The lack of training and competence development in digital skills areas is a major gap for most SMEs. The need for a new approach to tourism that incorporates digital tools (also as a necessity that accommodates health protocols enacted fur to the COVID-19 pandemic) was highlighted as a challenge. The lessons learned underscore the importance of digital literacy and the integration of digital tools in tourism, as a means to increase visitors and drive sales.
Many Greek initiatives aim at enhancing the digitalization of Greek tourism by addressing these obstacles:
The LIBECCIO project enhances tourism governance and sustainability through digital transformation, supporting policymakers with data-driven decision-making. It has developed a Destination Management Support System (DMSS), a platform integrating sustainability indicators and Big Data analytics for policy and decision-making.
The project exploring the potential of Smart Industrial Tourism (SMIT) focuses on changing tourism patterns post-pandemic, by focusing on alternative destinations and exploiting technology to make the tourist experience more rewarding and sustainable. It aims to diversify the economy and the sector, reduce over-tourism and seasonalization, and boost social and economic growth and technological innovation in tourism.
The CI-Novatec project records and evaluates visitors’ experiences in the Region of Western Greece, Epirus, and Puglia, through a mobile application. The data collected helps managers improve their organization, strengthens small-medium sized businesses, and prepares members of the Regional Networks through training seminars.
“Metallon Topoi” (Places of Metals) project involving the islands of Sifnos, Serifos, Kythnos and the Community of Asgata aims to highlight the pan-European heritage of these areas with mining-metallurgical remains over 3500 years old, promoting new thematic forms of tourism. The project has resulted in a unified destination identity, promotion centers, permanent reports of geological-mining samples, and an Internet-GIS platform among other outputs. These projects have shown the potential of digital transformation in enhancing the tourism experience and promoting sustainable development.
Lessons Learned:
Data Collection and Analysis: Data collection and analysis can be pivotal to understanding visitor experiences and expectations, thus helping tourism SMEs and destinations improve their services and offerings.
Capacity Building and Skill Development: Capacity building and skill development among various stakeholders in the tourism sector is highlighted as a factor that can enhance the competitiveness of tourism SMEs. It can also support the development of new forms of tourism such as ecotourism and industrial tourism. The former can be enabled by the use of digital tools.
Digital Platforms for Accessibility and Inclusivity: The ALTER TRIP project shows the importance of developing digital platforms to improve the accessibility of tourist destinations. Such platforms can help disabled and elderly visitors plan their trips, thereby making the destination more inclusive.
Use of Advanced Technologies: The “SMITour” and CI-NOVATEC projects highlight the role of advanced technologies in enhancing the tourist experience and making it more rewarding and sustainable.
