smart city travel restrictions

Smart cities will track our every move. We will need to keep them in check

After months of irrational cravings for a jam-packed tube at rush hour, or for a sweaty queue in a busy pub, cities are finally starting to re-open. Life as we knew it, however, isn't resuming anytime soon: while the COVID-19 virus is still circulating, a degree of social distancing is still on the cards. 

But in a city like London, where about two million people used the tube on a normal pre-COVID-19 day, keeping residents at a safe distance is easier said than done. Monitoring and controlling the city's every pulse, therefore, will be key to lifting restrictions. And it seems that once again, technology might have some solutions to offer.

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"We are not looking at a post-COVID situation anytime soon, but we are looking at living with COVID for a long time," Sandy Tung, program manager for smart city program Sharing Cities, tells ZDNet. 

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And in the short term, explains Tung, managing mobility is topping the list of priorities. Anybody who has gone through a central London Tube station around 5pm on a weekday would understand why: "We are worried about not easing lockdown restrictions in a way that facilitates re-infection," says Tung.

One solution, of course, consists of encouraging new behaviors: namely, to jump on a bike instead of on a public transportation line. But as a second step, city planners are also counting on smart technology to get a precise idea of how residents move around the city, and plan accordingly.

"A lot of thought is given to using sensors or IoT devices that are installed around various parts of the city, and use the data coming through to monitor things like footfall," says Tung. "We can analyze that and understand how people move around, or determine hotspots."

The Greater London Authority, together with the Turing Institute,  has already launched "Project Odysseus" – an initiative that brings together large-scale datasets capturing mobility, transportation and traffic activity across London, to understand the city's "busyness" and inform policy makers as the UK capital eases lockdown restrictions. 

Data is fetched from a variety of sources, including live CCTV cameras and traffic intersection monitors, but also GPS activity from air-quality sensors, as well as Oystercard data, point-of-sale counts and public-transit activity metrics.

Watching the city move in real time will let decision makers understand trends such as how much residents are applying social distancing measures, or whether they are staying at home. The project will also serve as an early warning system, triggering targeted interventions within boroughs if necessary. 

Philip James is the director of the Newcastle Urban Observatory, which holds one of the largest sets of publicly available real-time urban data in the UK. "I have always argued in favor of having real-time data in cities," James tells ZDNet, "and the COVID-19 crisis has absolutely demonstrated that this is the way to go."

"When lockdown started, we provided data on an hourly basis to see how the restrictions played out on the ground, and how the message was landing," he adds. "We even put out a COVID-19 dashboard with metrics. I suspect there is going to be a lot more interest in this type of initiative now."

The dashboard has been fed analysis from 1.8 billion pieces of observational data , taken from 3,500 active sensors spread out across Newcastle. James and his team register 7,000 observations a minute, from traffic and pedestrian flows, to car park occupancy and GPS bus trackers; but also air quality, rainfall, and even beehive activity. 

The Observatory's latest conclusions show that pedestrian movement has reduced by 95% compared to the annual average, reflecting that people are effectively following government guidelines. And as the city exits lock-down, the dashboard's role is likely to become even more critical in informing policy making.

James explains that, for example, Newcastle has introduced one-way systems for pedestrians, which is reflected in the data as north-oriented or south-oriented footfall. This means that the Observatory's dashboard is able to identify spots where residents have to cross over, for example to enter shops, and advise on where to place specific street furniture to avoid clusters.

"This is a new period for everybody, and the councils are trying to find the safest possible way to re-open against an ever-changing background," says James. "There is certainly a role for tech to give instant responses back to decision makers on how busy things are, how many pedestrians there are, and how efficient new measures can be."

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But as useful as smart technologies will be to ease the relaxing of lockdown restrictions, there is a flip side to the coin. It is easy to see why an extra dose of resident tracking in cities might cause some serious privacy concerns about the rise of surveillance technology. 

SEE: Cybersecurity warning: Hackers are targeting your smartphone as way into the company network

Of course, many of the sensors that are currently used, such as footfall monitors, do not link to individual profiles, and are not intrinsically problematic. But that is not the case for every smart tool.

"A CCTV camera is much like a knife," says James. "You can use it to whittle a piece of wood, or you can use it to stab. With CCTV, you can do tracking, you can do re-identification, you can do facial recognition, and all sorts of other things. It's an object that has multiple uses, and comes with risks."

The Newcastle Urban Observatory, in fact, has developed an algorithm that uses CCTV footage in public areas to automatically measure social distancing, and, using a traffic-light indicator system, anonymously flag instances where pedestrians are standing too close to each other.

The Observatory's data is open, and managed by Newcastle University. As such, it is unlikely to cause concern among privacy activists; but some types of monitoring can be more worrying.

In France for example, the government trialed facial-recognition software in a Parisian metro station, using six cameras that could identify passengers who weren't wearing a mask. The initiative was short-lived: not even a week after the start of the trial, the French data protection agency CNIL condemned the privacy intruding technology , and the cameras were shortly removed.

For James, it is key to make sure that citizens trust the organizations that own the data about them. "We need to know how this data is governed, who owns it, and who has access to the platform that does it," he says. "Otherwise, there is a risk that you won't bring citizens along with you."

James points to the smart city initiative led by an Alphabet-owned urban design business in Toronto. The project was recently axed due to the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic , but was already running into a series of problems because of backlash from privacy concerned leaders who were worried about surveillance.

Ensuring public trust, therefore, is critical; and especially because the cost of abandoning smart city technology, in the context of COVID-19, will be far greater than in normal times. "You have to think about what happens, in the long term, if you don't implement these processes," says James.

Smart sensors and IoT devices won't only be used by city planners to monitor the immediate impact of measures linked to the pandemic. In the next few months, they will also be key to the recovery of local businesses, as policy makers start identifying where residents work, shop, eat out or go for drinks.

SEE: Remote working: How the biggest change to office life will happen in our homes

Speaking at the CogX 2020 conference, Jamie Cudden, smart city lead at Dublin City Council, mentioned the future of Dublin's so-called "Silicon Docks" – a nickname for an area in the city that is home to offices for Facebook, Twitter and Google.

"That's 15,000 to 20,000 jobs, most of which have now been given the opportunity to work from home forever," said Cudden during the conference. "It makes you think of what those business districts will look like in the future."

If COVID-19 sees off rush hour, what does it mean for pubs, restaurants and shops in previously busy city centers? One thing is certain: data can be used to understand these new trends, identify the ones that will last after the pandemic, and help the local economy recover from the changes. 

Back in London, the Sharing Cities' program manager Sandy Tung confirms that this is at the heart of long-term recovery plans for the UK capital. City planners are already thinking of ways to use data meaningfully to inform local businesses.

"Even though businesses are re-opened now, we're not going to see large numbers of people flocking into central London, like we used to," says Tung. "We can use this information to help businesses adapt."

Getting this across to citizens is the next challenge. As "cool" as all of these projects are, says Tung, they will only work out if residents engage with them. 

"It's not just about collecting data off of people, it's about engaging residents, business owners, and the wider community with what's happening," says Tung. The smart city has a bright future ahead, therefore – but only if it stays clear of a bad reputation. And as cities go back to a form of normal life, keeping track of the tracking methods has to remain front-of-mind.

Internet of Things

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Inside the 15-minute city conspiracy theory sucking in gullible Australians

A conspiracy theory is spreading across the globe, with countless gullible Australians being sucked into the “lies”.

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In recent years, conspiracy theories that were once almost unheard of have spread like wildfire, with a growing number of Australians now sceptical of things like vaccines, 5G and election results.

But among the bizarre list of beliefs is one conspiracy theory that has increasingly made headlines across the world.

And it’s quickly sucking in countless gullible Aussies.

15-minute cities

In 2015, Paris-based urbanist Carlos Moreno developed the 15-minute city concept, which is the idea that city dwellers should have access to everything they need – whether it be supermarkets, schools, work and eateries – within a 15 to 20-minute walk, cycle or public transport trip.

Anyone who has ever faced a long and painful commute will immediately see the appeal of having the daily essentials at their fingertips, and major cities around the world have embraced the urban planning concept as a result.

Melbourne, Paris, London, Edmonton and Oxford are among the many cities attempting to boost liveability for residents – but while many see it as simple common sense, a dangerous conspiracy theory is taking hold.

Conspiracy theory spreads

Critics of the 15-minute city concept – also known as “Smart Cities” – somehow believe it is part of a secret plan by global elites to restrict people’s freedom and movements.

That will last 2 years. Then the insane lithium mining will halt almost all EV production for about 80% of the population and everyone will be forced to live in 15 minute city prisons. pic.twitter.com/N0gLyuulJm — Warden Of The North (@FreedomWarden) February 7, 2023

“15 minute city” is the same as the Nazi Ghettos. Nothing goes in or out without government authentication. Food and energy rationed travel restrictions You will own nothing and be dead Bank on it. Anyone that goes along with this is insane or completely brainwashed..WAKE UP 🐑 pic.twitter.com/21lqhG7l0K — Patt Leggs 🇨🇦🇮🇹🇺🇸 (@pattleggs) February 15, 2023

The idea that neighborhoods should be walkable is lovely. The idea that idiot tyrannical bureaucrats can decide by fiat where you're "allowed" to drive is perhaps the worst imaginable perversion of that idea--and, make no mistake, it's part of a well-documented plan. https://t.co/QRrjVF615q — Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) December 31, 2022

In November 2022, a well known conspiracy website attracted widespread attention after alleging “power mad politicians” in Oxfordshire, England wanted to “lock residents into one of six zones to ‘save the planet’ from global warming … confining residents to their own neighbourhoods” as part of “the latest stage in the ‘15 minute city’ agenda”.

The message was shared on Facebook, where it was quickly flagged as “false information” – but that didn’t stop the claim spreading far and wide, by both regular, anonymous conspiracy theorists and well-known right-wing commentators like Jordan Peterson.

‘Lies are enormous’

Unsurprisingly, Carlos Moreno has been quick to condemn the conspiracy and those who spread it, telling Forbes recently that the idea that 15-minute cities was part of a covert global agreement to keep people locked down was insane.

“Their lies are enormous,” he told the publication.

“You will be locked in your neighbourhood; cameras will signal who can go out; if your mother lives in another neighbourhood, you will have to ask for permission to see her and so on,” he said, listing common false claims.

“They insult me, call me human trash, Neo-Fascist or a rotten Latino.”

