Benidorm, world leader Smart Destination: a Japanese delegation visits the city

A delegation from Japan Travel Boureau Foundation headed by its CEO, Yuichi Yamada, who is accompanied by technical managers Mikoko Arzama and Takahiro Hawa together with technicians from the Japanese tourist complex Aizu Wakamatzu, develop a series of technical visits throughout the day and training in Benidorm, accompanied by professors Josep Ivars and Francisco Femenía of the University Institute of Tourism Research of the University of Alicante.

From the JTB Foundation they develop a study on the reality of the Smart Tourist Destinations for the Japanese Ministry of Economy and after a wide analysis of world possibilities they have opted for the Smart experience in China, with several Smart City examples, and in the city of Benidorm, for its leadership in Smart Destination, a higher and specific level of the Smart concept applied to the entire field and concept of tourism.

The Mayor, Toni Pérez, and the Councilor for Innovation, Aida García Mayor, welcomed them in the Smart Office. The mayor has highlighted “the collaboration with the University of Alicante in the field of knowledge acquisition”, thanking that collaboration, and has pointed out the advantages “of the city in height and compact that constitutes a success model that guarantees maximum sustainability ”.

Toni Pérez has highlighted the municipal lines of work in innovation, technology, accessibility, sustainability and governance, now included in the set of the Sustainable Development Goals. He stressed that we are the first certified smart tourist destination, which takes us to the Smart Destination level, and emphasized “the technological advantage and ability to manage the needs of residents and visitors by integrating them into an efficient and friendly city that provides happiness” that offers the Smart Office in the Smart Destination set ..

Upon arrival in Benidorm, the Japanese delegation has maintained a contact with the technicians of the Invat.tur and then they have visited the Smart Office of the City of Benidorm where they have received the relevant explanations of Celia Romero, Tourist Intelligence, and Leire Bilbao, from Visit Benidorm, who have highlighted the practical work developed, praising the Japanese delegation for the “practical example of data management”. The CEO of the JTB Foundation concluded his presentation by pointing out that after the visits made so far, "everyone has and manages data, but you have reached practical applicability."

This afternoon, the Japanese delegation visits the facilities of Dinapsis Lab. To complete the vision of Smart Destination work exhibited today in the Smart Office of the City of Benidorm.