Intelligent solutions for sustainable urban tourism

The Valencia Conference Centre, together with other local actors involved in tourism, has been taking part in an innovative international project whose main objective is to assess the social and environmental impact of visitors and identify solutions to reduce it.

Organised by Turismo Valencia, and led by experts from Breda University of Applied Sciences, Valencia has participated in a European project called Scithos (SmartCity Hospitality), funded by the European Commission, which aims to create sustainable business and leisure tourism through gaming techniques.

The city, together with Amsterdam, Belgrade, Darmstadt, Goteborg and Stavanger were the venues chosen to launch this new method of analysis. This model also includes simulation tools and apps that enable participants to reflect real situations through gaming elements and contribute to a better understanding of the different points of view of the other stakeholders in the tourism sector, providing joint solutions that address different aspects such as the economy and the environment.

In addition to Turismo València and the Valencia Conference Centre, some of the other entities taking part in the working groups and actively participating in discussions and decision-making included the Valencia City Council, the Municipal Bus Company (EMT), the Valencia Trade Fair Complex, the Valencian Institute of Building (IVE) and FairBnB. 

The importance of this type of gamification sessions lies not only in simplifying complex real situations through games so as to gain a better understanding of the effects of the application of certain policies, but also in the opportunity for debate and interactivity with the city’ s main stakeholders and the need to work together to obtain positive outcomes. 

The initial results of this pilot initiative are expected to be available by the end of this year.

If you would like further information about this project, please visit the Visit Valencia website