The speakers highlighted the cross-cutting nature of tourism initiatives and the advantages of knowing how to interpret the data at the second Digital Tourist 2021 discussion table
Benidorm exposes its achievements in governance thanks to the functionality of its Smart Office
The Smart Office of Benidorm is consolidated as a reference model; destinations follow their initiatives and pilots projects
The second discussion table of Digital Tourist 2021 has revolved around Smart Offices and Artificial Intelligence for its operation. Moderated by the CEO of MB3-Gestión, Francisco Morcillo, a specialist in city and territory management, the table has had five speakers who have presented the broader vision of the subject. From ICT solutions, with Antonio Soto, from Verne Tech, to Francisco Huidobro, director of digital services at Orange; through the director of Aeroports de Catalunya, Jordi Candela, and the director of the area of Tourist Intelligence Analysis of the Costa del Sol, Rafael Fuentes. The panel was completed by the director-manager of Visit Benidorm, Leire Bilbao, who has received the congratulations of the speakers for leading from Benidorm DTI a process that values Smart offices and points out the value of their contributions to governance.
All the panelists highlighted the importance of effective data analysis, considering the predictive part as essential in this process. The use of data has gained special prominence, coinciding both in the need for public-private collaboration and in the requirement to involve everyone in the process, insisting that the important thing is to define the areas of competence and always bet on the transversality of the interactions, although, in specific cases it is proposed to go phase by phase.
The example of Benidorm DTI, in Benidorm Smart Office, has gravitated to all the interventions, showing that "it follows in the footsteps of Benidorm" as the first certified DTI and the importance of being able to specify "clear and concise information in order to take governance decisions, as pointed out by Professor Fuentes, pioneer of data analysis on the Costa del Sol and the first Tourism Observatory.
Aeroports de Catalunya, Jordi Candela highlighted the collaboration they have with Benidorm and the Urban Mobility initiative, with De Lorean project, in urban flight of drone vehicles for services.
Leire Bilbao, director-manager of Visit Benidorm, has valued the choral work developed since 2015 to become the first certified DTI, the audits already passed and the resizing to DTI + Seguro, depending on the times, thanks to the analysis of the data and the use of Artificial Intelligence.
Thus Benidorm was able to issue its first Covid report on February 11 and take the first and decisive measures, together, to preserve the brand and ensure safety conditions for residents and tourists in the month of March.
Bilbao highlighted the chapter of innovation that involves having the predictions and prospects of the Smart Office, already at the Smart Destination lab level, as a laboratory of positive actions that can be developed in the destination.
The director of Visit Benidorm pointed out two pilot programs that have achieved notoriety, such as the City Sentinel for analysis of Covid remains in wastewater and thus indicate forecasts in health indicators, or that of healthy routes, with information in real time, `to be pointing out always the most suitable for those who practice them.
Finally, she highlighted the leadership of the mayor, Toni Pérez, throughout this process and explained that from the initial data collection that was announced just a few years ago, we have gone through an effective form of management that is now essential to enter into optimal levels of governance; to better manage the municipality.
