The national “Smart Tourism Destination” programme was deployed in thirty-three average-sized cities in China from 2009 under the impulse of the Chinese Council of State to promote the “smart” image of these towns and redirect tourist flows away from traditional destinations.

The initiative comprises three components.

• A cloud Cloud Cloud computing consists in exploiting the calculation power or storage capacity of remote servers. Through the intermediary of a network, generally the Internet, the information is saved, archived or processed online directly. The servers can be delocalised, and are hired on demand or as a package deal. This process avoids having to store data locally. service that permits access to applications, software and data via web browsers. At Nanjing, a tourist guide application is available on smart phone or tablet computer, in English and Chinese. It gives access to information on local places of interest. It also refers to the information and suggestion platform “Sina Weibo” which broadcasts news, local regulations, events, activities available in the town and experience feedback.

• The development of connected objects and sensors for implementing analysis of automated information. In the town of Sanya for example, this system is used to manage tourist sites: an RFID (radio-identification) chip is incorporated into the entrance ticket. The system is designed to control the number of visitors to heritage sites, which in turn are controlled by a set of sensors (air quality, human density, electrical consumption).

• A web services offer, that is to say the applications and equipment that support the cloud Cloud Cloud computing consists in exploiting the calculation power or storage capacity of remote servers. Through the intermediary of a network, generally the Internet, the information is saved, archived or processed online directly. The servers can be delocalised, and are hired on demand or as a package deal. This process avoids having to store data locally. or connected objects (Wi-Fi connections, free touch terminals at tourist sites, etc.).

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Lessons learnt

• This reform introduced at national level enables balancing of the appeal of the Chinese territory and redistribution of revenue from tourism at local level.
• Local authorities take advantage of this national programme to develop their own uses of digital tools in the tourism sector.