Gullible Aussies sucked in

While the conspiracy theory might have started on the other side of the planet, it has well and truly taken off in Australia, with more and more locals being sucked in by the wild belief.

One way it has spread is through the My Place Australia network, which has websites and Facebook groups with thousands of members in local communities across the country.

For example, the minutes from the My Place Frankston community meeting, held on February 1, reveals a concerted plan to disrupt local council proceedings with objections to 15-minute city proposals.

“It is Crunch time 2023, really time we go after our councils as they are the ones bringing in the 5G, the Smart Cities, etc,” the minutes reads.

“We’ve got to be brave and really speak up at Council meetings, we need to write questions and get up and speak.

“I’m thinking of writing a 21 Minute talk, so I will need several people to get up and do 3 mins each. So it is just reading your 3 mins then mark with a highlighter then the next person comes along and does the same thing, until the speech is finished.”

Similar disruptions by My Place members during council meetings about 15-minute cities have also taken place in other areas as well, including at Melbourne’s Yarra Ranges, which recently led to police being called to control an unruly mob of conspiracists.

Anti-15-minute city sentiments are also rife on Telegram, with Australian users of the alternative social media platform sharing their fears on local conspiracy theory groups.

Conspiracy theory slammed

Over the weekend, urbanist and former chief planner of Vancouver in Canada Brent Toderian told the ABC’s Radio National 15-minute cities have been happening for decades, with Melbourne one of the originators of the concept.

He said it was “surreal” that so many people suddenly had a problem with “reasonable walking distances”, of all things, and that city planning had become tied to conspiracies.

He explained 15-minute cities used to be the “norm”, and that it was only relatively recently that developed countries began deliberately prioritising the car – which meant we were now dependent on our vehicles, which was actually “the opposite of freedom”.

Mr Toderian said Melbourne had been pursuing smart cities for several decades, as had many cities around the world, but that the 15-minute city concept had received mass attention several years ago due to “the power of branding” when it was promoted by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo as part of her re-election campaign.

He said there were so many “public interest reasons” to reduce dependency on cars that the concept was a “no-brainer”, and that he wanted to call out the conspiracy theorists and “liars” because “a lie gets a lot more attention than the rational truth”.

He explained that among the many lies connected to the conspiracy was the idea that 15-minute cities were an attack on individual freedom, that authorities would discourage driving altogether, and the suggestion leaders wanted to “turn your neighbourhood into a concentration camp”.

“It goes from ridiculous hyperbole to outright lies,” he said, adding it was a deliberate tactic to use outrageous claims to gain attention, and that at the extreme end, it leads to “bullying and violence”.

“The liars know they’re lying. They’re not going to be convinced to stop lying because you give them the facts,” he said.

“The facts are not in their interest. It’s not part of their strategy.”

Australia’s 15-minute cities

More Coverage

A number of cities across Australia have announced support for the 15-minute city concept, including in Melbourne, where there are already plans to “create a city of 20-minute neighbourhoods”.

“Creating well-designed walkable neighbourhoods that are connected through a mix of land-uses, housing types and access to quality public transport, we can create more healthy, liveable communities,” the Victorian State Government’s website states.

NSW’s Future Transport Strategy also includes plans for transport and shopping hubs in Parramatta and Chatswood in Sydney as well as Wollongong and Coffs Harbour, while experts have also outlined Brisbane‘s smart city potential.

Australia’s eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant says she got ‘credible death threats’ after clashing with tech billionaire Elon Musk earlier this year.

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Lauren Dubois shared a poignant image online that saw her inundated with graphic threats. An Aussie start-up is aiming to stop that kind of thing happening.

Edmonton Implementing WEF ’15-minute city’ Policy

CONFIRMED: Edmonton’s city council is moving forward with its proposed 15-minute communities.

“ District plans are key in bringing The City Plan’s ‘Community of Communities’ vision to life by laying the foundation for 15-minute communities,” an email blast explained.

The email also stated, “This vision is for new and current residents to enjoy more housing, recreation, education and employment opportunities in all of Edmonton’s districts and to have more travel options within and across districts.”

The District Planning Guide says building a “community of communities — small towns in our big city” is a multi-year project.

The Canadian city of Edmonton has laid out its plans to become a 15 minute city. You will not be able to eat, shop, or go wherever you please without paying a toll to pay for the infrastructure of making this Orwellian nightmare even remotely feasible. The only way to implement… pic.twitter.com/y5PJB4XG6a — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) February 4, 2024

The city of Edmonton will be assessing feedback from residents which has been sent in from January through March and they will be advertising discussions on the policy so that there can be more “meaningful discussions” with the public. Approval for the policy is expected with an estimated implementation timeline of this fall.

Claims that the WEF’s 15 minute city agenda will make Edmonton more accommodating for all people are openly promoted by city planners.

15 Minute Agenda

The question is – what would a 15-minute city mean for residents? In a non dystopian world, they would help reduce time spent doing everyday commutes to 15 minutes whether that be on foot, by bike, or by public transport. The purported goal would be helping citizens to better meet basic needs such as accessing essential services like grocery stores, medical facilities, schools, etc. In Edmonton’s case, these 15-minute communities would be called “districts”.

Just as with many governmental projects that say they are meant for one thing, they turn out to be for the fulfillment of something completely different (think of the global lockdowns not really being meant for global health or America’s Patriot Act not really being meant for security but surveillance). As such, we are forced to look beyond the nice sounding talking points to see the other side of this policy.

The City of Edmonton website says, “The District Planning project is not about restricting movement, monitoring people or tracking an individual’s carbon emissions,” but that is exactly what they do.

15 minute cities are used to measure an individual’s carbon footprint, monitor their movements and enforce restrictions on movement. Literally everything Edmonton’s government website says this policy agenda isn’t meant to do. In order to enforce a 15 minute city, all the above qualifications are necessary.

Why else would sophisticated surveillance systems be required for 15 minute “districts”? London, Paris, Utrecht, and several other cities have been implementing the 15 minute agenda and are highly surveilled cities which charge their residents fees for traveling outside of certain districts.

And residents aren’t happy about the surveillance either.

In London, England, 350+ cameras (possibly up to 500+) meant to track and charge people traveling on London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) were either destroyed or stolen last year with tens of thousands of people refusing to pay for traveling through the zone.

Do we really believe that control isn’t a major contributing factor to this? If it weren’t, why else would people be acting out in such a state?

Well, just like those in London, Edmonton’s residents aren’t thrilled like their city’s planners are. One university student named Alexa Posa spoke to Rebel News Canada saying, “Our mayor, Amarjeet Sohi, would like Edmonton to become a 15-minute city, limiting our movement between districts, as they call it. They want us to spend 90% of our life in this 15-minute area so they can monitor our carbon footprint.”

Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, who once served in Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Cabinet, believes in the 15 minute agenda and says restricting Edmontonians movement isn’t the intention of the districts.

Perspective

In these last days, we will witness plans and agendas being implemented that will assist the anti-Christ when he comes onto the global stage. A major component necessary to his governance will be control whether that be over the media, over movement, or over what people are or are not allowed to consume, speak, or live.

Control is key.

And the 15 minute agenda is all about control through surveillance and that is what is deeply concerning about this agenda’s implementation globally. Once people are conditioned and/or forced to live in these areas for any amount of time, their concept of free movement and less government restriction isn’t just stifled but removed from their reality.

15-minute cities place unnatural limitations on humanity and strip us of God given rights.

The last days are filled with assaults on the rights and freedoms given to humanity by God. Don’t see this as coincidental. They are intentional as the global system of governance is being set up for the anti-christ. This also means the return of our Lord is nigh!

As the day fast approaches, remember to “stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28

We encourage you to read the whole of Luke 21 as it will encourage you that our God has always known what is happening in this world and all that is to come and how He intentionally gave us instructions in the Bible for us to not only reflect on but for us to understand that we serve a God who is all knowing, a God who sees us and placed us on this earth at such as time as this for a great purpose and an amazing reason – to bring in the harvest of souls.

Thank you for your support.

If you appreciate the work we do to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, please consider giving a gift to help us continue this work. Maranatha!

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Announcements, traffic filters will divide city into six "15 minute" neighbourhoods, traffic filters will divide city into "15 minute" neighbourhoods.

Traffic filters will divide city into six "15 minute" neighbourhoods, says highw<span class="truncate"><span class="truncate-preview">ays councillor <i>(I<span class="truncate-full-screen">mage: NQ staff)</i></span></span></span>

Traffic filters will divide city into six "15 minute" neighbourhoods, says highw<span class="truncate"><span class="truncate-preview">ays councillor <i>(I<span class="truncate-full-screen">mage: Oxfordshire County Council)</i></span></span></span>

ROAD blocks stopping most motorists from driving through Oxford city centre will divide the city into six "15 minute" neighbourhoods, a county council travel chief has said.

And he insisted the controversial plan would go ahead whether people liked it or not.

READ MORE:  Council staff abused after conspiracists circulate fake news about traffic filters

Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for travel and development strategy, explained the authority's traffic filter proposals in an interview in The Sunday Times.

He said the filters would turn Oxford into "a 15-minute city" with local services within a small walking radius.

Mr Enright said: "It is about making sure you have the community centre which has all of those essential needs, the bottle of milk, pharmacy, GP, schools which you need to have a 15-minute neighbourhood."

READ ALSO: Oxford University student felt 'gaslighted' over cockroach infestation

The aim is to reduce traffic in the city centre and make city living more pleasant, but critics say the plans will negatively affect businesses and the city centre's economy.

A decision will be made on November 29, and is the date for the cabinet decision. following a consultation which closed earlier this month.

But Mr Enright told the Sunday Times: "It's going to happen definitely."

The new traffic filters on St Cross Road, Thames Street, Hythe Bridge Street and St Clements would operate seven days a week from 7am to 7pm.

Two more filters on Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way would operate from Monday to Saturday.

People can drive freely around their own neighbourhood and can apply for a permit to drive through the filters, and into other neighbourhoods, for up to 100 days per year. This equates to an average of two days per week.

The alternative is to drive out on to the ring road and then back in to the destination.

A maximum of three permits a household will be allowed where there are several adults with cars registered to the address.

Buses, coaches, taxis, delivery vans, HGVs, motorbikes and bikes are exempt and there are exceptions for blue badge holders and people with caring responsibilities.

READ ALSO: Barristers warn courts are 'literally collapsing' after problems with leak

Hotelier Jeremy Mogford, who owns the Old Bank Hotel in High Street and the Old Parsonage Hotel and Gees, both in Banbury Road, described the plan as disastrous for business.

