Rethinking Smart Tourism: Why Sustainability and Mobility Matter More Than Technology in Tourist Satisfaction

In an era of global smart cities, digital infrastructure, sustainability and mobility is becoming an important part of tourism planning in order to improve visitor experiences. Yet, empirical evidence is ambivalent, which elements underlie tourist destination satisfaction to the greatest extent. This study explores the influence that Technology Integration, Sustainability Practices, and Mobility & Transportation Solutions have directly and indirectly via Experience Quality on Tourist Satisfaction, moderated by Cultural Orientation. Applying Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) on survey responses from 346 tourists who have experienced smart city services, we find that while Sustainability Practices and Mobility Solutions positively contribute to satisfaction, Technology Integration and Experience Quality do not contribute to satisfaction. Additionally, EQ is not a mediator, whereas CO does not moderate any of the analyzed relationships. These results question traditional models of technology-led tourism and point to a shift in preferences and satisfaction drivers for urban travel based on use and sustainability. The results of the study are applicable to policymakers, tourism planners and urban developers who want to create traveler-friendly smart city spaces.

Smart Tourism, Smart Cities, Tourist Satisfaction, Sustainability Practices, Mobility Solutions

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