Journal of Smart Tourism

Smart Tourism Research Center, Kyung Hee University (경희대학교 스마트관광연구소)
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Conceptualizing Accessible Tourism with Smart Technologies

  • Lin, Katsy Jiaxin (Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management, University of Macau) ;
  • Ye, Huiyue (Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management, University of Macau) ;
  • Law, Rob (Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management, University of Macau)
  • Received : 2022.06.22
  • Accepted : 2022.07.22
  • Published : 2022.06.30
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Abstract

In recent years, UNWTO and academics have called for the development of responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism to promote equal human rights and social inclusion. Prior studies have also revealed the potential and value of smart technologies in reducing, if not removing, barriers to people with access requirements during travel and in their everyday lives. However, a guiding framework of how smart technologies assist in building an accessible destination is still absent, thereby hindering the progress of building accessible tourism. This paper aims to fill this knowledge gap. A conceptual model of smart accessible destination (SAD) was proposed drawing from the intersection of accessible tourism and smart tourism. With the guidance of this conceptual model, tourism destinations and stakeholders can recognize and utilize the synergies of accessible and smart tourism to enhance the social inclusion, competitiveness, and sustainability of a destination.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was partly supported by a research grant funded by the University of Macau.

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