He previously told the Oxford Mail: "What we have is people making decisions that don’t live in the city centre or spend much time in the city.

"We’re being dictated to by councillors who don’t live here.

“There’s a lot of scepticism that consultations are a token gesture – the last time round, the majority were against the bus gates and it was postponed until now.”

He told the Sunday Times he had just received his first item of hate mail, a postcard saying: "Oxford has been very good for you. Why do you hate Oxford so much?"

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How '15-minute cities' will change the way we socialise

A new urban planning model will change the French capital – and could provide a template for how to create stronger local communities and make residents happier.

For a long time, Solène Fraioli says she “refused to admit” that Paris could be a stressful place. The 29-year-old waitress, who grew up on the city’s outskirts but now lives in a studio in a historic central district, was dazzled by its infinite opportunity – from Monday-night jazz concerts to West African cuisine and capoeira classes. But Fraioli began to recognise that living in the City of Light had certain disadvantages – particularly its frenetic, nonstop energy. “Paris is a city that is always on the move,” she says. “Everyone, all the time, everywhere.”

That conveyor belt of choice came crashing to a halt with the coronavirus pandemic. But for Fraioli, the two-month lockdown that began on 17 March – confining her to a 1km radius of her home – gave her a nuanced, enriching view of her neighbourhood. “I discovered it’s possible to feel like you're in a small village in Paris,” she says. “To get to know your neighbours, to maintain good links with shopkeepers, to favour local craftsmen and shops over large supermarkets. I even joined a citizens’ movement where people prepare food baskets for homeless people. I thought I would have a hard time living the lockdown, but I was perfectly at home, in a quiet place.”

She’s not the only one who felt this way. “Unexpectedly, this experience strengthened the bonds I had with some people,” says Valentin Jedraszyk, a 25-year-old civil servant living in the south of Paris. “It led me to criss-cross the small streets of my district more than usual and thus to discover magnificent places just a stone’s throw from my home.”

The impact on how dense cities like Paris function, and how people that live in them interact, has been undeniable. The way we communicate, travel, consume and socialise had been moulded by the pandemic restrictions. Carlos Moreno, a scientific director and professor specialising in complex systems and innovation at University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, believes there “will never be” a return to city life as it was before the coronavirus struck.

When the pandemic shuttered city centres, he says, it showed how important social links are – but through a different prism. “Many people never visited shops close to their homes before because they were busy. They didn't know their neighbours or the parks nearby. The pandemic made us discover this. We have rediscovered locality, and this has improved quality of life.”

Moreno, who is also Paris City Hall’s special envoy for smart cities , is regarded as the key theorist behind the recent resurgence in a new model for urban planning that seems almost custom built for this localised future: the ‘15-minute city’. The concept is to improve quality of life by creating cities where everything a resident needs can be reached within a quarter of an hour by foot or bike. The 15-minute city requires minimal travel among housing, offices, restaurants, parks, hospitals and cultural venues. Each neighbourhood should fulfil six social functions: living, working, supplying, caring, learning and enjoying.

Moreno has been working on the concept – seen as a response to both the climate crisis, by bolstering green initiatives at neighbourhood level and reducing travel, and ever-growing urban sprawl that pushes those on the peripheries further out – since long before the pandemic arrived. But he says Covid-19 has rapidly kickstarted a trend toward localisation, putting the 15-minute city on the agenda of metropolitan areas around the world.

‘City of proximities’

Many experts and planners have provided elements feeding into the 15-minute city concept over past decades. In the 1920s, American urban planner Clarence Perry proposed the idea of the liveable “neighbourhood unit” before the mass influx of private cars and city zoning arrived later in the 20th Century. Copenhagen pedestrianised its main shopping street in 1962, before other densely-built European cities took the same approach to their downtowns. Then New Urbanism , an urban design movement promoting walkable cities, swept across the US in the 1980s.

Yet the 15-minute city of today represents a major departure from the past, responding to climate change, Covid-19 and globalisation. While past initiatives focused on ease of travel, walkability and public services, Paris has taken an all-encompassing approach to bring a greener take on those aspects as well as including workplaces, cultural activities and the more ephemeral nature of social connections.

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, made it the centrepiece of her successful 2020 re-election campaign , outlining four major principles – proximity, diversity, density and ubiquity – and has since appointed a commissioner for the 15-minute city, Carine Rolland. For the latter, above all the aim is to create what she calls “a city of proximities” – not only between structures but people.

“We know sometimes large cities can be tiring and can create a sense of anonymity,” says Rolland. “But proximity means that we will, through our social links, rediscover our way of living in cities. We want open spaces, but ones for doing nothing in particular, where people can meet each other or encounters can happen as much as possible. We live better when we live together, and this will rework our social fabric.”

 The transformation of neighbourhoods has been well underway since Hidalgo took office in 2014, with the Paris mayor banning high-polluting vehicles, restricting the quays of the Seine to pedestrians and cyclists, and creating mini green spaces across the city – since 2018, more than 40 Parisian school grounds have been transformed into green “oasis yards”. More than 50km of bike routes known as “ coronapistes ” have also been added since the pandemic struck and last month renovation of the Place de la Bastille was completed as part of a €30m redesign of seven major squares. Hidalgo has pledged a further €1bn euros ($1.2bn, £916m) per year for the maintenance and beautification of streets, squares and gardens.

With Paris leading the way, other cities around the world have been enticed by this model for resilient, vibrant communities. Madrid, Milan, Ottawa and Seattle are among those to have declared plans to copy its approach. Melbourne has adopted a long-term strategic plan for 20-minute neighbourhoods. C40 Cities, a city-led coalition focused on fighting climate change, has gone as far as promoting the 15-minute city idea as a blueprint for post-Covid-19 recovery.

“It’s tracing a path of community resilience,” says Flavio Coppola, C40 Cities’ programme manager for urban planning. “It reduces emissions through transportation, but also neighbourhoods are more resilient. It also means changing land use to allow offices but also ‘third spaces’ for people who are working remotely. So, at the neighbourhood-level, they will be more resistant to shocks.”

The shift in structure of cities will also mean that individuals themselves will be more resistant to shocks, according to Richard Bentall, a psychology professor at the University of Sheffield who studied the mental health and social impacts of Covid-19. The sense of belonging promoted by 15-minute cities, he says, could make us all happier.

“We are increasingly becoming an urban species, but urban environments are linked to worse mental health ,” he says. “With Covid, some people suffered but others benefited. But research shows the more you interact with your neighbours, the better. If you feel a sense of belonging to your neighbourhood, that’s a massive protector of your mental health. If 15-minute cities could strike this balance, then maybe a happy urban future for the human species is possible.”

‘More engaged inhabitants’

Finding that balance could be difficult, and sceptics are concerned the 15-minute city could worsen social divides, widening inequalities between poorer and richer districts – the latter benefiting from higher quality facilities and the former even less socially mobile than before.

“Making a space more liveable is something we can certainly achieve,” says Elisa Pieri, a lecturer in sociology at Manchester University. “But we need to make sure that the amenities are up to high standards. Marginalised neighbourhoods could be landed with terrible doctors and schools. It could bring about further discrimination and inequality and territorial stigmatisation.”

Few would dispute that residents of some disadvantaged Parisian suburbs have long faced economic and social blocks to their progress. But the way cities should guard against this danger is “by focusing first on the neighbourhoods that need the most”, says Coppola of C40 Cities. “I agree there is a risk,” he adds. “But our idea of 15-minute cities is about access and sustainability. It’s an opportunity to use a paradigm for change.”

Other concerns surround the impact of altering the very essence of what a modern city is. Elena Magrini, an analyst at the UK-based think tank Centre for Cities , warns this trend towards “the end of big cities” could also reduce creativity. “Cities allow people to mix, to be together and share ideas,” she says. “Often that happens in the city centre. Can we recreate the creation and innovation if they no longer exist?”

In a dense city like Paris, which thanks to its pre-industrial roots has more than 53,000 residents per square mile, the continued mixing of people in a 15-minute future is less likely to be an issue. In much more spread-out cities like London and New York City, however, that current lack of density could pose more significant issues.

But Carlos Moreno believes that by making the 15-minute city led by and above all for its inhabitants, creativity and wellbeing will flourish, pointing to the role of participatory budgeting, which since 2014 has allowed residents to vote on 5% of the municipal spending in Paris – totalling half a billion euros.

“The pandemic has caused us to think about how to move differently, to consume differently, to live differently,” he says. “We are discovering that by working differently we have more spare time, to have more time to be with our families or friends. We are discovering and appreciating our neighbourhoods much more. This will make us all more engaged inhabitants.”

Moreno admits this transition will not be straightforward – but some key goals are already lined up such as making every street in Paris cycle-friendly by 2024.

“The 15-minute city is not a silver bullet,” he says. “Today our neighbourhoods are segregated by money – rich, poor, middle class, workers, bars, offices. There's great segregation. But what we must do is use 15-minute cities to focus on the common good. With enough funding and support, deployed in the right way, we can guarantee they are for the people.”

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Home » News » Here’s what ‘smart cities’ will mean for travel

Here’s what ‘smart cities’ will mean for travel

Around the world, cities are becoming smarter.

Cities as unique as Singapore, San Francisco and Tel Aviv are all using advanced technologies to address complex, modern challenges of rapid population growth, traffic congestion and inadequate energy and resources, to make cities more safe, livable and sustainable.

The ubiquity of new services platforms and applications that use the Internet of Things, ‘Mobility as a Service’, virtual and augmented reality, and voice recognition among others, are also changing the ways in which people work and live, and interact with businesses and tourism destinations.

To meet increasing tourism flows and traveller demands from the Asia Pacific region – estimated to be the source of more than half of the world’s 7.8 billion passengers to travel in 2036 – collaboration between the Australian government, the travel industry and stakeholders is required to expand and modernise city infrastructure.

Smart tourism has become integral to the Government and local councils’ plans remain competitive and develop urban spaces into smart cities, by harnessing the power of new technology to create the travel experiences that global tourists have come to expect.

The future of travel will be driven by multi-modal journeys and data that can offer intuitive, personalised and seamless experiences. By facilitating the collection and sharing of that data, Australia’s major cities could create new and indispensable digital services.

Take Singapore for example – whose public sector has been the flag bearer for the nation’s smart city initiative. Ministries and public agencies in Singapore have pioneered the use of urban sensing, geo-tracking and predictive and real-time analytics to empower commuters with live transport and traffic updates, and even help them find a carpark.

