Skip to main content
Articles | Sustainable Environmental Insight | Volume 3 - Issue 1 - 2026 | 56−71 | https://doi.org/10.53623/sein.v3i1.1032
© 2026 by the author(s), and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License

The Role of Local Stakeholders in the Development of Smart Tourism Destinations: Evidence from Kota Lama Semarang, Indonesia

Evidence from Kota Lama Semarang
Author(s): Whildhan Win Aghany ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2645-3489 , Achmad Djunaedi
Author(s) information:
Department of Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Grafika No. 2, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia

Corresponding author

Sustainable Environmental Insight

Volume 3 - Issue 1 - 2026

 About the journal
Submit your article

The success of implementing the Smart Tourism Destination (STD) dimension is determined by the ability of local planning authorities to adopt technological innovations in building a smart ecosystem. However, the flexible use of technology in planning has resulted in a lack of conceptual clarity. This condition raises questions about whether a destination can be classified as a Smart Tourism Destination solely through technological adoption, or whether such innovations fail to address urban problems and eventually remain unused. Therefore, the implementation of the STD dimension should begin with the formulation of definitions and characteristics aligned with local capacities. The concept of STD emphasizes interaction among stakeholders as a key element in the development of tourism activities. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach to understand the actual conditions of actors, their roles, and the interaction patterns that shape tourism activities in Kota Lama Semarang. The transformation of interactions among local stakeholders within tourism destinations into the Smart Tourism Destination framework is expected to contribute to the formulation of development strategies for the Kota Lama Semarang tourism area. Considering that the implementation of a Smart Tourism Destination must be adapted to regional characteristics, financial capacity, and human resource capabilities in adopting technological innovation, this study seeks to identify the stakeholders involved in the STD ecosystem at a fundamental level. The study aims to ensure that technological innovation remains aligned with the primary objective of a Smart Tourism Destination, namely enhancing the quality of experience for all actors involved in tourism activities.

Read Full-Text
Previous article
Next article

Smart tourism: A path to more secure and resilient destinations. (accessed on 1 December 2025) Available online: https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/opb/tut/T-TUT-SMARTCITY-2022-07-PDF-E.pdf.

Taylor, R.; Group, F. (2024). Book review: Routledge Handbook of Trends and Issues in Tourism Sustainability, Planning and Development, Management, and Technology. Tourism and Hospitality Management, 30, 147‒148. https://doi.org/10.20867/thm.30.1.11.

Noori, N.; de Jong, M.; Hoppe, T. (2020). Towards an integrated framework to measure smart city readiness: The case of Iranian cities. Smart Cities, 3, 676‒704. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities3030035.

Al-Saidi, M.; Zaidan, E. (2024). Smart cities and communities in the GCC region: from top-down city development to more local approaches. Frontiers in Built Environment, 10, April. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1341694.

Ivars-Baidal, J.A.; Vera-Rebollo, J.F.; Perles-Ribes, J.; Femenia-Serra, F.; Celdrán-Bernabeu, M.A. (2023). Sustainable tourism indicators: what’s new within the smart city/destination approach? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 31, 1556‒1582. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1876075.

Korstanje, M.E. (2021). A process-based perspective of smart tourism destination governance. In Tourism Destination Management: A Post-Pandemic Context Global Issues Destination Management Solutions; Gowreesunkar, V.G.B., Maingi, S.W., Roy, H., Micera, R., Eds.; Emerald Insight: Leeds, UK. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80071-511-020211025.

Arintoko, A.; Ahmad, A.A.; Gunawan, D.S.; Supadi, S. (2020). Community-based tourism village development strategies: A case of Borobudur tourism village area, Indonesia. Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites, 29, 398‒413. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.29202-477.

Roslan, Z.B.; et al. (2021). Reflections on local community identity by evaluating heritage sustainability protection in Jugra, Selangor, Malaysia. Sustainability, 13, 68705. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168705.

Collado-Agudo, J. (2023). The adoption of a smart destination model by tourism companies: An ecosystem approach. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 28, May. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100783.

Akbar, M. (2024). Kekhasan penerapan konsep smart city pada wilayah kabupaten: The peculiarity of application of the smart city concept in regency areas. Region, 19. https://doi.org/10.20961/region.v19i1.71313.

Clark, J. (2020). Uneven Innovation: The Work of Smart Cities. Columbia University Press: New York City, USA.

Kinasih, W.; Zauhar, S.; Domai, T.; Said, M. (2025). The Role of Local Community in Cultural Tourism Development. ICOPAG, 3. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.30-10-2024.2354771.

Adikampana, I.M. (2024). The Strategy for Local Community Participation in Tourism Planning Around Conservation Areas in Indonesia. South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 21, 109‒113. https://doi.org/10.9734/SAJSSE/2024/v21i2778.

Reindrawati, D.Y. (2023). Challenges of community participation in tourism planning in developing countries. Cogent Social Sciences, 9, 1. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2164240.

Baswarani, D.T.; Novianto, U. (2025). Community Participation in Sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism in The Braga Tourism Village. ASEAN Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 23, 168‒182. https://doi.org/10.5614/ajht.2025.23.2.06.

Tussyadiah, I.; Campo, S.; Rubio, N.; Cerd, E. (2024). Smart destinations: A holistic view from researchers and managers to tourists and locals. Tourism Management Perspectives, 51, February. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2024.101223.

Vaz, R.; De Carvalho, J.V.; Teixeira, S.F.; Castanho, R. (2025). Smart tourism destination advances through qualitative research and further research avenues: a systematic literature review. Discover Sustainability, 6, 682. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01590-2.

