The level of smartness and tourism in cities

The concept of smartness in urban contexts has drawn the attention of many scholars in different fields of studies and all these contributions have led to a necessary clarification of definitions and initiatives, and focus on a shared procedure to measure the level of smartness in cities. In order to reach this aim, this research is based on a two-steps analysis, namely a review of the different frameworks developed by scholars, institutions and companies, and a multiple-case study. The paper delineates a state of the art in the measurement of smartness, putting in evidence the open issues, especially in tourism and culture, and it underlines the role of city management in the enhancement of smart tourism initiatives and in favouring visitors’ participation in technology-based service experiences.