MADRID, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cities need to become smart tourist destinations and join local governance and the digital economy together "to offer travelers diverse and authentic experiences" is the main conclusion drawn from a United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Conference.
The two-day UNWTO Conference on City Breaks: Creating Innovative Tourism Experiences, concluded on Tuesday in the central Spanish city of Valladolid, aimed to bring together tourism leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss the growing trend of 'city breaks', with representatives from organizations such as the San Sebastian Tourism and Convention Bureau, Ljubljana Tourist Board, Turin Convention Bureau, Lisbon Tourism Observatory, Google, and TripAdvisor among those giving keynote speeches.
It focused on urban governance at a time when low-cost transport links are making short city breaks increasingly viable, but are also causing problems of over-tourism and rising prices for residents of the most popular destinations.
A UNWTO press release published at the end of the event comments that "tourism policy makers should use smart destination tools to study the impact of tourism on the profitability and sustainability of a city."
"We must understand the evolution of tourists towards greater sustainability and inclusiveness, using new technological tools," explained Jaime Cabal, the UNWTO Deputy Secretary-General, adding that "creativity and innovation are needed when designing the experiences they (tourists) are increasingly demanding."
Meanwhile, Ruben Lopez-Pulido, the Deputy Director-General for Tourism Development and Sustainability at Spain's Ministry of Tourism said cities needed to embrace the digital era.
"Being a smart destination is not just a label, but a process towards the comprehensive transformation of destinations, while always aiming at the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals," he commented.
This call was echoed by Ana Maria Redondo, the Councilor for Culture and Tourism of the host city, Valladolid.
She said cities "need a better understanding of the fundamentals behind the current demand for city break experiences. Smart destination tools are our means to obtain this knowledge."
