Bridging the Gap Between Smart Tourism Theory and Practice: Evidence from Historical Urban Case Studies

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has reshaped tourism practices worldwide, positioning smart tourism as a key approach for enhancing user experience. Previous studies have either focused on conceptual discussions of smart tourism principles or examined isolated technological applications; limited research has systematically linked theoretical experiential dimensions with the actual tools and systems implemented in heritage contexts. In response to this gap, a structured review of Scopus-indexed studies published between 2015 and the present was conducted to examine smart tourism applications in historical urban areas, identifying the evolution of the term smart tourism, recurring trends, technological interventions, and operational strategies applied in historical urban destinations. Using an inductive comparative qualitative approach, a selected sample of archival studies was analyzed, classifying studies into two distinct yet potentially complementary research families: a philosophical stream and a practical implementation stream. The selected studies are analyzed through a dual lens: (1) Theoretical dimensions and themes discussed in conceptual literature, and (2) Practical tools and techniques applied in empirical case studies. The core contribution of this research is the critical perspective of these efforts and the bridging of these two domains through the Integrated Smart Tourism Transformation Framework (ISTTF). The findings contribute to both theory and practice by offering a framework for policymakers, designers, and heritage managers seeking to implement smart tourism solutions that enhance user experience while preserving cultural integrity.