Research Information System
in: Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Information Technology, Cihan Cobanoğlu,Seden Doğan,Katerina Berezina,Galen Collins, Editor, University of South Florida M3 Publishing, Florida, pp.1-33, 2021
Wearable technologies started to play an important role within the tourism ecosystem. These
technologies open up new possibilities for all types of tourism operators such as Destination
Management Organizations (DMOs), airlines, hotels, cruise lines, theme parks, museums and other
attractions in terms of offering competitive advange and assuring a sustainable offer. In this context,
tourism-related companies and destinations, in particular, need to employ new strategies and be
innovate in order to meet the demand of sophisticated consumers, improve the satisfaction of the
tourist and increase the overall tourism experience. Although the role of this technology is still very
much a developing one within tourism at present, it is likely that over the coming years, this theme
will grow in popularity to ultimately aid the traveler experience. This chapter aims to provide a better
understanding of how future WT could move beyond digital technology and become wearable
laboratories on our bodies, by combining both literature review of best practices from scientific
articles and insightful examples of business practices on WDs. The first part of the chapter provides
the key concepts about WTs, their evolution process, contributions and advantages and disadvantages
to several sectors. The second part provides a basis for a deeper insight into the implications of
tourism marketing and management by providing examples from the industry and look at the ways of
transformation from tourists to smart travelers. In conclusion, this chapter aims to provide a better
understanding of WTs and help students, academics, and practitioners consider wearable devices
and their importance in the tourism industry.