DEVELOPMENT OF A SMART TOURISM DESTINATION
Zlatka Todorova-Hamdan, Hristina Filipova, Genka Rafailova, et al.
World Scientific Publishing Company 
Sozialwissenschaften, Recht, Wirtschaft / Wirtschaft
Beschreibung
This monograph presents a summary of theory and good practices, research results, and a model and strategy for the development of a smart tourism destination using the Varna Municipality in Bulgaria as an example. It begins with a theoretical overview and analysis of the characteristics of smart cities and smart tourism, sustainable development of tourism and tourism destinations, aspects of urban planning and management of a tourism destination, and application of modern digital technologies in tourism. The authors develop a human-centric model for a smart and sustainable tourism destination. Building on the model, they elaborate on a methodology for the evaluation and analysis of destinations as being smart and sustainable and apply this evaluation to four destinations in the Balkan region in Europe. The authors produce, in the end, an easy-to-adapt framework for the development of a smart tourism destination across different geographic regions.
Contents:
- Essence and Characteristics of a Smart Tourism Destination:
- The Concept of a Smart Tourism Destination
- Models and Methodologies for Research of an STD
- Sustainable Development of Tourism, Tourist Destinations and Their Management
- Smart and Sustainable Tourism Destination Model
- Research and Analysis of a Smart and Sustainable Tourism Destination (Municipality of Varna):
- Methodology of the Study
- Experts' Research: Analysis and Evaluation of Results
- Analysis and Evaluation of the Results of a Survey of Tourists' Opinions
- Analysis and Evaluation of the Results of a Survey of Citizens' Opinions
- Guidelines for the Development of Varna as a Smart Tourism Destination 2030:
- Analysis of Successfully Developed Smart Tourism Destinations
- Assessment of Varna as an SSTD
- Comparative Characteristics of Varna, Burgas, Thessaloniki and Dubrovnik as SSTDs
- Strategy for the Development of Varna as an SSTD 2030
Readership: Universities and colleges with courses in tourism, urban planning, and sustainable development; local governments; city libraries; agencies and organizations involved in tourism destination development, city branding and development, etc.
Dr Genka Rafailova is Associate Professor (and former Director) at the College of Tourism in University of Economics – Varna, Bulgaria, where she is also Head of the Centre for Cultural, Creative and Social Entrepreneurship. She holds a PhD in Tourism and has experience as an expert in European Union-funded international projects. Her fields of scientific interests are sustainable and smart tourism development, development of smart and creative destinations, creative industries and tourism, blue economy and blue growth.Dr Zlatka Todorova-Hamdan is Chief Assistant Professor at the College of Tourism in University of Economics – Varna, Bulgaria. She holds a PhD in Economics and Management (Tourism). She is a member of the Commission for Licensing of Tour Guides at the Ministry of Tourism, Bulgaria. Her fields of scientific interests are sustainable and smart tourism destinations, coastal tourism destinations, cultural heritage and tourism, etc.Dr Hristina Filipova is Chief Assistant Professor at the College of Tourism in University of Economics – Varna, Bulgaria. She holds a PhD in Economics and Management (Tourism). She is a member of the Chamber of Tourism Varna and has experience as an expert in national and international research projects funded by ERASMUS + K2, etc. Her fields of scientific interests are consumer behavior, tourism marketing, and tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
'This book provides a detailed theoretical review and analysis of the concept of 'intelligent tourism' from the point of view of urban and tourism destination management. It contributes to the development of new and more sustainable solutions for tourism, promoting a cultural transformation of the entire tourism ecosystem.' - Anna TronoAssociate Professor, University of Salento, Italy
'This monograph presents a human-centered smart and sustainable destination model that could act as a development guideline for practical and adaptable implementation in different tourist regions.' - Sebastian KoperaAssistant Professor, Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland
'The book addresses a current and relevant topic, is targeted at a wide range of readers, and the authors' expertise make this book a valuable contribution to the field.' - Zelia BredaAssistant Professor, University of Aveiro, Portugal
'The book explores a very important concept of smart and sustainable tourist destinations, with a particular focus on the city of Varna. The city's journey towards sustainability and smart tourism is additionally enhanced by a comparative analysis with cities such as Nice, Dubrovnik and Valencia. Thus, the book emphasizes on the distinctive attributes of smart destinations and the varying phases these cities navigate in their quest towards embracing 'smartness'.' - Maya IvanovaAssociate Professor, Varna University of Management, Bulgaria
'This monograph responds to the increasing demand for sharing good practice in terms of methodology, practical application and the development of smart destinations, and fits perfectly into the trends of contemporary tourism in a sustainable environment.' - Tomasz DudaAssistant Professor, University of Szczecin, Poland
