SMART TOURISM DESTINATIONS - A case study of Seoul, South Korea

The phenomenon of smart destinations is a recent concept in tourism that is still in the construction process. Smart destinations can be understood as places that have created an infrastructure where tourism offers value through personalized experiences using technology. The concept of smart destinations comes from that of smart cities, but it has its own characteristics and individualities. This study presents the characteristics of a smart destination - the city of Seoul, South Korea - as an example of a consolidated model. The research methodology used is exploratory, with a qualitative approach and a case study. The results have shown that Seoul fits the model of a smart destination because it presents key factors, such as: smart support infrastructure (smart systems, ICTs available for everyone to use), integrated governance, sustainability, innovative tourist attractions, and public policies that highlight and integrate technology for the use of both residents and tourists.Â