Research Group on
Smart Tourism and Innovation
Nebrija Research Group on Smart Tourism and Innovation Acronym: Smarttour-INN
Research topics
Summary:The research group on Smart Tourism and Innovation (Smarttour-INN) is dedicated to generating cutting-edge knowledge and uncovering innovative approaches that enhance tourism practices, promote sustainable development, and support effective management and governance.
Recognising tourism as a multidimensional phenomenon—spanning spatial, economic, and social aspects—and emphasising its profound interconnection with technology, our objective is to generate profound and applicable insights. This is achieved through rigorous research design and the employment of advanced technological methods. We collaborate with diverse tourism stakeholders, such as government bodies, international organisations, and businesses, to develop more effective policies and innovative strategies to address current and future challenges in tourism.
The principal goals of the research group include:
- Support for Effective Social Transformation:
Generate cutting-edge knowledge and uncover innovative approaches to support the transition to smart tourism, sustainable development, and the effective management and governance of tourist destinations. - Advanced Methodologies:
Develop advanced technological research methods and rigorous designs to obtain deep and applicable insights into tourism trends and challenges. - Knowledge Transfer for Social Progress and Tourism Competitiveness:
Convey advanced knowledge and innovative practices to bolster the abilities of tourism professionals in managing smart tourism transition, enhance the competitiveness of tourism enterprises and destinations, reduce the digital divide, and facilitate effective policy formulation.
The primary research areas are:
- Smart territories:
- Smart tourism destinations
- Climate change adaptation strategies
- Carbon-neutral destinations
- Intelligent systems in tourism
- Impact measurement in tourism
- Digital business ecosystems:
- New governance models and public policies in tourism
Research Projects
Efficiency of the Spanish tourism model
- Funding entity: Escuela de Organización Industrial (2013-14).
Measuring the impact of tourism on the economy, employment and environment at the local level
- Funding entity: Escuela de Organización Industrial (2015)
REDTUR (Tourism Intelligence and Innovation Network)
- Funding entity: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Subprograma INNPACTO 2010)
Project of visualization Platform of the Touristic Heritage of La Rioja in 3D on Google Earth
- Funding entity: Ministerio de Industria, Energía y Turismo (Plan Nacional Avanza 2009)
Other studies
- National account system and tourism sector situation report. Nebrija University, as part of a collaboration agreement with “Mesa del Turismo”, publishes on a quarterly basis the “National accounts system” as a complement to the Tourism-related accounts of the National Statistics Institute. The report named “Situation of the Spanish Tourism Sector” analyses the context dynamically through a set of 14 variables.
- Index of Spanish hospitality industry confidence. Nebrija University, together with the Spanish Federation of Hospitality (FEHR), publishes on a quarterly basis a confidence index that facilitates to different companies to express their views on the evolution and sales volumes compared to past time periods as well as future forecasts.
- Analysis of tourism situation . For the organization “Mesa del Turismo”. Delivered on a quarterly basis.
- Hotel Quality Index. The research group on Smart Tourism and Innovation collaborates with the company QUERYTEK, devoted to understanding hotels customers’ opinions, to monitor and observe the overall quality of the hospitality sector, which is key for the Spanish economy and society.
- Rural tourism barometer Nebrija-Clubrural. Nebrija University collaborates in the creation of a report that analyses the evolution and situation of the rural tourism sector in Spain, which offers useful data for companies and public institutions as well as for tourists.
- Technological solution for digital marketing out of home (DOOH). Based on Big Data for the hospitality and F&B sector. DOOH On Demand (DOD).
