Smart Destinations and Eco-friendly Practices

Abstract

Globalization, along with its technological developments, has brought important changes and developments in all sectors and led to innovation and modernization. In the tourism industry, the concept of smart destination, derived from the concept of smart city, has become widespread to meet the changing needs of tourists. In this context, smart technologies have started to be used in destinations, but more than technology in destinations is needed in terms of sustainability. To ensure sustainability in tourism, these smart technologies must also be eco-friendly. Smart destinations and eco-friendly practices are important for the sustainable development of the tourism industry. The use of technology in destinations can increase sustainability and efficiency, while using eco-friendly practices can protect and preserve the natural environment. In this study, first of all, smart destinations and the characteristics of smart destinations are discussed. Then, smart tourism and related eco-friendly practices are argued. Following this, information about the future of smart destinations is given, and assumptions are mentioned. Afterward, problems and solutions are discussed. Finally, the study has been completed with the conclusion part. The findings of the study revealed that the concept of green especially comes to the fore in smart destinations, that there are studies to prevent all kinds of pollution (air, noise, etc.), and applications such as smart parking systems, smart lighting systems, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) are given importance.

Citation

Murat Koçoğlu, C., Pinaroğlu, B. and Yaşarsoy, E. (2023), "Smart Destinations and Eco-friendly Practices", El Amine Abdelli, M., Sghaier, A., Akbaba, A., Gamoura, S.C. and Mohammadian, H.D. (Ed.) Smart Cities for Sustainability (Advanced Series in Management, Vol. 32), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 15-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1877-636120230000033003