Global Tourism Forum: How blockchain contributes to safe and smart tourism

The contribution of blockchain technology to the development of “Smart Tourism” (Blockchain technology: A bridge to “Smart Tourism”) was the subject of a special session held on Saturday, March 26 with the online participation of the President of the Greek National Tourism Organization, Angela Gerekou, in the framework of the Global Tourism Forum in Dubai.

The President of the Greek National Tourism Organization referred to the opening of the tourist season in Greece from the beginning of March, as well as to the actions of the Greek government to actively support businesses affected by the war in Ukraine. She also briefly presented the new tourism markets to which Greece is addressed and the targeted campaigns already implemented by the Greek National Tourism Organization.

Regarding the need for digital upgrading, Ms. Gerekou noted that the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies in Greece, as well as around the world.

“The Greek government has taken many important steps to promote the digital agenda, but of course more can be done to develop digital services and stimulate the digitization of businesses,” she said, explaining:”This includes promoting competition and giving incentives for interoperability in digital markets, increasing the availability of digital and complementary skills and enhancing access to innovation finance.”

Referring, in particular, to the use of new technologies in the tourism sector, the President of GNTO characterized blockchain as an effective tool with many uses other than financial and cryptocurrencies. “This technology has revolutionized many parts of our daily lives. I firmly believe that tourism and blockchain have the potential to become a powerful combination, as this technology offers security and transparency on many critical issues and especially on the way we travel”, she said.

“Technology must serve people”

At the same time, she highlighted the ethical dimension in the relationship between design and results in everyday life, since “technology is here to serve people”. As she pointed out “the promise that blockchain will have an impact on millions of people, literally changing the world, is real.

The key features of transparency, trust and volatility can improve people’s lives by increasing the effectiveness, security and verifiability of how organizations operate with a positive social impact.

Concluding, Ms. Gerekou recalled that the internet is related to connection and blockchain to trust and concluded: “It is up to us to protect ethical use, the Blockchain Ethical Design Framework, which ensures the protection of social values.”

It is noted that the Dubai World Tourism Forum was attended, among others, by the former President of France, François Hollande, the former SG of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai, as well as top executives of international tourism organizations.