Smart tourism practices in European cities

Note on the source. This source should be read with caution: it may be funded by the sector, a draft or a thesis, or rely on self-reported or modelled data. See the limitations below.

The question

What innovative practices have European cities competing for the European Capital of Smart Tourism title adopted in the areas of accessibility, sustainability, digitalisation and cultural heritage/creativity?

The method

Descriptive collection of good practices drawn from the applications of 29 cities in 13 countries to the competition (edition awarding the 2023 titles); the report relies solely on information provided by the cities, with no independent verification or impact assessment.

What the study finds

29 citiesapplying from 13 countriesThe document selects practices from the applications of 29 cities in 13 countries to the competition launched in 2022; the 2023 titles went to Pafos and Seville. All information is as declared by the cities, with no external checking.

≈ 2,000volunteers greeting visitors in Aarhus, as statedIn Aarhus a network of some 2,000 volunteers, run by the local tourism body, greets visitors during events and whenever a cruise ship is in port (figure stated by the city).

465 datasetsreported on Seville's open data platformSeville reports having launched an open data platform in 2016 with 465 datasets (transport, culture and leisure, urban planning and more), complemented by a system that gathers and publishes information on the tourist destination.

25%average time saving claimed in AntalyaThe only practice listed under 'spreading the flow of tourists' concerns Antalya: AI-controlled adaptive traffic lights at 40 junctions to ease traffic especially in peak season. The city claims an average 25% time saving for 2020, not independently verified.

According to Aalborg's application, the port gives operators and users a management system showing traffic, navigation conditions and water levels in real time; the port presents itself both as a business and as a body fostering collaboration with local firms and the community.
In Seville a public project uses GIS and AI tools to suggest spaces and routes between attractions; a linked app merges real-time accessibility and mobility data with tourist information, including an indication of how crowded a public space is.
Szeged describes a data-driven transport system run through agreements between the city, employers and transport operators, combining analysis of camera images of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians with smartphone WiFi signals to map urban mobility.

Why it matters for ports and cities

It gathers European solutions for real-time information, accessibility, mobility and data use, as described by the candidate cities, which can serve as ideas for port destinations. In the report's selection only one practice falls under the heading on spreading tourist flows, suggesting the topic is still thin among the cases put forward.

Limitations

A promotional, descriptive collection based on the candidate cities' own statements, with no verification, comparison or impact measures; the few figures reported are supplied by the cities themselves. Cruises appear only marginally.

Full reference and source

Commissione europea, DG GROW (rapporto redatto da un'agenzia esterna incaricata) (2023). Leading Examples of Smart Tourism practices in Europe from the 2023 European Capital of Smart Tourism competition.

Read the original study ↗

Summary written by the ODYBOAT Observatory in our own words. Tables and figures belong to the authors.