PROJECT DETAILS. Project Title. Smart Tourism Destinations. Project Summary

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1 PROJECT DETAILS Project Title Smart Tourism Destinations Project Summary RATIONALE : As tourism destinations become increasingly competitive and complex, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is critical for coordinating all activities and services before, during and after visitation. Connected, better informed and engaged tourists interact dynamically with the tourism industry to cocreate their tourism products. Interconnecting all local tourism organisations can enable them to provide real-time services and use data centrally for better tactical and strategic management at the macro and micro level. The concept of Smart Destinations (SD) represents an environment where technology is embedded throughout the destination, facilitating its dynamic coordination, empowering its marketing and developing its competitiveness. A destination could be categorised as smart when sustainable economic growth and high quality of life and tourism services are achieved through investment in human capital, adequate level of government participation and infrastructure that support proper dissemination of information throughout the city. Thus, smart destinations should base their smartness on three main pillars, namely: human capital, infrastructure/infostructure and information. Smartness will be empowered by a number of critical changes that generate a paradigm shift. These include: The Internet of Things (IoT); Machine to Machine collaboration; Big Data; Ubiquitous Networking; Networked Business; Augmented Reality; Wearable computing; Context Based Services. The new paradigm will be all around real time Consumer Centricity and co-creation. The research will bring together theory from tourism planning and marketing, information technology, networking and clustering as well as service marketing and co-creation. It will develop a conceptual framework for creating a smart tourism destination and will use Bournemouth as case. Bournemouth is an ideal destination to conceptualise smartness as it is a well determined destination with a range of products and services coordinated. Events, such as the air show when a very wide range of stakeholders are coordinated, demonstrate how smartness can be employed more widely to engage all stakeholders in wealth and value creation. AIMS: This research aims therefore to explore the factors that will enable a destination to develop its smartness. It will create a theoretical framework to ensure the optimization of value for all stakeholders. The project will make a theoretical contribution by bringing together tourism planning/marketing, networking/clustering and information systems. The aims therefore include: (i) identify the factors and catalysts that can increase smartness in a tourism destination; (ii) explore how smartness can improve the competitiveness of destinations; (iii) elaborate on the value co-created with consumers through smartness; (iv) examine best industry practice from around the world and model best practice; (v) apply these developments to the tourism industry of Bournemouth. METHODS: The research will adopt a pragmatic approach with a qualitative focus to explore the factors that propel smartness and its impacts. It will engage desk research, case study analysis of best practice examples, focus groups, in depth interviews with key stakeholders. The research also will engage industry representatives from different sectors to explore best practice as well as innovations that can improve smartness at destinations and maximize the value co-created with tourists. OUTCOMES: The research will generate multiple outcomes including a) Contribution to network theory by exploring how smartness effects of the competitiveness of destinations b) Best practice for both smart destinations and private organizations from around the world c) Academic publications in high ranking journals both in tourism and technology journals. ORIGINALITY: This is a very original research topic as it brings together multidisciplinary research. It engages technology development, strategic management and marketing as well as planning. Some European Commision Research has been undertaken, driven by mobile operators and the GSMA and focusing on Smart Cities. However

