Purpose This study aims to develop and refine a conceptual framework of a smart tourism ecosystem that explains how human and non-human actors, including tourists, businesses, policymakers, and technologies, interact to co-create value across the pre-, during-, and post-trip phases. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual framework was developed through a narrative synthesis of existing literature on smart tourism, smart tourism technologies (STTs), and stakeholder engagement. This model was then refined through 14 semi-structured interviews with tourism and technology experts, local policymakers, and tourism businesses, and was analyzed using interpretative realism. Findings The proposed framework, grounded in actor-network theory and stakeholder theory, conceptualizes smart tourism as a technology-mediated, multi-stakeholder ecosystem in which human and non-human actors interact dynamically to co-create value. It identifies the major contributors to smart tourism and explains how diverse stakeholders utilize STTs to interact, engage, and create shared value. The framework emphasizes technological mediation and collaborative practices as essential for enhancing stakeholder coordination and delivering meaningful tourism experiences. Research limitations/implications This study demonstrates that effective smart tourism development depends on coordinated socio-technical ecosystems in which human and non-human actors jointly shape adaptive, data-driven, and sustainability-oriented experiences across the tourist journey. Originality/value The proposed conceptual framework provides an integrated perspective on the smart tourism ecosystem by incorporating the roles of human and non-human actors. It offers scholars, destination managers, tourism-related businesses, and policymakers a more holistic understanding of how smart tourism technology can enable engagement and value co-creation across the tourism journey.
Fatma et al. (2026) studied this question.