STDs and SDGs: Smart Tourism and Sustainability

Smart Tourism Destinations (STDs) make extensive use of ICT tools to facilitate visitors’ access to tourism and hospitality products, services, places and experiences. This has implications for both businesses and individuals who benefit from a more efficient infrastructure and service delivery. At the same time, the concept of sustainability, which refers to meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, is gaining ground, especially in terms of economic, social and environmental development. In the tourism sector, sustainability has emerged as a key driver of destination competitiveness due to the demand for more environmentally sustainable products and services. This paper attempts to combine the concept of Smart Tourist Destinations (STDs) with the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to present successful examples of European cities that apply innovative and smart solutions to strengthen their competitive position in the dimensions of Accessibility, Sustainability, Digitization and Cultural heritage. The purpose of the study is to strengthen and facilitate the exchange of best practices in promoting innovative, sustainable and smart tourism initiatives in the context of Sustainable Smart Tourism Destinations (SSTDs).