Yang, Y.; Bing, S. (2025). Integrating smart technologies and artificial intelligence to build smart tourism destination ecosystems: A model for smart destination management. Tourism Management Perspectives, 58. 101380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2025.101380.

Herliani, S.; Rosita. (2025). Integrasi Pariwisata Cerdas dan Manajemen Destinasi Berkelanjutan: Tinjauan Literatur Sistematis tentang Bukti Interdisipliner. Journal of Interdisciplinary Tourism Sciences, 1, 39‒45. https://doi.org/10.71094/jitours.v1i2.118.

Alsharif, A.; Isa, S.M.; Alqudah, M.N. (2024). Smart Tourism, Hospitality, and Destination: A Systematic Review and Future Directions. Journal of Tourism Services, 15, 72‒110. https://doi.org/10.29036/jots.v15i29.746.

Zvaigzne, A.; Mietule, I.; Kotane, I.; Vonoga, A. (2023). Smart tourism: the role and synergies of stakeholders. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 15, 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-06-2023-0079.

García Revilla, M.R.; Perogil Burgos, J.; Einsle, C.S.; Martinez Moure, O. (2022). Proposal of New Strategies for Smart Tourism Destinations in the Challenging New Reality: A Commitment to the Technology–Sustainability Binomial. Sustainability, 14, 5867. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105867.

Coelho de Souza Filho, J.J.; dos Anjos, S.J.G.; dos Anjos, F.A.; Kuhn, V.R. (2025). Tourism Innovation Ecosystems: Insights from Theory and Empirical Validation. Tourism and Hospitality, 6, 272. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6050272.

Gretzel, U.; Sigala, M.; Xiang, Z.; Koo, C. (2020). Smart tourism destinations: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 12, 5938. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155938.

Bastidas-Manzano, A.B.; Sánchez-Fernández, J.; Casado-Aranda, L.A. (2021). The past, present, and future of smart tourism destinations: A bibliometric analysis. Sustainability, 13, 12739. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212739.

Buhalis, D.; Leung, R. (2023). Smart hospitality and tourism: Digital transformation and innovation. Information, 14, 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/info14020112.

Koo, C.; Shin, S.; Gretzel, U.; Hunter, W.C.; Chung, N. (2021). Conceptualization of smart tourism destination competitiveness. Sustainability, 13, 5657. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105657.

Li, Y.; Wang, Y.; Xu, H. (2021). Integrating sentiment analysis of online travel reviews for smart tourism destinations. Sustainability, 13, 12345. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131312345.

Mariani, M.; Di Felice, M.; Mura, M. (2022). Tourist behavior and online sentiment: A cross-country analysis for sustainable tourism planning. Sustainability, 14, 1589. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031589.

Wang, D.; Li, X. (2023). Exploring residents’ and tourists’ perceptions for smart tourism governance: A comparative study. Sustainability, 15, 6702. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15186702.

Guttentag, D.; Smith, S.L.J.; Charbonneau, É.; Sirakaya-Turk, E. (2024). Behavioral drivers of tourism mobility and implications for destination sustainability. Information, 15, 213. https://doi.org/10.3390/info15040213.

Rasoolimanesh, S.M.; Seyfi, S.; Hall, C.M.; Hatamifar, P. (2021). Understanding memorable tourism experiences and tourist behavioral intentions in heritage destinations. Sustainability, 13, 4264. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084264.

Pai, C.-K.; Liu, Y. (2020). The impact of platform quality on user satisfaction and behavioral intention in smart tourism applications. Sustainability, 12, 9360. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229360.

García-Milon, A.; Olarte-Pascual, C.; Juaneda-Ayensa, E. (2022). Assessing the moderating effect of user experience on smart tourism technology adoption. Sustainability, 14, 10245. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610245.

Boes, K.; Buhalis, D.; Inversini, A. (2020). Smart tourism destinations: Ecosystems for tourism destination competitiveness. Information, 11, 538. https://doi.org/10.3390/info11110538.

Del Chiappa, G.; Baggio, R. (2021). Knowledge transfer in smart tourism destinations: An ecosystem perspective. Sustainability, 13, 11330. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011330.

Coca-Stefaniak, J.A. (2023). Beyond smart tourism: Governance, resilience and sustainability in destination development. Sustainability, 15, 7201. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097201.

Torres, E.C.M.; Picado Santos, L.G. (2025). Sentiment Analysis and Topic Modeling in Transportation: A Literature Review. Applied Sciences, 15, 6576. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15126576.

Chen, X.; Wang, Z.; Di, X. (2023). Sentiment Analysis on Multimodal Transportation during the COVID-19 Using Social Media Data. Information, 14, 113. https://doi.org/10.3390/info14020113.

Read Full-Text
About this article

SUBMITTED: 03 February 2026
ACCEPTED: 24 February 2026
PUBLISHED: 26 February 2026
SUBMITTED to ACCEPTED: 21 days
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53623/sein.v3i1.1032

Cite this article
Aghany, W. W., & Djunaedi, A. (2026). The Role of Local Stakeholders in the Development of Smart Tourism Destinations: Evidence from Kota Lama Semarang, Indonesia: Evidence from Kota Lama Semarang. Sustainable Environmental Insight, 3(1), 56−71. https://doi.org/10.53623/sein.v3i1.1032
Keywords
Smart Tourism Destination Stakeholder Interaction Kota Lama Semarang
Citations
0
Share this article