One solution to addressing Australia’s geographical complexities for tourists, could be the Singapore Land Transport Authority’s MyTransport.sg Mobile . By using API Live Data collected from city sensors and traffic cameras/feeds, the mobile app provides real-time, customisable and end-to-end information on all modes of transport in Singapore such as buses and trains, and the traffic condition and waiting times.

It even includes an interactive map, where visitors can plan their journey to events or business promotions happening in the city. This would be a lifesaver for many tourists in Australia, who find the public transport system confusing and complex to navigate.

Terminal and ground access to Australian airports will come under increasing strain from the boost in tourism, and travel technology companies will play a key role in connecting systems across the travel value chain, to move activity off-airport, streamline processes and improve efficiencies. Amadeus is already collaborating with cities in Asia-Pacific to connect their different means of transportation, set-up booking and payment systems, and improve the marketing and management of cities as destinations, to attract more travellers.

Amadeus is focusing on two major pain points for cities; the need for the transportation system to connect to the airport, to ensure travellers have a smooth experience from the departure point through to the final destination; and creating a more efficient user experience, through multi-modal itineraries and new customer touchpoints.

The airline check-in process at Australian airports is arguably one of the most frustrating and time-consuming parts of the travel experience, with tourists often facing long airport queues and congestion. To solve this, Amadeus has joined forces with Off-Airport-Check-In-Solutions (OACIS) to reinvent the check-in experience and offer travellers a fully mobile check-in service at off-airport locations like cruise line ports, hotels or major conferences in Australia.

Over the next 20 years, cities around the world are set to invest a total of US$41 trillion on smart city strategies, with many flow-on benefits for Australia’s travel and tourism industry in the form of new partnerships, infrastructure projects and growth.

As the next phase of technological development approaches, bringing a new layer of connected intelligence, all travel and tourism stakeholders – governments, private companies, travel agents and airports – need to work together to design and build their future smart cities.

This article is by Simon Akeroyd, VP Corporate Strategy & Business Development – ‎Amadeus Asia Ltd

Email the Travel Weekly team at [email protected]

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Smart City and Crisis Management: Lessons for the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mahnoosh hassankhani.

1 School of Planning and Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran 1684613114, Iran; [email protected]

Mehdi Alidadi

2 Faculty of Arts and Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411713116, Iran; [email protected] (M.A.); [email protected] (A.A.)

Ayyoob Sharifi

3 Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences & Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan

4 Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan

Abolghasem Azhdari

COVID-19 shocked cities around the world and revealed the vulnerability of urban lives and functions. Most cities experienced a catastrophic disturbance that has lasted for a long time. Planning plays a critical role in responding efficiently to this crisis and enabling rapid functional recovery in the post-disaster era. Cities that have implemented digitalization initiatives and programs are likely to have more capacity to react appropriately. Specifically, digitalized cities could ensure the well-being of their residents and maintain continuity of urban functions. This research aims to analyze the role of technology in crisis management in the last two decades and provide appropriate policy recommendations for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematic literature review and subjective content analysis are employed to investigate the effects of technology on community well-being and making cities more resilient in past crises. This study shows that different technology-driven policies and actions enable crisis management, enhance community well-being, and increase urban resilience. Technology has enhanced coping and recovery capacities by increasing participation and social connectedness, enhancing physical and mental health and maintaining the functionality of education and economic systems. These have been achieved through various solutions and technologies such as social media, telehealth, tracking and monitoring systems, sensors and locational applications, teleworking systems, etc. These solutions and technologies have also been used during the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance community well-being and sustain urban functions. However, technology deployment might have adverse effects such as social exclusion, digital divide, privacy and confidentiality violation, political bias and misinformation dissemination, and inefficient remote working and education. It is suggested that to mitigate these side effects, policymakers should liberate the process of digitalization, increase the accessibility to digital services, and enhance digital literacy.

1. Introduction

Uncertainty, unpredictability, and complexity are prominent features of urban life in the 21st century [ 1 ]. Due to the fast pace of global changes and some unforeseen universal crises (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), uncertainties have increased [ 2 ], and cities have become more vulnerable [ 1 ], specifically in terms of the quality of life and well-being of residents [ 3 , 4 ]. Indeed, risks or disasters have become an undeniable part of the urbanization process [ 5 ]. Irrespective of differences in terms of magnitude, and groups and places that they affect, disasters cause infrastructure damage and human-related sufferings [ 6 ]. Therefore, there is a need for collective actions and decisions that reduce hazard risk and vulnerability of people, infrastructures, and places [ 7 ]. Accordingly, lowering urban vulnerability is one of the main areas on which planning actions and processes focus. Through various trajectories such as rational application of knowledge, improved learning process, and bargaining processes to mobilize actors and stakeholders, planning can play different roles in responding to crises [ 8 ]. However, there is no straightforward planning approach and strategy to find proper ways of dealing with disturbances and unpredictable situations. Learning by doing [ 9 ] is a pragmatic strategy that equips cities and authorities with incremental experiences to deal with problems. In the past few years, urban resilience thinking has guided urban planning efforts to reduce vulnerabilities and increase the efficiency of processes to cope with disturbances [ 10 ]. In other words, urban resilience is a response to changes and disturbances by increasing the planning, absorption, and recovery capacities of the system on the one hand and adaptation capacity to transform to new normal states on the other hand [ 1 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].

One of the main planning tools to reduce the risks and vulnerability of populations is using technology to increase preparedness and recovery capacities in the face of crises. In the urban planning domain, such planning tools, efforts, and initiatives are often referred to as smart city solutions [ 14 ]. A smart city has three main pillars, including technology, people and institution. Using technology in crises management requires technology deployment along with empowering and engaging people through institutions [ 15 ]. The efficiency of the smart city approach is highly advocated by researchers, planners, and practitioners [ 16 , 17 ]. Indeed, empirical studies have shown that smart technologies have been massively used in crises management. Specifically, smart city solutions are increasingly considered essential for enhancing the well-being of residents and communities in urbanized countries [ 18 ]. Since the emergence of COVID-19, the necessity of deploying technology to improve community wellbeing and maintain urban functions has increased [ 19 , 20 ]. As this research focuses on the effect of technology deployment on community well-being, it should be clarified what we mean by well-being.

The term well-being refers to various abstract and objective meanings that philosophically determine an individual’s living space and conditions. These meanings could be different according to the aims and objectives of the researcher or actor [ 21 , 22 ]. Regardless of the multiplicity of well-being’s meanings in the literature [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ], in this study, we focus on specific parts of well-being that could be improved by technology [ 24 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. Another issue is that due to the diversity of policymakers and stakeholders, urban planning, has limited capacity for intervention. So, through a review of the literature, we found three main areas of community wellbeing that the smart city approach could improve. 1. Participation, transparency, and social connectedness of residents, 2. Healthcare of residents, both physically and mentally, 3. Education of people and the employment of residents. Additionally, we discussed how technology has contributed to improving these areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, this article discusses how smart city solutions and technologies can enable cities to better prepare for and respond to future similar disasters (such as the COVID-19 pandemic). We will assess and analyze lessons from technology-driven urban planning systems and discuss their utility for enhanced response to the pandemic. We further elaborate on the roles that smart city technologies can play to deal with disasters and promote the well-being of citizens in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Research Design

The main objective of this study is to analyze and understand how technology has been used as an instrument to improve the well-being of citizens during recent crises. The main questions guiding this literature review are how has technology been used to increase participation, transparency, and social connectedness in previous crises? How has technology been used to protect the physical and mental health of residents in previous crises? How has technology been used to keep urban functions and sustain education in previous crises? and how has technology deployment been addressed as an instrument to cope with associated problems of COVID-19? We will use inductive and deductive qualitative content analyses using scientific articles and textbooks published in five selected databases [ 30 ]. After determining different aspects of well-being and technology, we will explore the use of technology in the COVID-19 crisis in the main areas mentioned above. In the final stage, we will outline the challenges and barriers of using technology in crisis management, provide pathways for future research, and discuss policy implications.

Literature Review Method and Procedure

The systematic literature review is one of the common methods of investigating and analyzing the literature that includes six main steps as shown in Figure 1 : literature search protocol design, literature search, screening, synthesis, analysis, and reporting [ 31 ]. The three first stages deal with finding and gathering data, and the last three are about using these data for theoretical and empirical contributions. Content analysis is an approach in the systematic literature review [ 32 ] that is suitable for interdisciplinary areas, where a concept or subject is studied in various disciplines [ 33 ].

The PRISMA diagram showing various steps taken for the purpose of this systematic review [ 34 ].

In the first step, we used inductive content analysis to find the main areas of well-being and urban functionality that could be affected by the technology or smartness of a city. Then we determined four main questions that should be answered through a systematic literature review. The primary data needed to answer the research questions can be collected from different sources including published papers, reports, books, and newspaper articles. For systematic literature review and deductive qualitative content analysis, we conducted broad searches using six internationally recognized scientific: databases: Science Direct, PubMed, Springer, Sage, Taylor and Francis, and MDPI. In the fields of urban planning and urban studies, these databases are widely known for publishing quality peer-reviewed research. The search string in this study was chosen broadly, including “smart city OR technology OR digitalization” AND “crisis management OR disaster OR pandemic.” The search is only based on documents and cases published in English. We found 1713 documents in databases and 83 other documents from Researchgate, that 53 of them were duplicates. We first manually screened the titles of the retrieved documents and 371 papers that were relevant were selected for detailed screening by reading the abstracts. The main criteria for screening were to have issues related to technology deployment or smart city under crisis situations discussed in the titles. The same criteria were also applied for screening the abstracts. After screening the abstracts, 228 papers were excluded as they were irrelevant. Papers that did not include empirical evidence on the deployment of technology for better crises management and for enhancing community well-being were excluded. We assessed 144 full texts and scrutinized the content of these documents. As we looked for papers with empirical analysis and case studies of crises in previous years, we just chose the articles with the empirical analysis of technology in a specific disaster before the COVID-19 pandemic. As there was a limited number of studies that empirically have analyzed technology deployment during COVID-19 (when this paper was designed and drafted), papers that just mentioned case studies were also included. We finally reviewed 64 papers.

3. Analysis and Synthesis of the Literature

3.1. smart city as a planning tool during crises.

