Smart tourism destinations: The backbone of tourism recov-ery

Abstract

The world tourism industry is experiencing the worst situation in its history due to the health crisis caused by COVID-19. The problem is particularly acute in countries such as Spain, which had an important tourism sector that directly employed about 3 million people, 13% of total employment, and accounted for about 12% of its GDP. In order to recover, Spain is betting on the model of Intelligent Tourism Destinations (ITD) and the ITD Network that encompasses these destinations. The ITD methodology is based on five main lines of action: Governance, Innovation, Technology, Sustainability and Accessibility. It also highlights the importance of knowledge and the use of Tourism Intelligence Systems that allow a correct decision making.