2 the application in the tourism context and through a multi-disciplinary approach has never done before. Linking to clustering, marketing and service dominant logic, and experience creation will make clear contribution in theory. Liniking with the NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR COASTAL TOURISM AND ALSO WITH BOURNEMOUTH TOURISM will enable the project to has relevant adn impact in the industry. INNOVATIVE RESEARCH OUTPUT: This is cutting edge research as it explores the impacts of emerging technological trends on tourism towards increasing the collective competitivess. There is little research in smart destinations and the knowledge created will make both a theoretical and practical innovative contribution. Academic Impact This research explores the opportunity to develop the smartness of tourism destinations as a way to improve their competitiveness and the value generated for consumers. The research is multidisciplinary by nature and explores tourism planning and marketing, information technology and networking clustering theories. The theoretical contribution will be primarily made on networking and strategic management. The research will also contribute to the knowledge of tourism marketing and service marketing. This research will generate great opportunities for further research and impacts as each of the areas it supports are extremely dynamic. Each of these areas (The Internet of Things (IoT); Machine to Machine collaboration; Big Data; Ubiquitous Networking; Networked Business; Augmented Reality; Wearable computing; Context Based Services.) are developing rapidly and synergies will be explored for further projects. The research outputs will be published in both tourism and technology outlets to ensure maximum dissemination. Societal Impact As the research will use Bournemouth as a case study to develop the conceptual model it have a direct societal impact by infusing knowledge to the local economy and tourism industry. It will explore the opportunity to develop the smartness of Bournemouth as a tourism destination in order to improve the competitiveness of destinations and the value generated for consumers. The research will be supported by Bournemouth Tourism and will engage a wide range of stakeholders locally, diffusing knowledge for both the private and public sector. As each of these areas (The Internet of Things (IoT); Machine to Machine collaboration; Big Data; Ubiquitous Networking; Networked Business; Augmented Reality; Wearable computing; Context Based Services.) will be influencing the tourism industry the research will demonstrate to local industry how to take advantage of emerging tools and how it can increase smartness as a holistic system of wealth creation. Training Opportunities This research will bring a range of training opportunities for the doctoral student. Firstly research training will ensure that the student will be able to conduct research in technology and tourism marketing. Additional training will be provided in networking and clustering as well as the key areas propeling smartness ie, The Internet of Things (IoT); Machine to Machine collaboration; Big Data; Ubiquitous Networking; Networked Business; Augmented Reality; Wearable computing; Context Based Services. The research training requirements will be assessed according to the background of the researcher and adequate support will be provided. TRAINING will focus On research methodology and particular mixed methods and pragmatism. A range of research methods will need to be addressed in order to approach the topic from a multidisciplinary approach Personal and Professional Development : the student will be offered academic training in writting papers, presenting in conferences, publishing and organising events The student will join the successful etourism lab and will be availed opportunities to develop his/her personal and professional talents towards maximising the academic capabilities.

3 SUPERVISORY TEAM & RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT First supervisor Additional supervisors Recent publications by supervisors relevant to this project Professor Dimitrios Buhalis Alessandro Inversini Potentially one more early stage supervisor will be involved Professor Buhalis recent relevant publications Mariani, M., Buhalis, D., Longhi, C., Vitouladiti, O., 2014, Managing change in tourism destinations: Key issues and current trends, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 2(4), pp Rihova, I; Buhalis, D; Moital, M; Gouthro, MB, 2013, Social Layers of customerto-customer value co-creation, Journal of Service Management, 24(5): Buhalis, D, and Michopoulou, E., 2013, Information Provision for Challenging markets: the Case of the Accessibility Requiring Market in the Context of Tourism, Information & Management, Vol 50, pp Buhalis D., Wagner, R., 2013, edestination: International best practices of tourism technologies and application, Tourism Tribune, 2013, 28(1):3-6. Neuhofer, B., Buhalis, D., Ladkin, A., (2012), Conceptualising technology enhanced destination experiences, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management Hays, S., Page, S., Buhalis, D., 2012, Social media as a destination marketing tool: An exploratory study of the use of social media among National Tourism Organisations, Current Issues, accepted Spencer, A., Buhalis, D., Moital, D., 2012, A hierarchical model of technology adoption for small owner-managed travel firms: An organizational decisionmaking and leadership perspective, Tourism Management, Vol.33, pp Frías, D.M, Rodríguez, M.A, Castañeda, J.A, Sabiote, C.M. and Buhalis, D. 2012, Tourism destination image formation through of information sources: The moderating effect of culture, International Journal of Tourism Research, Vol.14, pp Mistilis, N., and Buhalis, D., 2012, Challenges and potential of the Semantic Web for tourism, e-review of Tourism Research (ertr), Vol. 10, No. 2, 2012 Yovcheva, Z., Buhalis, D., Gatzidis, C., 2012, Smartphone Augmented Reality Applications for Tourism, e-review of Tourism Research (ertr), Vol. 10, No. 2, 2012 Fotis, J., Buhalis, D., Rossides, N., 2011, Social media impact on holiday travel: The case of the Russian and the FSU markets, International Journal of Online Marketing, 1(4), Paraskevas., A., Katsogridakis, I., Law, R., and Buhalis, D., 2011, Search Engine Marketing: Transforming Search Engines to Hotel Distribution Channels, The Cornell Hotel Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 52(2), pp Buhalis, D., Michopoulou, E., 2011, Information-Enabled Tourism Destination Marketing: Addressing the Accessibility Market, Current Issues in Tourism, Current Issues

