The impact of digital technologies on the development of international tourism: current trends and prospects
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62911/ete.2026.04.01.14Keywords:
digital technologies, tourism business, international tourism market, innovative development, digital transformation, digital economyAbstract
The purpose of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the impact of digital technologies on the development of international tourism, identification of current trends in the digital transformation of the tourism industry and substantiation of the prospects for its further development. The object of the study is the process of development of international tourism in the context of the digital transformation of the world economy. The subject of the study is the economic, organizational and technological aspects of the impact of digital technologies on the functioning of the international tourism market, the activities of tourism enterprises and the behavior of consumers of tourism services. In the process of the study, the theoretical foundations of the digital transformation of the tourism industry were analyzed. It was established that digital transformation is a complex process of integrating digital technologies into the activities of tourism enterprises, government agencies and tourist destinations. Unlike the digitalization of individual processes, digital transformation involves profound organizational, technological and managerial changes aimed at creating a digital ecosystem of international tourism. The paper examines current global trends in the digitalization of the tourism market. It was determined that the main areas of development are the widespread use of online platforms, mobile applications, digital payment systems, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud technologies, the Internet of Things, blockchain, as well as virtual and augmented reality technologies. The implementation of these technologies ensures the automation of business processes, personalization of tourist services, optimization of tourist flow management and increased efficiency of marketing activities. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the obtained results by state administration bodies, tourist enterprises, tourism industry institutions and scientific institutions when developing digital development strategies, improving the tourism management system, implementing innovative digital services and increasing the competitiveness of the international tourism product. The proposed recommendations can also be used in the educational process when teaching subjects in international tourism, digital economy and tourism management.
References
AM Reports Vol. 1. «Technology in Tourism». https://www.untourism.int/archive/global/publication/am-reports-vol-1-technology-tourism
Box 2.3. Innovating the domestic tourism process with AI in Korea. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/tourism-policies-priorities-and-governance_5254e93a.html#boxsection-d1e6795-11a58cb084
European Travel Commission (2025), Future proofing European tourism through scenario planning and strategic foresight. https://etc-corporate.org/reports/futureproofing-european-tourism-through-scenario-planning-and-strategic-foresight/
EU Tourism Platform. https://transition-pathways.europa.eu/tourism
European Commission – Tourism. https://transport.ec.europa.eu/tourism_en
How Many Travelers Use AI for Booking? Key Insights for 2026. 20.02.2026. https://www.travala.com/blog/how-many-travelers-use-ai-for-booking-key-insights-for-2026/
OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026. 1 July 2026. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en.html
OECD (2021), Preparing the Tourism Workforce for the Digital Future, OECD Tourism Papers, No. 2021/02, OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9258d999-en.
OECD (2024), Artificial Intelligence and tourism: G7/OECD policy paper, OECD Tourism Papers, No. 2024/02, OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/3f9a4d8d-en.
OECD (2025), AI adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises: OECD discussion paper for the G7. https://doi.org/10.1787/426399c1-en.
OECD (2026), Artificial Intelligence and Tourism: boosting innovation, enhancing sustainability in APEC economies. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/tourism-policies-priorities-and-governance_5254e93a.html#biblio-d1e7629-11a58cb084
OECD (2026), Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2026: An OECD Scoreboard. https://doi.org/10.1787/075d8058-en.
OECD (2026), Using Incubators and accelerators to support travel and tourism start-ups.https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/tourism-policies-priorities-and-governance_5254e93a.html#biblio-d1e7629-11a58cb084
World Economic Forum (2025), Travel and tourism at a turning point. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Travel_and_Tourism_at_a_Turning_Point_2025.pdf.
World Tourism Organization (2017), New Platform Tourism Services (or the so-called Sharing Economy) – Understand, Rethink and Adapt, UNWTO, Madrid. https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284419081
