Tourism is a key economic factor, yet it faces major challenges. Digitalization has fundamentally changed travel booking behavior, and the pressure to make tourism more sustainable is growing. In popular destinations, the growing number of visitors is causing problems such as overtourism, traffic congestion, and a decline in the quality of life for locals. Digital technologies offer new opportunities to enhance cultural experiences, manage tourist flows efficiently, and promote climate-friendly mobility.
For many years, Salzburg Research has been committed to using digital technologies in tourism to improve the quality of the experience for all and achieve economic and ecological added value through data-based innovations.
From the very beginning, Salzburg Research has actively contributed to the advancement of digitalization in tourism. New internet technologies and associated communication possibilities have offered opportunities for tourism and, in many cases, have radically transformed tourism services.
While managing two competence centers for e-tourism, Salzburg Research developed innovative approaches to communicating culture and nature for numerous tourism destinations in and around Salzburg. In numerous pilot projects, long before smartphones became popular, cultural heritage and nature experiences were enhanced with digital technologies and data analysis. The implementation was tested, and success factors were systematically monitored. In recent years, the topic of overtourism has become increasingly relevant. Salzburg Research has developed evidence-based concepts for managing tourist flows and for sustainable destination management in cities and the Alpine region, based on the analysis of visitor movement data. Innovative measures and personalized incentives, in the form of small “nudges”, can direct visitor flows both indoors and outdoors. These measures increase the quality of experience for tourists and the quality of life for locals. Salzburg Research is also working to make climate-friendly mobility opportunities more visible and accessible using data-based decision-making principles to reduce tourism’s carbon footprint. Salzburg Research has been committed for many years to using digital technologies in tourism to improve the quality of the experience for everyone, as well as to create economic and ecological added value through data-based innovations.
All the figures, data, facts, success stories and activities for our anniversary: www.salzburgresearch.at/en/25-years-of-salzburg-research/
