The incomplete journey of digitalization of Spanish tourism SMEs

We are mainly talking about integrating technologies into traditional processes, often in a hasty manner, which entails important cultural, organizational and technological challenges, explains Joan Ramon Blaya, professor and director of innovation and digitalization programs at the CETT of the University of Barcelona. «The demand for personalization is increasing and it is especially difficult for SMEs to adopt digital tools due to their limited resources to invest in advanced technology, in addition to facing reduced organizational structures and a lack of access to internal experts and access that generates a significant technological gap.

At the V CETT Smart Tourism Congress Barcelona, ​​held this week, it was highlighted that these challenges are being addressed through the use of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and blockchain. Furthermore, the promotion of sustainable policies and public-private collaboration are essential to foster innovation and facilitate access to financing. In this context, Blaya continues, “tourism is at a key moment to reimagine its way of operating.” The integration of technology should not only serve to improve processes, but also to transform experiences and contribute to a more sustainable and balanced future.

And it is this speed that requires tourism companies to be more agile than ever. This is where associations, public entities and organizations in the sector come into play, which have the responsibility of acting as facilitators, helping SMEs and the most lagging companies to get on this digital wave. This is stated by Jorge Robles del Salto, president of the Sevillian Association of Tourism Companies (ASET): “Collaboration is key to guarantee that no company is left behind, regardless of its size or resources.” Although it is key to know the challenges that the sector faces – which do not differ much from the rest of the business sectors –, the implementation of technological tools cannot be approached from an external or generic vision, because each subsector of tourism has its particularities, their specific needs and their own internal dynamics. This includes innovating products and services, to create personalized experiences that respond to changing consumer habits.

Operational efficiency

Artificial intelligence, in particular, makes it possible to optimize internal processes, such as task automation and data management, reducing costs and improving operational efficiency. It also opens the door to disruptive business modelssuch as digital platforms or on-demand services, which allow companies to be more agile and competitive. The most notable thing, Robles points out, is curiosity because “it allows you to explore, familiarize yourself with and evaluate different technologies until you find those that really add value to your business. The most advanced tools, which were previously reserved for large corporations, are accessible to small businesses thanks to subscription models and are affordable. This means you can try, make mistakes, correct and move forward without taking excessive risks.

For the professor, “knowing what technology to apply in a tourism business is a truly complex challenge and requires an in-depth analysis of its specific needs, adapted to its size, objectives and budget. For example, rural accommodation benefits from reservation management tools and digital marketing strategies to increase their visibility; travel agencies need CRM systems and ‘chatbots’ to offer immediate and personalized attention; active tourism companies can use mobile applications to manage activities and integrated payment systems; Urban hotels take advantage of artificial intelligence platforms to personalize the customer experience and tourist destinations use virtual reality to promote their attractions. To stay up to date, it is key to monitor trends, attend training and collaborate with experts, ensuring that the solutions chosen meet consumer expectations.

Focusing on how to address these challenges, in the report on ‘Level of digitalization of micro and small tourism businesses in Spain’ carried out by Segittur, experts such as Jaume Monserrat Quintana, president of Turistec (International Cluster of Information Technologies and Communication applied to Tourism), agree that collaboration with clusters is key to promoting digital solutions that improve competitiveness, mainly by reducing costs. Or like Gloria Díaz Álvarez, manager of the Confederation of Information Technology, Communications and Electronics Companies (Conetic), who believes that the aid is far from the real needs for many companies, especially the smallest ones and for this the Administration must understand the limitations and motivate change by offering specialized training and consulting to generate that culture of digital transformation.

Because according to the report, 60% of tourism SMEs still do not use advanced technologies to optimize their business, a figure that contrasts with the accelerated technological adoption of travelers and to address this challenge, it is essential that companies take advantage of institutional resources and funding programs, such as Next Generation EU funds, which include specific grants.

slight increase

And although it is true that, in the last year, all tourism subsectors, including accommodation, activities, restaurants, travel agencies, passenger transportation and vehicle rental, have managed to increase their level of digitalization, the Digital Maturity Index (IMD) stands, according to this report, at 47.6%, not yet reaching an average level, although it has improved compared to 2022, which stood at 31.2%. A medium level that indicates the use of basic tools, partially digitized processes and limited knowledge that are not integrated and therefore do not allow analytical decisions to be made that improve competitiveness.