The impact of innovations and emerging technologies on the tourism industry [Articol]

Abstract

Purpose of this article: to examine, from a conceptual–critical standpoint, how innovations and emerging technologies are reshaping the tourism industry (management, marketing, operations, sustainability), by rigorously distinguishing innovation (incremental/radical; product/process/business model) from emerging technology (radical novelty, rapid growth, anticipated socio-economic impact, uncertainty) and proposing an integrative framework for smart-destination design. Best-practice illustrations include the Intersmart platform (Interreg – Black Sea Basin). Methodology: Narrative analytical synthesis of the literature (2005–2025), critical mapping of typologies and attributes of emerging technologies, illustrative case analysis of Intersmart; use of established evaluative “lenses” as conceptual tools (SEM, CBA, MCA, GIS/sustainability prism) to structure managerial and policy implications, without primary empirical testing. Conclusions: Four transformation mechanisms emerge: (I) personalization via AI and big data; (II) automation/efficiency (CRS/GDS, digital payments, blockchain); (III) experience augmentation through VR/AR and IoT; (IV) sustainability-oriented governance grounded in GIS and multicriteria assessment. Post-pandemic digitalization accelerates adoption but raises risks (security, privacy, algorithmic bias, SME asymmetries). We outline policy directions (digital skills, interoperability, data ethics) and technology roadmaps anchored in open partnerships (e.g., Intersmart). Originality: (a) an integrative framework linking innovation typologies with attributes of emerging technologies and actionable evaluation tools; (b) operationalization of the sustainability prism for tourism technologies; (c) regional anchoring via the Intersmart case as a model of co-creation and knowledge transfer; (d) testable hypotheses for future empirical studies in Central and Eastern European destinations.