Digitalization or smart city approaches strengthen urban resilience through risk reduction strategies and practices [ 35 ]. The smart city is known as an adaptive urban planning approach to cope with disturbances [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. While there is no consensus regarding the definition, principles, objectives, and different aspects of a smart city [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ], the smartness of cities includes three main elements: people, institutions, and technology [ 15 , 44 ]. During crises, smart city initiatives enabled by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play critical roles in responding and recovering efficiently and improving learning by doing [ 45 , 46 ]. For example, as a tool, social media plays a critical role in mobilizing actors, communities, and resources [ 38 ]. Authorities also can use social media through big data analytics to make more democratic decisions and develop strategic solutions for disaster responses [ 47 ]. There are several real-world cases in which governments have used social media in crisis management to have more practical, updated, and democratic responses [ 48 ]—for example, using Wikis as a collaborative tool [ 49 ]. As cities massively use technology during crises to cope with associated problems [ 27 , 50 ], this research focuses on this aspect of the smart city. Using technology in cities has two main functions: data and service provision [ 42 , 43 ]. Technology provides different data types, satellite images, location-based applications on mobile phones, tracking devices, sensor-based information in the city, social media information, etc., to increase urban resilience. Additionally, technology helps to provide services in shopping, healthcare, businesses, education, social relations, and so on [ 51 ]. It also increases the profitability of investments, enhances resiliency and adaptation capacity, and improves dwellers’ quality of life [ 42 , 43 ]. Improving the well-being of residents and community planning systems can, in turn, increase the resilience and crisis response/recovery capacity [ 52 , 53 , 54 ].

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have also emphasized different issues related to urban life [ 55 ], such as leveraging technology to improve citizens’ well-being and the urban digital infrastructure [ 36 , 37 ]. While there are some arguments regarding the negative impacts of technology-centered urban planning strategies compared to human-centered ones, digitalization is increasingly gaining prominence in urban areas and crisis management [ 18 ]. The COVID-19 has, in particular, showed the necessity and benefits of such digitalization processes and how [ 55 ]. Developing ICTs in cities can particularly increase people’s well-being in urban areas if it facilitates inclusive accessibility to services [ 51 ].

3.2. Participation, Transparency, and Social Connectedness during Crises

Community engagement is a central issue in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to prepare residents and mitigate risks during and after disasters [ 56 ]. Technology can increase social capital and civic participation for making disaster management more efficient [ 57 ]. On the other hand, technology can enhance transparency that contributes to enhanced trust between residents and governmental bodies. During the last few years, by developing ICT infrastructures, local governments have provided opportunities to enhance public participation through social media. Moreover, along with transparency and accountability of governmental processes, smart city initiatives empower citizens through active engagement [ 58 , 59 ].

Social media has been used as a new communication method during crises [ 60 ]. Communication enabled by social media, for instance, played an unprecedented role in the Great East Japan Earthquake. Cheng, Mitomo, Otsuka and Jeon [ 57 ] analyzed the effectiveness and different aspects of crisis management tools enabled by social media. They showed that despite two types of active and passive use of social media, there was a positive effect of ICT on the recovery process through making networks, enhancing bonding social capital, and increasing participation. Kankanamge, et al. [ 61 ] showed that posts with images on Facebook and Twitter by emergency organizations in Australian states increase people’s attention to prepare more and enhance their involvement in making decisions and taking actions. Accordingly, during the tropical Cyclone Winston in Fiji (2016), Facebook and Twitter, as the most common forms of social media, played critical roles in linking people to the recovery process [ 60 ].

Bird, et al. [ 62 ] analyzed the importance of social media during flooding in Victoria, Australia, and concluded that Facebook and Twitter were productive tools for disseminating informal information. They discussed that there might be inaccuracy regarding information reported by ordinary people, but social media administrators recognized and corrected inaccurate information. Additionally, they showed that social media facilitated better communication and empowered citizens to take emergency actions. However, as the accuracy of information is an essential issue, people follow warnings and information from authentic media and sources rather than social media. The result of a study by Boas, et al. [ 63 ] in the case of Typhon Meranti in Xiamen, China, showed that people during catastrophic disasters rely on authentic information from the government, albeit they may get this information from formal channels of government in the social media. Linders [ 64 ] discussed three types of relationships in social media; citizen-to-citizen (C2C), government-to-citizen (G2C), and citizen-to-government (C2G), while Rajput, et al. [ 65 ] also discussed the inter-governmental social media-based collaborations. Based on Linders [ 64 ], the connection between people is an important issue that can enhance the well-being of residents. Boas, Chen, Wiegel and He [ 63 ] concluded that in China, during disasters, the usefulness of social media is for C2C communication. Kitazawa and Hale [ 66 ] analyzed the effectiveness of social media for disaster management during Kanto–Tohoku Typhon 2015 in Japan. They argued that social media makes people more attentive to warnings and enhances their awareness. Further, social media information may make people more interested in preparation and response actions. Similar results are reported by Fang, et al. [ 67 ] for the case of the 2016 Typhon in Wuhan, China.

3.3. Physical and Mental Health of Residents and Community during Crises

Disasters threaten people’s well-being and health along with damaging infrastructures [ 7 , 68 , 69 ]. Pandemics could be considered as disasters that massively affect community health and healthcare systems [ 70 ]. Undoubtedly, addressing issues related to the health of citizens during disasters should be prioritized as it may have long-lasting effects on community well-being. Additionally, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015) has emphasized the health and well-being of citizens and highlighted their significance [ 5 ]. Technology deployment for enhancing the efficacy and efficiency of the healthcare system, known as E-health, can improve disaster management. In this respect, different aspects of E-health could be improved through the digitalization of processes by using electronic health records, mobile health, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, big data, and other solutions. They increase the effectiveness and inclusiveness of healthcare services delivery during and after disasters. Disaster E-health is a new area of study that emerged in public policy and combines disaster management, disaster medicine and E-health [ 71 , 72 ]. Telemedicine, for example, is a service that can ensure that people stuck amid disasters can receive remote services through telecommunication networks [ 73 ]. Due to the increasing vulnerability of cities and rural areas to natural and human-driven disasters, telemedicine or E-health has gained more currency in the last decade.

A pilot telemedicine project was implemented in Prayag city in India to reduce the spread of cholera. The project used teleconsultation, telemonitoring of public health and health care facilities, and telehealth education. Additionally, this pilot project processed the gathered data to prevent the spread of the disease. Ayyagari, et al. [ 74 ] analyzed the effectiveness of telemedicine in this project and concluded that it has successfully prevented the spread of the disease in less than a month. In the 2015 California Valley Fire, telemedicine played a critical role in the first days of the disaster and the following weeks. People used different tech devices to contact doctors remotely and report their physical and mental problems.

Similarly, Pasipanodya and Shem [ 73 ] investigated the effectiveness of this program on spinal cord injury and discussed how it had helped healthcare delivery through video and audio reports. Telehealth also was applied in Hurricane Sandy that had a widespread effect on the well-being and health of residents in NYC in 2012. It included various functions such as clinical video telehealth, home telehealth, and transmission of diagnostic images and other patient data for post-disaster healthcare delivery. Evaluation of this program by Der-Martirosian, et al. [ 75 ] showed that the number of people who have used telehealth for triage increased substantially while mental health issues moderately increased compare to pre-disaster situations.

Mental health problems are also a long-lasting effect of disasters. In the last decade, healthcare systems have used technology to lower these effects. For instance, the 2010 Haiti earthquake caused about 300,000 deaths and more than 1.5 million injuries and displacement. Augusterfer, et al. [ 76 ] analyzed how telemental health services contributed to improving the well-being of residents after this disaster. The most important outcome of implementing this policy was connecting Haiti to the rest of the World. Medical schools around the World provided triage and consultation through satellite telephones and video calls. Telepsychiatry has more potential than telemedicine to be provided remotely [ 77 ]. In this respect, telepsychiatry was implemented in Pakistan during different earthquakes that happened after 2010. Qadir, et al. [ 78 ] investigated different aspects of these services and found that low-income people exposed to disasters take their mental health problems for granted. Additionally, as there are limited places and services for mental health remedies and consultations in their vicinity, telepsychiatry played a critical role in post-trauma recovery.

3.4. Education and Employment during Crises

E-learning, remote working, and remote services are common areas that have gained more currency in the last two decades in ordinary days and during disasters. Depending on their magnitude, disasters may have temporary or long-term effects on education systems and employment. However, COVID-19 is a new type of disaster with the characteristics of catastrophic and chronic disasters and has deeply affected local and national economies and education systems [ 79 ]. Through one year of COVID-19, more than 1.6 billion students have been affected [ 80 ]. As the focus of this section is on previous disasters, we found few cases that governments have used technology for education and employment recovery. On the other hand, this area’s literature mainly focuses on educating people about the subjects related to disasters, not formal education. So, we can review the capacities and capabilities of smart cities to transform their face-to-face education and working conditions to e-learning and remote working.

Emergency remote teaching is a solution for educating people in crisis circumstances by the deployment of technology. These situations need innovative measures to deliver education services to all students regardless of their social and geographical conditions. In South Africa, a private higher education institution that has provided online higher education services has been asked to share its infrastructures to provide services for people exposed to disasters in recent years. It had a blended teaching approach on routine days and extended its programs for emergencies. The institution has two functions: teaching lecturers and then reassuring that students receive education services properly [ 81 ]. There are some other forms of chronic issues such as inequality in distributing educational facilities and infrastructures that information and communication technologies could help mitigate these disparities. The Australian government, for example, provided some services for students who live in rural areas and do not have accessibility to metropolitan areas by videoconferencing and blended e-learning. They managed virtual visits to museums, zoos, and natural environments [ 82 ].

Disasters also affect working systems during and after their occurrence. While there is a lot of research regarding other aspects of disaster risks, little attention has been paid to the nature, conditions, productivity, and other factors related to jobs. Different concepts such as telework, remote work, and mobile working emerged as areas that ICTs enabled to keep urban functioning [ 83 ]. Preparing initiatives and strategies for both disaster and recovery periods is necessary to help the jobs survive. In many ways, businesses would be affected by disasters, such as the damage of infrastructures in floods and earthquakes and low demand for services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In both cases, there is a need for resilience-building strategies. For example, several earthquakes between 2010 and 2011 in New Zealand resulted in many cases of business disruptions and job losses. Most offices lost their places, assets, and infrastructures. Green, et al. [ 84 ] investigated two private and public organizations in Christchurch that were highly suffered from the earthquake to know how telework increased their adaptability to disruption and facilitated business continuity. They concluded that public and private organizations increased their resilience through teleworking by improving organizational, personnel, and technical capacities.

