Industry 4.0 as a Tool in Crisis Recovery: The Case of the Tourism Sector

Tourism has been one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world in recent years and has also established itself as a key driver of global sustainable socio-economic development. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the potential recovery and development factors in tourism, especially the applicability of new digital technologies. Tourism sector has been heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and consumer needs and demands have changed. New technologies can provide valuable insight into trends, behaviors, and opportunities and thus be a useful tool in designing new recovery strategies. Furthermore, Industry 4.0 has the potential to increase the competitiveness of tourism sector and ensure that new trends and opportunities are used in most efficient way. However, significant challenges remain in the implementation and management of Industry 4.0 technologies. Namely, advanced technological and specialized skills, as well as strong legal and institutional framework, which are lacking in many economies, especially developing countries. Intellectual property rights system needs to be in place, as data are easy to misuse or copy. It is concluded that the system of intellectual property rights stands out as one of the key factors in the growth of the tourism sector. Finally, recent trends call for sustainable tourism in which green, digital skills and new nature-based content will be the basis for transformation.