Extended Abstract

Introduction

The tourism industry is currently transitioning from an era of traditional services to one of Smart Tourism (ST), a transformation driven by innovative Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This paradigm shift not only enhances operational efficiency and environmental sustainability but, more crucially, facilitates the personalization and enrichment of the travel experience. This research posits that the efficacy of technological investments fundamentally relies on tourists' positive perception of technology—comprising perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived enjoyment—as this perception directly leads to the creation of a memorable tourist experience. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the sequential impact perception of smart tourism technology on tourists' experience and revisit intention, considering the moderating role of destination image.

This conceptualization suggests that an excellent travel experience only translates into guaranteed loyalty when it is anchored within a strong, positive, and coherent destination brand and mental image.



Methodology

The present study is applied in terms of its purpose and descriptive survey in terms of its data collection method. It seeks to describe and explain the role of Perceived Smart Tourism Technology on experience and intention to revisit, considering the moderating role of destination image in the tourism industry. In this study, the statistical population includes tourists in Isfahan. To measure the variables, the research scales were first extracted from theoretical foundations, and then a questionnaire was designed based on the Likert scale. The questions on perception of smart tourism technology and experience were taken from Pai et al. (2020), and the questions on revisiting the tourism destination and destination image were taken from Wulandari et al. (2025). Then, based on the opinions of experts, face and content validity were examined and approved, and the reliability of the research tool was obtained by calculating the factor loading coefficients and Cronbach's alpha, as well as composite reliability. Sampling was done by convenience method, and to determine the sample size using Cochran's formula for an unlimited population (α =0.05 and p = q=0.5), the sample size was calculated to be 384 people, which was increased to 400 people for greater accuracy. The samples were selected by the convenience method. Structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis were used to analyze the data, and SPSS 26 and SmartPLS Pls3.0 software were used.



Results and discussion

According to the statistical value of 18.692 (more than 1.96) and the path coefficient of 0.810, the perception of smart tourism technology has a positive and significant effect on the experience. The perception of smart tourism technology has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit, with a path coefficient of 0.317 and a statistical value of 4.156. According to the result of the third hypothesis, the statistical value of 3.119 and the path coefficient of 0.171, it can be stated that the experience has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit. According to the result of the fourth hypothesis, the destination image with a statistical value of 0.065 is able to moderate the effect of the perception of smart tourism technology on the intention to revisit the tourist destination.



Conclusion

The findings and discussion of this study can help tourism managers and planners design better strategies for attracting and retaining tourists. The findings of this study indicate that success in attracting and retaining tourists depends not only on the presence of technology, but also on its positive perception by the end user (tourist); consequently, technology implementation strategies should focus on enhancing the personal experience through ease, usefulness, and enjoyment rather than technical complexity. This suggests that managers should set KPIs based on the level of satisfaction with technological interactions and the level of memorable experience achieved. At a more general level, this study emphasizes that destination image is a critical enabling variable; This means that even the best smart technologies cannot build loyalty on their own, but will only have their maximum impact on revisit intentions when embedded in a strong and positive destination brand and image, highlighting the need for simultaneous and strategic investment in technology and image marketing as two wings of sustainable smart tourism development. Destinations need to understand that technology without strong branding is a waste of resources. Therefore, the final recommendation is that risk mitigation strategies and enhancing the emotional appeal of the destination should be implemented in parallel with smartization initiatives to ensure that great experiences are transformed into behavioral commitment and return visits.

Funding

There is no funding support.

Authors’ Contribution

Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.

Conflict of Interest

Authors declared no conflict of interest.