Proposal of New Strategies for Smart Tourism Destinations in the Challenging New Reality: A Commitment to the Technology–Sustainability Binomial

Abstract

This paper aimed to investigate the response of smart tourism destinations (STDs) to the COVID-19 crisis, specifically regarding sustainability, which—along with information, new technologies, and governance—is a key element of STDs. First, we conducted a brief literature review regarding tourism sustainability. Secondly, we performed a case study of several STDs to determine the sustainable actions implemented in response to the current crisis, the results of which are presented in this paper. Thirdly, we assessed these STDs’ primary sustainability actions and developed a strategy proposal that can be followed by destinations in similar situations. This proposal is intended to be evaluated by the studied STDs for validation or adaptation. Far from a definitive solution, our proposal was designed as one possible tool to avoid the disorganisation and uncertainty suffered in crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.