4. Deployment of Technology in Cities during COVID-19

While humankind has faced different pandemics in the last century, COVID-19 is one of the most influential human-driven disasters that caused deaths and unprecedented disruptions in urban life [ 20 , 27 ]. This challenge has come to a situation that some have called World War COVID to explain the destruction level of the pandemic [ 85 ]. Specifically, as COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life, governments have been forced to impose restrictions to mitigate the negative externalities of the pandemic. There is a critical argument in urban planning on how to manage cities in the wake of the pandemic to maintain the functionality of fundamental urban systems and secure the well-being of residents [ 86 ]. Cities are known as the epicenter of COVID-19 [ 87 ], mainly because high population density and mobility can increase the infection rate rapidly [ 88 ]. Global health governance has struggled to cope with the urbanized characteristics of the pandemic [ 89 ]. The necessity of using technology and innovative solutions to deal with the pandemic has been emphasized by all health-related organizations [ 90 ]. Earlier, we showed how technology has been used in crisis management in the last two decades to mitigate the effects of disasters on the well-being of citizens. As discussed, while well-being is a broad concept that includes various aspects of human life, in this research the focus is on the areas that are directly affected by technology in urban systems. Technology deployment has been used in three main areas to increase participation: transparency, and social connectedness of residents; to enhance their physical and mental health; and to maintain the functionality of education and employment sectors. In the following sections, an overview of technology deployment to cope with COVID-19 impacts is presented.

4.1. Participation, Transparency and Social Connectedness during COVID-19

COVID-19 influenced all personal, social, and political aspects of urban life. So, local authorities and political actors emphasized the deployment of technology to increase the participation of residents in decision-making, particularly regarding COVID-19 decisions, and increase the transparency of these processes. Increasing social connectedness is another objective that is sought through the deployment of technology in cities during COVID-19 (see Table 1 ). Social media is the most critical and influential technology that has benefitted people and governments to cope with COVID-19. Initially, governments have used social media in the COVID-19 era to interact with people for making decisions and building trust through democratic processes (e.g., the case of Singapore) [ 91 ]. Secondly, social media is known as a way of information dissemination to increase preparedness (e.g., Penang city in Malaysia). As can be seen from Table 1 in Asian and African cities, Facebook has been used to communicate between people and government to increase the transparency and trust between governmental bodies and ordinary people. Thirdly, the connection between people living under COVID-19 restrictions is another function of social media in this situation. Fourthly, the information extracted from social media through big data analytics empowers decision-makers to predict the disturbances. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, El Azzaoui, et al. [ 92 ] analyzed Twitter data and found that by analysis of social media data outbreaks could be predicted about 7 days before authorities formally be informed.

Technology deployment and functions to improve participation, transparency and social connectedness during COVID-19.

4.2. Physical and Mental Health of Residents during COVID-19

Based on the level of vulnerability of communities and the risk level of disasters, residents’ mental and physical health could be affected [ 93 , 94 , 95 ]. There are millions of people who are mentally and physically suffering from COVID-19 and its consequent restrictions. Smart cities such as New York City (NYC) have more capabilities to cope with the pandemic and its consequences [ 27 ]. E-health, telehealth, and telemedicine are examples of smart city solutions to increase the delivery efficiency of healthcare services. In NYC and other cities, as shown in Table 2 , to cope with COVID-19 physical and mental problems, different initiatives such as making dashboards that automatically gather data about patients from different sources were implemented. Data sharing systems were also provided in all hospitals to ensure that doctors have accessibility to healthcare processes for all patients. Additionally, emotional and psychological support for patients and healthcare workers became the priority of hospitals by using technology-based solutions to mitigate the adverse well-being effects of COVID-19 [ 88 ]. As there were severe limitations regarding visiting patients in hospitals, NYC hospitals provided tablets with video applications to allow patients to get in touch with their families [ 90 ]. Elsewhere, various technological functions have been applied to provide efficient healthcare services, including locational tracking systems of citizens (Tel Aviv) [ 96 ] to track down contacts of infected patients and to monitor the physical conditions of quarantined patients (Seoul) [ 97 ]. Additionally, other functions linked to smart city processes ( Table 2 ) could be mentioned, including (1) simulating safe and high-risk places based on locational tracking and big data (Liverpool and Singapore), (2) using AI to analyze different types of data [ 98 ], (3) detecting potentially infected individuals based on thermal camera scanning (Wuhan) [ 99 ], (4) promoting dashboards for information sharing (NYC and Dubai), and (5) tracking the mobility of infected people and physical distances to control the spread of the virus (New Castle and Istanbul), etc. [ 100 ]. However, the most important technology deployment has been seen in tracking and monitoring residents in public places such as TraceTogether and SafeEntery application in the case of Singapore that the former was voluntary and the latter compulsory [ 101 ]. Beyond the practical usefulness of employing technology, new smart devices have also been used to provide pieces of evidence for research. Wearable devices, for example, have been used to analyze the effect of COVID-19 on the physical activity and sociability of residents [ 102 , 103 ].

Technology deployment and functions to improve the physical and mental health of residents during COVID-19.

4.3. Education and Employment during COVID-19

One of the main features of this pandemic compared to previous disasters is its influence on education systems and working conditions. From the first months of the pandemic, cities around the world imposed restrictions on gatherings, including schools and universities, and shut down unnecessary jobs. Universities and schools canceled all of their face-to-face teachings from laboratories to regular classes to mitigate the associated risks of the COVID-19 outbreak [ 104 ]. Countries and cities have different emergency remote learning strategies from blended to flexible learning. Various technology capacities in cities were employed to educate students, using social media (Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) and mobile applications, for instance [ 79 ]. Additionally, different strategies were deployed to connect teachers and students by using video conferencing, interactive whiteboards, and virtual visits of remote sites during courses [ 82 ].

Beyond the health impacts of COVID-19, businesses have suffered dramatically, and millions of people have lost their jobs. COVID-19 has made workers and employers change working conditions to protect society and the employees. This situation led to more remote working as a solution to reduce the vulnerability of businesses and maintain their functionality [ 105 ]. While teleworking as an initiative was proposed in different disasters in the last decades [ 83 ], COVID-19, for the first time, emphasized the necessity of this strategy to keep urban functions. However, the effect of COVID-19 on jobs depends on the nature and conditions of jobs, and those who need face-to-face communications are more vulnerable [ 106 , 107 ]. Cities worldwide have used different technology-driven initiatives to improve the well-being of residents through keeping urban functions. For example, London businesses employed various delivery systems to provide the basic needs of residents’ online shopping. Additionally, they have used sensor-based technologies to evaluate the performance of jobs for stimulation plans (see Table 3 ). Additionally, in Seoul, the municipality uses big data capabilities to map the high and low-risk areas to have a smart shutdown schedule of businesses.

Technology deployment and functions to improve education and employment during COVID-19.

4.4. Effectiveness of Smart City Projects in Managing COVID-19

As discussed in the previous section, technology deployment in different ways has empowered local authorities to control the spread and mortality rates of COVID-19. While COVID-19 is an ongoing crisis and judging the effectiveness of this planning approach is problematic, some recent studies have assessed the benefits of implementing smart city projects for controlling COVID-19. Yang and Chong [ 108 ] have quantified the positive effect of smart city projects in different urban areas in China. While they did not present detailed information on the implemented smart city projects, they concluded that the positive effect is more tangible in large cities than in small and medium cities. El Azzaoui, Singh and Park [ 92 ] also emphasized the effectiveness of big data analytics applied in the US. They were able to predict the outbreaks of COVID-19 about a week prior to formal confirmation of cases.

One of the significant problems of implementing smart city projects, specifically in less democratic societies, where central government control many aspects of urban life and decision making, is privacy issues. However, since the emergence of COVID-19, the tendency to participate in the research and practice of smart cities has accelerated. The result of research-based projects during COVID has paved the way for the adoption of more technology-based policy-making mechanisms [ 109 ].

5. Challenges and Barriers of Using Technology in Crisis Management

5.1. privacy, trust, and human rights.

Although technology deployment to fight COVID-19 is a ubiquitous solution in cities worldwide, there are serious problems and concerns regarding the trustworthiness of these systems. Governments and corporates use geolocational applications and sensors that collect real-time data. Addressing human rights at the digital level is a critical issue that should be considered in digitalization [ 110 ]. Moreover, as people use technology in their everyday lives, the corporates responsible for the digitalization of the city have great accessibility to the internet of things and users’ information that increase privacy concerns. So, the privacy of users, digital right of citizens, ethical promises and confidentiality of patients, false medicine delivery, and unauthorized medical research and experiments are critical concerns that should be appropriately considered for better technology deployment during crises [ 111 ].

5.2. Inclusiveness

There are concerns that digitalization may increase inequality and social segregation as all people do not have equal access to technology [ 110 ]. The digital divide concept in planning literature refers to this; specifically, it emphasizes marginal and socially vulnerable groups [ 112 ]. The digital divide can be explained in two levels, first, access to technology, second, the ability to use it appropriately [ 113 ]. Specifically, during COVID-19 older people are not familiar with technological devices and are excluded from services provided by the internet [ 114 ]. Alongside that, multicultural cities where people may have different local languages may fall behind the participation and lack accessibility to the provided services. At the same time, also, there is a threat of symbolic participation rather than active engagement of society in technology-driven ways of participation [ 58 ]. Overall, the experience of COVID-19 showed that inclusiveness of technology use and service delivery is an important issue that needs more attention from scholars and practitioners.

5.3. Political Bias and Misinformation Dissemination

The smartness of cities undoubtedly is a positive feature that increases the efficiency of service provision, participation processes, transportation systems, healthcare, etc. However, the digitalization of the city itself may come to action in a nondemocratic process just because it has various benefits [ 115 ], while the deployment of technology should be based on the demand and need of local actors. Additionally, politicians and authorities may take advantage of technology as it is an undeniable necessity of urban systems. For instance, non-democratic regimes may see the increased reliance on smart solutions and the increased availability of citizen data as an opportunity to strengthen power relations and further control the free flow of information [ 20 ]. Moreover, People may intentionally or unintentionally disseminate wrong information through social media. While social media administrators can recognize and correct them [ 62 ], there are also concerns about the political orientations in the strategic perspective of international corporations. They may use their reputation to mislead the public domain and interrupt active and real democracy.

