The chances and opportunities for the development of smart destinations and smart tourism in Hungary with special regard to the challenges of the post-pandemic period („OTKA” K_22 application, NKFI N 142571 identification number, 4 years of research)

Source: freepik

Smart tourism is one of the newest and most innovative trends in tourism development of our time, the development of which has already started in many places abroad – even in internationally prominent tourist destinations – but its development and embeddedness in Hungary can only be found at the level of mention. One of the pillars of this can of course be detected in the initial works of domestic researchers. The other main direction is the start of the development of data-driven tourism and sector management, which is also recognised by the Hungarian Tourism Agency in 2021. Within this framework, from November 2021, the tourist accommodation and tourist attractions will be channelled to the so-called National Tourism Data Service Centre (NTAC) (Nemzeti Turisztikai Adatszolgáltató Központhoz, NTAK), which will provide Hungary's most comprehensive, real-time big data to support the Agency's work and the development of Hungarian tourism. The research of this database will also open up many new opportunities for background analyses of Hungarian tourism.

In our opinion, as the ultimate goal of smart tourism is to improve the efficiency of resource management, increase digitalisation (in which Hungary’s tourism is lagging behind), maximise competitiveness and enhance sustainability through the application of technological innovations and practices, the importance and value of research in this area concerning the innovative development of tourism is unquestionable and fully in line with EU tourism policy as well.

The overall research aim is to explore the chances and opportunities for the development of smart tourism in Hungary and in the tourist destinations of Hungary. The main questions of our research are:

• RQ1: Can smart tourism and smart destinations be developed in our country, and if so, how and in what form?
• RQ2: What role can smart tourism and the development of smart destinations play in the re-launch and re-design of domestic tourism?
• RQ3: What needs and attitudes can be identified on the consumer side for domestic smart tourism and smart tourism in general?

In the course of our research, we have identified the following objectives and expected results, which we believe have both theoretical and practical value and novel outcomes:

• Explore the theoretical foundations and the international and national research background of smart tourism through a systematic literature review.
• A complex exploration of the theoretical and practical background and application possibilities of smart tourism, exploring international models, identifying and presenting good practices, taking into account the results of the EU's Smart Tourism Communities programme.
• Developing and providing methodological basis for the development of smart tourism strategies at destination level, especially in the 11 tourist areas defined by the Hungarian Tourism Agency.
• Developing and providing methodological and practical bases for the introduction and dissemination of smart tourism at enterprise and entrepreneurial level, in particular by strengthening networking.

A representative survey of consumer attitudes towards smart tourism.