Becoming a mature destination is a sign of tourism success. But it also brings new responsibilities. Once visitor numbers are no longer the main challenge, destinations must focus on managing tourism more intelligently. From anticipating visitor flows to supporting public services and protecting local communities, data and smart tourism solutions are helping destinations turn tourism success into sustainable growth.
Podcast Tourism meets data – Episode 6 with Daniel Santana
In this sixth episode, we deep dive into one of DEPLOYTOUR’s five pilots with Daniel Santana, Product Manager at the Smart Tourism Office of Seville, to understand how data and smart tourism solutions are helping this popular city improve decision-making, support local communities and build a more sustainable future.
This article explores the key takeaways from that conversation.
What is a mature destination?
For many destinations, increasing visitor numbers is a sign of success. But for cities like Seville, tourism has reached a different stage.
“Being a mature destination means you are already at the top. You do not necessarily need to spend money on advertising to get people to know you. The challenge is no longer attracting tourists, but managing success.”
As one of Europe’s most visited destinations, Seville faces challenges shared by many mature destinations: overcrowding, pressure on public services, rising housing costs linked to holiday rentals, and the need to preserve residents’ quality of life. The focus shifts from promotion to pure management.
To address these challenges, the Smart Tourism Office of Seville brings together two worlds that often seem very different: tourism and technology. By combining data and innovation, the team helps the city make better-informed decisions that improve the experience of visitors while enhancing the quality of life for the people who live here every day.
Managing tourism where it matters most
For Seville, the impacts of tourism are visible across three key areas: residents, local businesses and the environment. Daniel Santana highlights Barrio de Santa Cruz as a clear example. Located next to the Cathedral and the Alcázar, its narrow streets become heavily congested during peak periods, making it difficult to balance the needs of both visitors and locals.
To address this, Seville monitors visitor flows and has carried out a study with the university to encourage tourists to explore other neighbourhoods, such as Nervión. By anticipating visitor peaks, the city can also adapt services such as waste collection and improve the overall visitor experience. The goal is to reduce pressure on overcrowded areas while spreading tourism revenue more evenly across the city and encouraging visitors to discover Seville beyond its most iconic attractions.
What dos smart tourism really mean in practice?
Smart tourism is often associated with digital tools, such as free Wi-Fi in public spaces, the concept goes much further than that. In Seville, smart tourism means using technology as a bridge to balance three priorities: ensuring visitors enjoy their experience, helping local businesses thrive, and protecting residents’ quality of life.
“If technology does not make life better for the locals, it is not smart. It is just expensive.”
This people-centred approach shows that innovation is not an end in itself, but a tool to create a better destination for everyone.
Recognised as a European capital of smart tourism
In 2023, Seville was named European Capital of Smart Tourism by the European Commission. This recognition reflects the city’s commitment to putting sustainability and innovation into practice, not just talking about them.
A key factor behind this achievement was the creation of the Smart Tourism Office and the Tourism Intelligence System, a platform that brings together data from across the city to support better tourism management.
Since receiving the award, Seville has strengthened its international profile. Today, destinations from around the world are looking to the city as a source of inspiration for smarter and more sustainable tourism management.
How can data help address the challenges of mature destinations?
Data allows cities to move from reacting to anticipating. In the past, a street was only identified as overcrowded once it was already full. Today, by collecting and analysing data, Seville can predict when and where visitor peaks are likely to occur. These insights enable the city to guide visitors towards less crowded areas, adapt guided tour schedules, optimise waste collection and reinforce police presence before problems arise. As explained during the episode, data helps cities stop putting out fires and start preventing them.
How is data turned into concrete action?
Data is only valuable if it leads to action. By combining different sources of information, from mobile phone heat maps that reveal visitor movements to online reviews, Seville has developed several practical initiatives.
- One example is the creation of alternative visitor routes, encouraging tourists to explore less-visited neighbourhoods such as Nervión. This helps reduce pressure on the historic centre while spreading tourism revenue more evenly across the city.
- The city has also introduced smart tags to help local tourism businesses measure their water consumption and carbon footprint, promoting more sustainable practices and making it easier for environmentally conscious travellers to identify responsible businesses.
- Finally, through the Smart Space Agora, tourism data is shared with universities, young entrepreneurs and public organisations to foster collaboration and develop innovative solutions to local tourism challenges.
In that context why does tourism need a European Data Space?
Tourists do not stop at borders. A visitor travelling to Seville is likely to continue their journey to Lisbon, Paris or another European destination. This is why collaboration between destinations is becoming increasingly important.
The European Tourism Data Space enables destinations to share data securely, learn from one another’s experiences and build common standards for tourism management. “We are much smarter together than we are alone.”
Key takeaways
- The most competitive destinations of the future will not be the most beautiful ones, but the best managed ones.
- Success is no longer about how many tourists step off a plane, but how well they fit into the community that welcomes them.