Smart tourism is sustainable tourism

Being sustainable is pretty much as smart as it gets when it comes to tourism, but using technology to boost sustainability is the icing on the conscious cake. Tartu in Estonia has the smart word written into its brand name, ”Tark Tartu” - meaning smart Tartu, so they are definitely nailing their colors to the mast of modern thinking. Because tourism is definitely getting smarter. For example, in addition to the European Green Capital initiative, the EU now designates an annual European Capital of Smart Tourism. This recognizes digital tools, products and services that improve accessibility, health and safety and low carbon practices. From urban cycling schemes to mobility apps, sustainability must tap into tech. Here are two examples of smart tourism products that we have featured in our travel content films:

Tartu, Estonia

Tartu is Estonia's second city, one with Hanseatic heritage and an ancient university at its heart. Known to many as the intellectual and cultural cradle of Estonia, it is definitely smart. It is also young, with a third of the population being under 30 and one in five citizens at university in the city. 

Tartu started to boom when, like its capital, it became start-up and digital savvy. This is the country that invented Skype after all. But with increased standards of living came a higher number of cars, something that the city has decided to conquer before pollution particles outnumber the small population. Although already listed by the World Health Organization as one of the least polluted cities in the world, Tartu is seeking to do even better by reducing car usage to 25% of all transport by 2040.

Technology in transport is playing a big part in this smart switchover, with two main projects to create change: Tartu Smart Bike Share scheme and a new public transport system that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). These projects are part of the SmartEncCity initiative taking part in various cities across Europe. The Smart Bike Share covers an extensive range of the city, the technology for using it is very accessible and out of its 750 bicycles available, 500 are electric. With over 100km of new bike lanes, cyclists can travel from one side of the city to the other in safety. All of these achievements led to Tartu being a finalist in the Green Destinations Award of 2021.

In addition, all buses in the city’s bus network are new biogas ones, with air conditioning and low floors to cater for people with mobility issues. The plans to start producing biogas in closer proximity to Tartu were also well underway at time of publication to avoid importing it into the area.

“Tartu is already known as a city that cares about the climate, and overall environmental issues. It has really reached a lot of people and touched their hearts.” Raimond Tamm, Deputy Mayor Tartu. For more information on public transport in Tartu, see Visit Tartu.

Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Located in the east of the Netherlands, not only was Nijmegen awarded European Green Capital Status by the EU in 2017, it also used smart technology to monitor visitor influx during COVID-19 which meant that it added a Green Destinations Award to its list of achievements. It may be the Netherlands’ oldest city, but its reaction to COVID-19 was state of the art. 

Nijmegen has used data monitoring in its historic city for quite some time, applying statistics to put in place necessary services that ensured that there was a good balance between local community and tourist needs. Local businesses cooperated in gathering data because they could see the immediate benefits: If street lights don’t work, or if overcrowding occurs, authorities have easy access to statistics to effect policy, or just fix a problem, as soon as possible. 

This quick access to data proved invaluable when it came to monitoring tourism footfall during COVID-19. Their data monitors kept an eye on visitor numbers when lockdown was eased, and therefore local authorities knew if visitors, businesses and outdoor spaces were being able to keep a respectable distance. Tourism businesses in the city have always played a central role in data gathering and so they were able to adapt quickly, supplying data three times a day to local authorities regarding visitor numbers and impacts.

“We are a destination management organization, not a destination marketing organization. We have committed to the idea of spreading out visitors for quite some time to improve the visitor experience. But COVID-19 has pushed this initiative forward in a way we could not have achieved otherwise. I am positive about the future of tourism, especially because I see that there is a balance developing between residents, nature and visitors.” Herre Dijkema, Managing Director, Nijmegen Tourism.