4 in Tourism, 14(2) March 2011, pp Brás, JM; Costa, C., and Buhalis, D., 2010, Networks analysis and wine routes: the case of the Bairrada wine route, The Services Industries Journal, Vol. 30, No. 10, August 2010, Inversini, A., Cantoni, L., Buhalis, D., 2010, Destinations Information Competitors and Web Reputation, Information Technology and Tourism, Vol.11, pp Minghetti, V., Buhalis, D., 2010, Digital Divide and Tourism: Bridging the gap between markets and destinations, Journal of Travel Research, XX(X) 1 15 Chung, J., and Buhalis, D., 2008, Information needs in online social networks, Information Technology and Tourism, Vol.10(4), pp Qi, S., Law, R. and Buhalis, D., 2008, Usability of Chinese Destination Management Organization Websites, Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, Vol:25(2), pp Michopoulou, E., Buhalis, D., 2008, Performance Measures of Net-Enabled Hypercompetitive Industries: The Case of Tourism, International Journal of Information Management, Vol.28(3), pp Buhalis, D., and Law, R., 2008, Progress in tourism management: Twenty years on and 10 years after the internet: The state of etourism research, Tourism Management, 29(4), pp Buhalis, D., and Kaldis, K., 2008, eenabled Internet Distribution for Small and Medium Sized Hotels: The Case of Athens, Tourism Recreation Research 33(1), pp Eichhorn, V., Miller, G., Michopoulou, E., Buhalis, D., 2008, Enabling disabled tourists? Social Progress Through Schemes, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol.35(1), pp DR INVERSINI PUBLICATIONS Inversini, A., & Masiero, L. (2014). Selling Rooms Online: The Use of Social Media and Online Travel Agents. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 26(2), pp Inversini, A., Violi, L. (2013). Mobile Tourism Application Usability. The case of iticino. International Journal of E-Services and Mobile Applications, 5(2), Inversini, A., De Ascaniis, S., Stefania, M. (2012). New Media in Religious Tourism: the Case Study of World Youth Day Madrid Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 9(2) Inversini,A., Eynard, D. (2012). Harvesting User Generated Picture Metadata To Understand Destination Similarity. Journal of Information Technology & Tourism. 13 (4) Inversini,A., Brülhart, C., Cantoni,L. (2012). MySwitzerland.com: analysis of online communication and promotion. Journal of Information Technology & Tourism. Vol 13-1, Inversini, A. & Cantoni L. (2011). Towards online content classification in understanding tourism destinations information competition and reputation. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising Vol. 6-3: Inversini, A., Cantoni, L., Buhalis, D. (2009). Destinations Information Competition and Web Reputation. International Journal of IT in travel and tourism, Vol. 11:

5 Cantoni, L., Kalbaska, N., Inversini, A. (2009). elearning in Tourism and Hospitality: A Map. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, Vol. 8-2: INFORMAL ENQUIRIES To discuss this opportunity further, please contact either Professor Dimitrios Buhalis via dbuhalis@bournemouth.ac.uk ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA All Candidates must satisfy the University s minimum doctoral entry criteria for studentships of an honours degree at Upper Second Class (2:1) and/or an appropriate Masters degree. An IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 minimum (or equivalent) is essential for candidates for whom English is not their first language. HOW TO APPLY Please complete the BU Research Degree Application 2014 and submit it via to the School Research Administrator Denise George stresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk by Friday 13 June Further information on the application process can be found at