:36] Funding Models for Smart Tourism: Challenges and solutions for securing public-private investments and managing EU funding, especially for smaller municipalities.

[00:41:07] Balancing Tourism and Local Quality of Life: Strategies to integrate tourism into cities while preserving local identity and resident well-being.

[00:46:03] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"

Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it!

Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page.

And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub