How digitally mature are European tourism destinations? In collaboration with the University of St. Gallen, Inside Labs AG has developed a comprehensive benchmarking database that provides the first systematic analysis of digital maturity across the tourism sector. The research offers destinations a structured framework to assess their own digital capabilities and identify areas for improvement.
Research Partnership
This benchmarking initiative is the result of a research collaboration between Inside Labs AG and the University of St. Gallen (HSG). By combining Inside Labs' industry expertise and platform data with HSG's academic research methodology, the project bridges the gap between practical destination management and scientific analysis.
What the Benchmark Measures
The benchmarking database evaluates destinations across multiple dimensions of digital maturity. It goes beyond simply measuring whether a destination has a website or an app — it assesses how deeply digital capabilities are integrated into the overall guest experience and business operations.
- Digital guest touchpoints and their level of integration
- Data infrastructure and the ability to build unified guest profiles
- Personalization capabilities across marketing channels
- E-commerce maturity and mobile commerce adoption
- Organizational readiness and digital skill levels
Value for Destinations
The benchmarking database enables destinations to objectively assess where they stand relative to their peers. Rather than relying on subjective assessments, destinations can use the framework to identify concrete gaps, prioritize investments, and track their digital maturity progress over time.
The full benchmarking report with detailed methodology and destination-specific insights is available for download. Contact Inside Labs for access.
