SMART TOURISM AS A BASIS FOR THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN UZBEKISTAN
Keywords:
Keywords: Smart Tourism, digital transformation, tourism destinations, Uzbekistan, artificial intelligence, Big Data, Internet of Things, digital heritage, smart destination, tourism innovation.Abstract
Abstract. The rapid development of digital technologies is fundamentally transforming the global tourism industry and creating new approaches to destination management, tourist experience and service delivery. In this context, the concept of Smart Tourism has emerged as an important model that integrates information and communication technologies, big data, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, mobile applications and digital platforms into tourism development. This paper examines the role of Smart Tourism in the digital transformation of tourism destinations in Uzbekistan. The study analyzes the theoretical foundations of Smart Tourism and evaluates its potential application to Uzbekistan’s major tourism destinations, including Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent. Particular attention is given to digital infrastructure, smart destination management, personalized tourist services, digital cultural heritage, data-driven decision-making and sustainable tourism management. The paper proposes a conceptual framework for the digital transformation of Uzbek tourism destinations based on five interconnected dimensions: digital infrastructure, smart services, data-driven governance, digital cultural heritage and sustainable destination management. The study argues that the transition from traditional tourism management toward Smart Tourism can improve the competitiveness, accessibility and sustainability of Uzbekistan’s destinations and contribute to the achievement of the country’s tourism development objectives for 2030.
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