ABSTRACT
The idea of smart city is considered as an emerging concept that most of the world cities have tried to adopt in recent years. Understanding the need and recognizing the potential of smartness for the adaptation of a rapid change in technology, not only governments, but also private and public institutions began to combine smart concepts with new strategies and policies to improve economic growth and sustainable development. In this manner, information and communication technologies (ICTs) take the lead role for the systematic enhancement of the cities. The “Smart Tourism Destination” idea stems from the smart city concept and the world’s leading tourism destinations apply this concept into their marketing strategies. In this research, Istanbul will be analyzed as a case study for a smart destination. The interview method will be applied to outline detailed research on how Istanbul manages and applies the smart city concept as a leading tourism destination while attracting an average 11 million international visitors every year.
