Assessing smart sustainability practices in tourism destinations: Evidence from Egypt

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Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City

Abstract

By relying on information and communication technology, smart sustainability is one of the crucial issues imposed by environmental difficulties to minimize the damaging effects of tourism activity on the environment. In order to achieve beneficial environmental and social results through market-driven technological innovation, smart sustainability proposes a conceptual framework of a digitally-driven paradigm of urban development. This research aims to evaluate smart sustainability practices in the Egyptian tourism destination. Data was collected depending on a qualitative method by conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 interviewees in the Arab Republic of Egypt (officials in the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, tourism experts, experts in the field of information and communication technology, and engineers). The findings showed that there are cities in Egypt that have features that support their transition to smart sustainability, like Sharm El-Sheikh. The findings also demonstrated that the three dimensions of the Egyptian tourism destination's sustainability procedures are good (environmental, social, and economic). If these practices are optimized, Egypt is said to have the potential to become a smart and sustainable tourism destination. The findings also explained the challenges of smart sustainability in Egypt. The research thus recommended that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities should increase funding to support the adoption of smart and sustainable practices in partnership with the private tourism sector.
 

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