Determinants of the intention to recommend a socially responsible destination with smart tourism technologies

ABSTRACT

Tourism, key to the economy, is facing environmental and social challenges. Currently, urban destinations are evolving and integrating Information and Communication Technologies to become more sustainable and smarter. This research analyses the relationship between memorable experiences with smart technologies, the perception of a responsible destination, tourist identification, destination image and the intention to recommend it. The sample includes 400 Spanish tourists over 18 years old in smart tourist destinations and was analysed using structural equations. The implications highlight the need to improve the destination's image and promote responsible and sustainable practices, as well as to ensure that tourists identify with the destination, thus increasing the intention to recommend it.

KEYWORDS:

• Destination social responsibility
• memorable experiences with smart tourism technology
• destination identification
• destination image
• intention to recommend
• smart destinations

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 https://imd.cld.bz/Smart-City-Index-20233

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Vicerrectorado de Investigación y Transferencia with Unidad Científica de Excelencia "Investigaciones Avanzadas en Economía y Empresa": [Grant Number UCE2018.02_2021-04].