TLDR: Iceland’s tourism industry is poised to embrace smart tourism, but faces unique challenges. Key recommendations include strengthening stakeholder collaboration, creating a centralized tourism data platform, and investing in widespread data literacy. The good news? Iceland’s compact size and tight-knit tourism community make rapid transformation possible.
Why This Matters Now
Iceland stands at a crossroads. As global tourism rebounds and evolves, destinations worldwide are racing to implement smart solutions. But Iceland’s unique context – its small market size, distinctive challenges, and opportunities – means it can’t simply copy-paste solutions from larger markets like Spain or Singapore.
The research reveals a complex ecosystem marked by fragmentation, where stakeholders struggle with immature data infrastructure, resource limitations, and collaboration challenges. Yet, these very challenges might hold the key to Iceland’s future success in smart tourism. From Research to Reality
Through rigorous analysis using grounded theory, the study identified six key themes that shape Iceland’s smart tourism landscape. More importantly, it proposes practical, actionable strategies for overcoming current obstacles. These insights aren’t just theoretical – they’re grounded in real conversations with the people shaping Iceland’s tourism future.
Looking Ahead
The research suggests something exciting: Iceland could become a leader in smart tourism implementation, particularly in how it uses data for destination management. Its small size, which some might see as a limitation, could actually be its greatest asset, enabling faster implementation and more agile responses to change.
This isn’t just another academic study gathering dust. It’s a roadmap for transformation, offering valuable insights for everyone from policymakers to tour operators. Whether you’re involved in Iceland’s tourism industry or interested in smart tourism implementation in smaller markets, this research provides practical guidance for the road ahead. Want to dive deeper into the findings and recommendations?
The complete thesis is available here.