Trajetórias, dinâmicas e co-produção de imaginários sociotécnicos: o turismo inteligente na América Latina

Abstract

Since the last decade, Ibero-America has emerged as a scene of proliferation of studies, initiatives and projects related to both smart cities and smart tourism destinations. In that setting, the aim of this research is to analyze the articulation of trajectories, dynamics and co-production processes of sociotechnical imaginaries towards smart tourism from Latin American context, drawing from both the academic publications and initiatives, projects and sociotechnical assemblages. To this end, the concept of sociotechnical imaginaries, offered by the field of science, technology and society (STS) studies, allows us to investigate the co-production of visions and implementations of futures that could be achieved with the support of advances in science and technology, and the emergence of landscapes of smartness (smatscapes) in the region. With regard to methodology, empirical research was operationalized through an interpretative and integrated multiple case study, with a descriptive-exploratory approach based on mixed methods. In accordance with the methodological recommendations for the analysis of the co-production processes of sociotechnical imaginaries, data collection involved a triangulation based on bibliographic analysis, documentary research and semi-structured interviews. The modes of analysis were based on inductive/abductive reasoning and the analysis techniques involved the application of constructivist grounded theory complemented by discourse analysis, focusing on discursive-evocative practices. Among the results of the study, we identified that, based on the trajectories of the Latin American academic field, the relationships between tourism and smartness have been showing a growing trend that introduces changes from technocentric visions to broader and more systemic ones linked to planning, management and governance, as well as critical and alternative perspectives. In turn, based on the initiatives and projects analyzed in the region, with a focus on Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil, the visions are presented as systemic, albeit flexible and heterogeneous strategies for renewal, related to the improvement of efficiency and modernization of tourism management in the territories; with a central role for data-driven strategic planning and integrated governance, in which tourism acts as an articulator; in addition to the constitution of cooperation networks, including those with regional and international scope. Finally, potentialities arising from the sociotechnical imaginaries are discussed.