Maturity model Smart Destination

Project description

Together with Tourismus NRW e.V., DI Tourismusforschung 2022 has developed the Smart Destinations maturity model. The maturity model was created as part of the Smart Destination cluster, which was part of the funded project “Tourist data management NRW: open, networked, digital”. Various practice partners from all tourism regions in North Rhine-Westphalia were also involved in the process. Following the revision of the first version in 2024, the further development of the maturity model is now becoming permanent. Ongoing cooperation with Tourismus NRW is essential here. Since 2024, the lead has been with DI Tourismusforschung. By answering the self-checks, the Smart Destination maturity model provides guidance on the extent to which a tourism destination is “smart” – both for its guests and for internal destination processes. The maturity model’s self-checks are supplemented by the guide Smart Destination, which takes a closer look at the various fields of action of Smart Destination and presents use cases. Destinations are provided with a practical guide that – together with the self-checks – supports them in evaluating the status quo of smartness and driving the development towards a Smart Destination. The maturity model Smart Destination is therefore a survey tool that also functions as a further training instrument, particularly through the supplementary guide Smart Destination. In addition, the maturity model has made it possible for the first time to shed light on digitization on site and thus provide stakeholders with a framework for orientation. The maturity model Smart Destination is one of the results of the work carried out together with Tourismus NRW e.V. and all regional partners as part of the Smart Destination cluster. There was a consensus within the cluster that a holistic model was needed to make the topic of Smart Destination tangible. The maturity model Smart Destination shows the three cornerstones of a destination’s digitalization: Data infrastructure, digital applications and digital equipment. In addition, the Smart DMO category asks about overall smartness and, for example, the DMO’s ability to exert influence. By answering the self-checks, destinations can find out how “smart” they currently are and to what extent the existing actual state and the desired target state match. In addition, the relevance for the destination and the knowledge of the individual aspects are queried. This makes it possible to identify specific needs for action. For the assessment of smartness, around 150 statements were formulated from the perspective of DMOs at regional and local level, which in turn were rated by the providers themselves from “very poor” to “optimal”. The four self-checks are:

• Digital equipment (sensors, WLAN hotspots, info screens, etc.)
• Digital applications (playout channels such as websites, apps, etc.)
• Data infrastructure (tourism-relevant information about a region or location (POIs, hotels, etc.))
• Organizational structure of the respective DMO itself (agility, enabling of service providers, etc.)