5.4. Technical Issues

There are strong concerns regarding the use of outcomes in planning and governance processes, including lack of reliable data, poor analysis, misinterpretation, and wrong presentation of decision-making outcomes. These barriers may contribute to less transparency and accountability in urban governance [ 116 ]. As new data sources are based on complex algorithms, planners and decision-makers do not always have the expertise to use this information by themselves. Local governments cannot afford the costs of collecting, processing, and analyzing big data for immediate decisions. These technical challenges are also imaginable in businesses when it comes to a crisis. While digital technology in businesses is increasingly gaining popularity in everyday situations, managers are not equipped with appropriate skills and resources to mitigate the adverse effects of disturbances such as COVID-19 by employing technology-driven techniques [ 117 ]. Therefore, empowering people, business managers, workers, and vulnerable populations for increasing technology literacy is necessary to increase the efficiency and inclusiveness of smart cities.

5.5. The Inefficiency of Education and Remote Working

Regarding the deployment of technology to deliver education services, some challenges affect the quality of services. As some institutions have students from different countries and cultures, there might be some language-driven barriers along with other factors of digital inequality [ 82 ]. Additionally, some courses require a physical presence in labs and face-to-face contacts that are almost impossible to be approached through e-learning platforms. Additionally, social skills will develop by socializing with other students, which e-learning cannot provide students with. Studies from pre-COVID times have shown that e-learning cannot necessarily consider the differences as students have different learning styles. So, many students with varying styles of learning may fall behind their peers, which will lead to inequality in the education system [ 118 ].

Regarding teleworking, it provides the employees with a flexible schedule; however, it may lead to diminished boundaries between private and professional life, causing an imbalance between personal concerns and work duties [ 119 ]. However, a survey done by Hu [ 120 ] showed that one of the main benefits of remote working is improving work–life balance and this may even lead to improving productivity. Despite this, organizational cultures and morals could be negatively affected by long-term remote working [ 83 ]. Moreover, the well-being of workers might be negatively affected due to overwhelming schedules [ 106 ]. From a technical lens, remote working has some risks regarding the privacy of information and security of access to data. Hacking websites and platforms is a common challenge of remote working, specifically those jobs which require high security due to their legal and ethical security, confidentiality, and privacy [ 121 ].

6. Concluding Remarks, Policy Implications, and Future Research Pathways

Technology plays a critical role in today’s disaster management. The COVID-19 experience has shown that the smartness of cities could mitigate urban dysfunctionalities and enhance the well-being of communities. This study has reviewed the literature and focused on empirical cases to show how cities’ smartness and technology deployment have affected the resiliency of the city and the well-being of residents. While technology has improved different stages of crisis management, from an urban planning perspective, its tangible effects have been by: firstly, increasing the participation of residents, enhancing the transparency of governmental processes, and social connectedness; secondly, improving the physical and mental health of residents; and lastly, increasing urban functionality in education and employment systems. The result of our literature review showed that technology deployment in all these three areas has increased the well-being of the community and enhanced the functionality of urban systems. Moreover, our analysis in the COVID-19 era revealed that smart cities are more capable and reliable to improve the well-being of their residents and maintain their functionality during pandemics [ 55 , 113 , 122 ]. However, there were some challenges and barriers regarding technology deployment in crisis management, including privacy, confidentiality and trust issues, social inclusiveness, political bias and misinformation dissemination, technical issues, and urban functions in the education and employment sectors.

In terms of policy implications, this study revealed that developing smart cities is not achievable by just using technologies to improve urban functions and should also involve considering other aspects and actors such as people and institutions [ 15 , 44 ]. This review also has some policy implications for urban planning practitioners, policymakers, and local government to shed some light on the policy side of digitalization processes. Firstly, policymakers should take technology deployment in cities as a democratic process. People from all social groups have the right to adopt or deny the digitalization of urban functions. Secondly, authorities and policymakers should empower society with non-technical technology deployment issues to increase the applicability and efficiency of these processes, specifically in the education system and regarding organizational implications of remote working. Thirdly, telemedicine could be a sustainable approach for urban planning to facilitate the continuity of everyday situations. Fourth, social media, data gathering, monitoring systems, telemedicine, and tracking applications are pursued by various private, public and sectorial governmental bodies. There is a critical need for integrating these capabilities in the city through promoting integrated digitalization policies.

This study is not an exhaustive literature review of technology deployment in crisis management due to the broadness of the topic and the interdisciplinary nature of the research. So, there are a number of areas in urban planning that could be investigated in future research, including: first, as Papadopoulos, Baltas and Balta [ 117 ] discuss, there is a vital need for more research on different aspects of the interaction between technology and socio-cultural background of consumers and users. Second, as Fan, Zhang, Yahja and Mostafavi [ 122 ] found in their research, there are algorithms regarding the type of information people trust. Therefore, more research is needed to categorize information sources and clarify how the transparency of governments can affect the credibility of authentic information resources. Third, there is a critical need for more studies regarding the inequality of technology distribution in rural areas to find initiatives and practical solutions. Fourth, the digitalized lifestyle during COVID-19 may become dominant in the post-COVID era and affect the sustainability of urban development by increasing a new wave of suburbanization. So, there is a necessity for urban research to analyze the dynamic of people in metropolitan regions and find policies and strategies to regain the sustainability of urban development under new situations. Finally, it should be acknowledged that only peer-reviewed articles were analyzed for the purpose of this study. It is expected that many other examples of deploying smart solutions for better crises management are reported in grey literature. Therefore, we suggest that future research should also include cases and evidence reported in sources other than peer-reviewed academic literature. Despite these shortcomings, we believe this study is of great interest to reseachers and planners that endeavour to adopt technological solutions for crisis management. It also complements other studies that have examined how smart solutions have contributed to better resilience against the pandemic [ 123 ].

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, M.H. and M.A.; methodology, M.H., M.A. and A.S.; data curation, M.H. and M.A.; writing—original draft preparation, M.H., M.A., A.S. and A.A.; writing—review and editing, M.H., M.A., A.S. and A.A.; visualization, M.H. and M.A.; project administration, A.S.; funding acquisition, A.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research was funded by Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (Funder ID: https://doi.org/10.13039/100005536 ).

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Tennesseans Fear Smart Cities Will Lead To Travel Restrictions In The Future

• by: Paula Gomes

With transportation projects like the one currently underway  in Chattanooga  that will allow the city to monitor over a 100 “smart city” intersections when complete – the entire downtown area – some  Tennesseans question  where these initiatives are leading major hubs within the state. Will today’s smart cities become “15-minute cities” in the future?

The installation of 86 smart city intersections will lead to “the largest urban Internet of Things deployment of its kind in the United States,” boasted Seoul Robotics who is partnering with the Chattanooga Department of Innovation Delivery and Performance, and the Center of Urban Informatics and Progress at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

The $4.5 million project is being funded by the Federal Highway Administration through the  ATTAIN program  with installations beginning this year and continuing into 2024.

Chattanooga will become a “living laboratory” providing researchers with unparalleled mapping and tracking capabilities. While an earlier focus of a 2019 testbed was concerned with safety regarding vulnerable road users, this next phase switches to “ next-generation transportation ” which includes electric vehicles, and perhaps even automated vehicles.

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What is a 'smart city'? 

Shining a light on what it means for a city to be 'smart'. Image:  REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

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• Participants in a World Bank event share their thoughts on what makes a city 'smart'?
• Technology, innovation and connection were key words associated with smart cities.
• Panelists also offered their thoughts on what makes a smart city.

What is a smart city ? We’ve heard the term in contexts as diverse as urban planning and governance, transport, energy, the environment, health, and education. We’ve also noticed that the notion of smart cities relies on a range of technologies—including the internet of things (IoT), mobile solutions, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain. Because of this connection with technology, we’ve had concerns about how smart cities will address issues such as data privacy and social exclusion. We see a risk that urban areas with poor web connectivity could be left out of the smart-cities trend. We’d like to continue an open dialogue on this trend.

Have you read?

Being smart about smart cities: a governance roadmap for digital technologies, how blockchain can empower smart cities - and why interoperability will be crucial, our alliance is creating smart city governance.

At the World Bank’s Global Smart City Partnership Program, we held a Virtual Knowledge Exchange Program on Smart Cities for Sustainable Development , jointly organized with the World Bank’s Open Learning Campus , to discuss the trend. At the event, we polled more than 260 participants from around the world to find out what they thought a smart city would be, what makes a urban area and its citizens smart, and what they wanted to see in their own smart city. As the word cloud shows, “technology,” “innovation,” and “connection” were the first words that came to participants’ minds when they thought of smart cities. “Citizen participation” and “data” make a community and its citizens smart , according to most of the participants. Around half chose “sustainability” as a priority in their vision for a smart city, and a quarter voted for “resilience.” We asked our panelists similar questions; here are five takeaways.

The Data for the City of Tomorrow report highlighted that in 2023, around 56% of the world is urbanized. Almost 65% of people use the internet. Soon, 75% of the world’s jobs will require digital skills.

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Michael Donaldson, Chief Technology Officer of the City of Barcelona , said that he has seen a shift in the understanding of smart cities from associations with data and technology to a layered definition embracing “citizen intelligence” and “humanizing technology.” Barcelona’s digital participatory platform enables citizens to help direct city management by suggesting ideas. “Citizens have a lot of experience about the city, and we need to gather this intelligence in order to make better decisions,” he said.

Alice Charles, Head of Cities and Real Estate at the World Economic Forum , noted the changing role of the private sector in smart cities from “selling widgets and gadgets to the cities” to “promoting an outcome-driven model.” Companies are focusing on technologies that help urban leaders achieve their goals. This model requires stronger partnerships among cities, the private sector, civil society, and academia. Examples include the Smart Cities Challenge by Infrastructure Canada; City Possible , by Mastercard; and the Helsinki Energy Challenge.

Martin Weiss, Professor at the University of Pittsburgh , sees an opportunity in the wake of COVID-19 to find out what alternative smart worlds would look like. Digital technology has stood out, as it facilitates remote work, private and public online service delivery, and contactless interactions. He said, “We will focus on different questions than before, like how we make access to high-speed services less dependent on heavy infrastructure investments.”

Pedro Vidal, Intelligent Transport Systems Coordinator at the Chilean Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications , said that the pandemic hit mobility and public transportation services hard. “We have made alliances with universities to understand behavioral trends and are convinced that there are some changes in mobility preferences,” he said. “We created lanes for bicycles and developed measures for using public spaces in a safe way. We have seen an increase in the use of public transport. This can be transformed into a big opportunity to have a more sustainable city.”

