Benidorm receives the certification as the first Smart Tourist Destination from the hands of the Minister Reyes Maroto

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, has received today in Madrid from the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, the certification that makes the city the first Smart Tourist Destination in the world, after having achieved the Q Mark granted by the Institute for the Spanish Tourist Quality (ICTE) once the audit has been completed in accordance with the UNE 178501 standard for the Management System of Intelligent Tourist Destinations made by AENOR. This norm was promoted by Segittur, the State Tourism and Innovation Society dependent on the Secretary of State for Tourism, within the Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE.

The Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, also participated in the award ceremony. An act that has been held at the Ministry's headquarters and to which, among others, the president of Segittur, Enrique Martínez; the president of ICTE, Miguel Mirones; Javier García, general director of the Spanish Association of Standardization UNE; David Cierco, CEO of Red.es; the regional secretary of Tourism of the Valencian Community, Francesc Colomer; representatives of the municipal corporation and the Neighborhood Council, who are part of the Governing Board of the DTI; the president of the hotel management Hosbec, Toni Mayor and the members of the Ente Gestor of the DTI.

After receiving the certification, which "makes us better and more competitive", the mayor stressed that obtaining it "is an achievement in which many people have worked" with "the challenge, already achieved, to position Benidorm in the tourism leadership obtaining certification as the first DTI ". A task "in which we have worked a lot" and for which "we have supported" in entities such as "the Secretary of State for Tourism, Segittur, ICTE, AENOR, Red.es and Turisme de la Comunitat Valenciana and those with the that we have traveled this path as our Visit Benidorm Foundation ", which was the first in Spain to be certified in technological surveillance and competitive intelligence in accordance with the UNE 166006/2011 standard.

Pérez has assured that "for the administrations, the digital transformation is not only an option, but an obligation". He also recalled that Benidorm has been exemplary in pursuing the fulfillment of the axes that marks the World Tourism Organization (WTO) for the DTI: technology, innovation, sustainability and accessibility. A few axes, he remarked, that aim to "improve governance, which can only be achieved at its highest levels by sharing projects, facing challenges and achieving them".
For its part, the Minister of Industry congratulated Benidorm for becoming the first DTI; and has ensured that "this certification is a satisfaction and encourages us to continue working" to advance the tourism intelligence project within the framework of the DTI Network, of which 64 Spanish municipalities are part. Maroto has affirmed that "the synergies" that occur in that Network - of which Benidorm was a promoter - will come up with "tools to define the tourism policy of the 21st century".

The minister pointed out that the model emerged from the certification achieved by Benidorm "increases the quality and experience of tourists, encourages continuous improvement, improves the relationship between residents and visitors, and allows better adapt to the needs of the latter through the treatment of information and data ", thus adding" value to our tourism policy ".

During his speech, Maroto has subscribed to the words pronounced by the mayor after obtaining the Q Mark of Smart Tourist Destination, when he assured that "in the very near future, tourism and the success of a destination will not be conceived without the application of tourism intelligence. , in which Benidorm is a pioneer ".

DTI and Norma UNE 178501 of the Smart Tourist Destinations Management System (SGDTI)

Benidorm has been working since 2016 to achieve this certification that makes it the first Smart Tourist Destination (DTI). The process of implementing the Management System for Smart Tourist Destinations (SGDTI) in accordance with the UNE Standard has been coordinated by Mercedes Llorca, responsible for the Ente Gestor. A Gestor Entity conformed by municipal technicians; the manager of Visit Benidorm, Leire Bilbao; and the technical advice of the head of the Tourist Intelligence company, Celia Romero.

The UNE 178501 Standard of SGDTI establishes the requirements that must be fulfilled by any destination that wants to be intelligent and that pivots on five axes: Sustainability, Accessibility, New Technologies, Innovation and Governance.

The certification audit has a scope throughout the municipality of Benidorm, as well as the level of specialization in tourism products: Sports, Health and Welfare, Congresses, Gastronomy, Film Office, Shopping and Benidorm Green.

The audit report highlights the commitment to innovation and development of Benidorm as DTi, as manifested by the work that has been carried out in recent years, the participation in projects developed in this field and the involvement of all the personnel interviewed during the audit, also highlights the creation of the Smart Office DTI: Technical Office of Innovation and Intelligence and the development of a surveillance system and smart tourism.