Varying Roles of Destination Management Organizations in the Digital Business Ecosystem of Tourist Destinations

Abstract

AbstractUnderstanding the varying roles of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) in shaping the digital ecosystem is needed in the management and governance of tourist destinations. However, the evaluation is intricate, needing extensive resources to analyze data from numerous stakeholders. This research uses the Digital Business Ecosystem (DBE) framework, hyperlink network analysis, and webometrics to address the complexities. The study examines DMOs’ roles in Gipuzkoa province, Spain, spotlighting its capital San Sebastian recognized as a Smart Destination. It scrutinizes connections of DMOs’ websites alongside websites of other tourism actors (N = 670) and more than 36,000 websites connected to the destination stakeholders’ network. DMOs have distinct roles in the DBE compared to other tourism sectors, with differences evident among DMO types. DMOs play connecting and mediating roles in destination, strengthening network ties and bridging various stakeholders. The study emphasizes the value of varying DMO connections for attracting website visitors. Future research should explore destinations with diverse tech adoption levels and digital transition strategies, while further categorizing stakeholders in the DBE and identifying various ICT actors and their network ties.