The ‘smart’ concept has reached almost everything around us: phones, watches, cars… and also destinations. Smart tourism has taken center stage at the 22nd session of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly, currently taking place in Chengdu, China. The GA Special Session on Smart Tourism builds on the 1st UNWTO World Conference on Smart Destinations held in Spain earlier this year.

Transport, accommodation, travel reservations and even knowledge are impacted by the ‘smart tourism’ approach. This comprises a whole philosophy leading to more liveable, accessible and sustainable destinations, not only for visitors but also for locals. This model is of great significance and relevance in 2017, when the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development is being celebrated widely.

In a General Assembly special session by CNN International anchor Richard Quest interviewed the CEO of TripAdvisor Steve Kaufer “Smart tourism is not a trend, but is the future of tourism development,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. “The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 and the General Assembly together comprise the perfect framework within which to conduct such an event and to join synergies around this theme, as it addresses major challenges and opportunities of the tourism sector in the coming years,” he commented.

New platform tourism services or the so-called sharing economy, big data, destination marketing, accessibility, energy and waste management, and urban mobility were some of the topics addressed at the session in Chengdu.

The session was opened by interventions from Rifai, Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration Li Jinzao, and Sara Mathews, Chairperson of PATA. Participants at the event called for increased participation of all involved parties, including private sector and government, to induce progress in creating smart destinations. Two panels on new technologies and smart tourism.

The conference included the signing ceremony of the International Smart Tourism Center by the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) and two panels – on new technologies to enhance tourism sector performance, moderated by Anita Mendiratta, Strategic Advisor to CNN International for T.A.S.K Group, and on smart destinations, led by Antonio López de Ávila, Special Advisor of the UNWTO Secretary General on Tourism and Technology. The first panel provided essential background knowledge about the latest wave of digital technologies and applications and their impact on tourism. Research on new platform tourism services was presented by John Kester, Director of the UNWTO Statistics and Trends Program. The panel included Arief Yahya, Minister of Tourism of Indonesia, Mikael Ahlstöm, CEO and Founder of Britny, Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shaohua Li, CEO of AliTrip, Jason Song, Chairman of Drore Technology and Duncan Horton, CEO of Travel Weekly.

The second panel served to present initiatives to demonstrate the impact of digital applications on enhancing quality of the visitor experience. Mapping applications, virtual reality and the future of the so-called sharing economy in tourism were debated in the panel, which contained: David Scowsill, CEO of EON Reality, Sérgio Guerreiro, Director of Knowledge Management and Corporate Affairs of Turismo de Portugal, Hong Wang, Deputy Mayor of Hangzhou, Changje Yu, Committee Member of Tiantai Town, Carlos Romero, Director of Tourism Research at SEGITTUR and Jeremy Jauncey, Founder and CEO of Beautiful Destinations.