Explaining the Role of the Capacity of Modern Information Technologies in the Development of Smart Tourism (Case Study of Tourism Target Villages in Khorasan Razavi Province)

Objective: This research aims to investigate the impact of utilizing smart capabilities on improving rural tourism and addressing rural challenges in the target villages of Khorasan Razavi Province. Methods:The study's statistical population comprised 261 tourists who either traveled to the villages or used virtual platforms to plan their visits.Due to the dispersed nature of the statistical population, a snowball sampling method was employed to select the sample.Data were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software, applying statistical tests.Additionally, to examine the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the development of smart tourism in the studied villages, the PLS (Partial Least Squares) model was utilized. Results:The findings indicate that existing tourism capacities have a direct and significant impact on the development of smart tourism.Among the evaluated components, smart transportation emerged as the most influential.Key aspects of smart transportation include online and offline routing, route traffic information, interstate services, and other related benefits.Following smart transportation, communication tools were identified as the second most effective component in fostering smart tourism.These tools include email, telephone, internet sites, and participation in messaging platforms or channels.Additionally, the smart environment was found to play a significant role in the development of smart tourism.Features of the smart environment include the availability of robust antenna networks, internet connectivity at the village level, electronic banking services, and similar infrastructural advancements. Conclusion:The results demonstrate that the average indicators related to virtual facilities in the studied villages exceed normal values.This indicates that the villages possess the necessary infrastructural and human resources to support the development of smart tourism.Furthermore, the analysis confirms that rural smart capabilities have a measurable impact on the advancement of smart tourism in the region.