Rudi Borrmann, Deputy Director at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Local , emphasized the importance of openness and transparency in gathering and using data for public services, especially during the pandemic. He said that the first step toward creating a smart city is for local governments to improve the way they coordinate and communicate transparently with stakeholders. “Openness needs to be at the center of creating trust in bringing solutions to the citizens by using technology,” Borrmann says. OGP recently started the Open Response Recovery Campaign , in which the partnership developed a series of recommendations on how to better use open government as a way to strengthen trust during the pandemic.

All told, it looks as though a smart city is one that uses technology to efficiently engage citizens and meet their needs. In the post-pandemic era, we must prioritize measures to address inequality and digital divides, which leave many of the poor, and poor cities, behind. Data privacy and transparency must be protected. Cities become smarter when citizens and communities use technology to coproduce an environment where their digital rights are protected and their cities are made more sustainable.

Watch the recording of the full discussion here .

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8 Solutions That Are Turning Cities Into Smart Destinations

The pandemic disrupted all industries and sectors, especially tourism. Now that we can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel, one question remains… What does the future hold for travel ?

It’s hard to tell. All I know is that technology has a central role in its recovery.

Amid travel restrictions, innovative companies were reinventing the way people travel. The result was years of advancement in travel technologies.

It’s like they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

But the pandemic is not responsible only for technological advancements. The habits of travelers have also changed since last year.

People are no longer tolerating long lines, crowded sights, generic experiences, unsustainable practices, poor customer service and lack of information.

It’s important that travel companies and authorities understand the post-pandemic traveler and their habits in order to adapt their offers and services. The result is the shift of ordinary destinations into smart destinations.

Why becoming a smart destination?

First things first, do you know what is a smart destination?

Well… in short it refers to a city or location that uses innovative solutions to better manage tourism. The ultimate goal of a smart destination is to improve the overall experience of travelers through the sustainable development of their local tourism ecosystem.

Destinations around the world started investing in travel technologies in response to the intense digitalization process on tourism.

In 2019, the European Union launched the initiative European Capitals of Smart Tourism . Their goal is to stimulate innovative and smart tourism practices in Europe. So far nine cities were awarded the prize for their smart approach to tourism.

Many locations claim to be smart, yet 32% of DMOs don’t have a guide app . We are talking about a tool in a world where 90% of people do all their holiday research online .

Although many destinations recognize the importance of smart tourism, there is still a long way for it to become a standard around the world.

Reasons why cities should invest in smart tourism:

• It increases the destination competitiveness.
• It improves the travel accessbility.
• Smart destinations manage better their resources.
• It helps the development of local tourism ecosystem.
• It helps destinations to plan better actions to stimulate tourism.
• It improves the quality of the experiences for visitors and the quality of life for locals.

Innovative solutions used by smart destinations

Elevating a city status to Smart Destination is a process that demands investment and coordinated work between the private and public sectors.

This process involves not one but a set of solutions . Among all the disruptive technologies a city can use in order to become a smart destination, we listed eight for this article:

1. Travel Marketplace

Digitalizing the entire tourism offer is perhaps the first step in becoming a smart destination.

A travel marketplace is a platform that gathers all the points of interest, tours, attractions, activities and experiences a destination has . The idea is to connect visitors directly with providers.

It should offer a smooth user experience and allow direct bookings to services and attractions.

This not only makes the booking journey easier but also gives visibility to less known locations, helping in distributing tourists and revenue within a destination.

Building this innovative solution from scratch is costly and time-demanding for a DMO alone. Not for nothing Orioly offers this service for destinations around the world.

2. Self-guided Itineraries

These are usually mobile apps built to guide travelers through a location or attraction. They work as a regular tour, but they offer a high-personalized experience .

Tourists who opt for a self-guided tour can choose from different languages and departure times, also customize the itinerary according to their interests.

All this flexibility attracts travelers looking for a customized experience at an affordable price.

Destinations with their own city app can partner with tour operators to create self-guided itineraries. This is a great way to help local businesses in generating extra revenue.

3. Augmented Reality

Augmented reality sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie but it has been around for some time now.

Basically, this technology changes a person’s perception of the physical surroundings when viewed through a particular device, such as a smartphone. The magic happens by adding a layer of information to reality.

If this description confused you even more, just think about Pokemon Go. It uses AR to place little monsters around the player that just can be seen on the mobile screen.

This technology offers a huge potential for smart destinations. They can use it to enhance travelers’ experience while visiting a location.

It fits perfectly with self-guided tours. You can turn a city walk into an exciting game experience by adding virtual elements such as historic figures and objects. Questo is a tech company that develops this kind of solution.

Tourism boards can also use it to place useful information around the destination. Imagine just pointing your smartphone to a restaurant or hotel to see its reviews, or, to a historic landmark to read interesting information about it.

4. Chatbots

A chatbot is nothing more than an automated messaging software that uses AI to converse with people. In other words, it interacts with the user without the need for human supervision.

Cities with their own portal or app can implement this solution in order to improve customer service and access to information by tourists.

You can program a chatbot to answer frequently asked questions regarding the destination, sights and attractions. Also, it can help travelers panning their trip and even booking rooms, flights and experiences. The possibilities are many!

5. Big Data

We are a big source of data. Just look at the 500 terabytes of information that people share per day only on Facebook !

All this volume of data generated daily on the Internet is the basis of big data. But not only big techs like Facebook and Google can use it in their favor. Nowadays this technology is accessible to small travel companies and destinations.

Data can be collected when someone books a hotel room, a tour, watch a video, or simply visits a website.

By combining internal and external data sets, decision-makers can predict travel demand and behaviors in order to act more efficiently.

DMOs can use big data to attract the right people at the right time and in the right way. For example, launching a promotion for a specific market when it shows signs of interest in the location.

Also, authorities can use big data to understand how tourists behave once they arrive at a destination in order to improve services and offer a better experience.

6. Virtual Reality

This technology is also used to enhance travelers’ experience before and after arriving at the destination.

Unlike AR, users need to wear a special device called VR headset to be immersed in a completely digital environment . This unveils a new world of possibilities for DMOs. Basically, VR brings the “try before you buy” concept to the travel industry.

This aspect of VR turns it into a great marketing tool for DMOs . They can use interactive videos and 360° images of popular landmarks to give a taste of the destination to travelers.

This type of promotion reduces the uncertainty of buying an experience and shortens the travelers’ buying journey.

Smart destinations can go beyond marketing and use VR to create a seamless booking experience for travelers. While virtually exploring the destination a tourist can make a reservation of a hotel room or restaurant for example.

7. Internet of Things

This emerging technology has gained a lot of attention since the announcement of the 5G network.

Internet of things, or just IoT, refers to devices that are connected to the internet and are capable send and receive data in order to perform actions automatically .

Destinations with a fast internet connection are great candidates to implement the IoT for tourism. From smart energy meters to autonomous cars , they can bring travelers’ experience to another level.

Just to illustrate the potential of this technology let’s imagine a tourist walking in the historic center of a certain destination. As they approach a famous attraction a notification is sent to their smartphone with its working hours and the number of people inside it.

This not only optimizes travelers’ time but also distributes better tourists around a destination .

8. Artificial Intelligence

This is probably the most complex solution on this list. Artificial intelligence refers to computers and programs that are able to learn patterns, make decisions, recognize and interpret sets of data without human interference.

One of its main characteristics is the fast response to complex problems and the low rate of errors compared to humans .

In the past years, AI has become more advanced and reliable, making it a great option for improving administrative and customer service tasks .

Due to its capability of learning patterns, travel services can use this technology to study tourists’ behavior and offer a strong personalized experience even before being requested it.

Another use of AI in tourism is in assisting crowd management . Authorities can use it to redistribute tourists in a certain location before a place gets too crowded.

We gave you the tools, now is your turn to implement them and who knows turn your city into the next capital of smart tourism.

Once you have your solution in place the next step is promoting your destination as a smart destination. To help you with that, check out our Guide to Tourism Destination Marketing Strategy for DMOs .

ORIOLY on October 13, 2021

by Felipe Fonseca

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The Latest on U.S. Travel Restrictions

By Lauren Hard Oct. 19, 2021

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What to Know: U.S. Travel Restrictions

Beginning today, international visitors who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can enter the United States by air or across the land borders with Canada and Mexico.

Here’s the latest →

The new policy ends an 18-month ban on nonessential travel from 33 countries, including China, Brazil and European Union members. The ban had affected tourists and those hoping to visit family and friends in the U.S.

The rules reorient the U.S. approach to vetting its visitors during the pandemic.

Instead of basing entry decisions on travelers’ countries of origin, the U.S. is focusing on vaccination status.

International visitors flying into the U.S. now need to show proof of vaccination before boarding and a negative coronavirus test taken within three days of their flight.

The three vaccines available in the U.S. — Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — are accepted, as are vaccines cleared for emergency use by the W.H.O., including AstraZeneca and Covaxin.

Unvaccinated foreign visitors cannot enter the country, with limited exemptions.

Unvaccinated Americans returning home need to test negative for the coronavirus within one day of their flight and show proof they have purchased another test to take after arriving.

The hope is with these longstanding bans being lifted, the U.S. tourism industry will start to recover. The halt on travel caused a loss of nearly $300 billion in visitor spending, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

Keep up with the latest travel news, trends and feature stories.

Our Coverage of U.S. Immigration

When One Partner Is Deported:  American citizens whose spouses have been deported face wrenching decisions on what is best  for their future, especially when they have children.

Asylum Restrictions:  The Biden administration is considering actions that would make the president’s tough but temporary asylum restrictions almost impossible to lift , essentially turning what had been a short-term fix into a central feature of the asylum system in America.

Immigration Divides a Town: Jobs attracted thousands of Haitians to Springfield, Ohio, and employers were ecstatic. But a fatal bus crash touched off resentment , and JD Vance entered the fray.

Undocumented Spouses:  A judge paused a Biden administration program  that could offer a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens, ruling in favor of 16 Republican-led states.

Texas Stopped Busing in June: Gov. Greg Abbott’s program  forced Democrats to talk about the border. But a  dramatic drop in the number of migrants  has left the buses idle.

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How Will Chicago Enforce New Quarantine Restriction for Travelers?

Travelers entering or returning to chicago from "states experiencing a surge in new covid-19 cases" will need to quarantine "for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state.", published july 3, 2020 • updated on july 3, 2020 at 11:38 am.

The city of Chicago warned of daily fines for anyone who violates a new emergency travel order requiring those who visit states currently experiencing a rise in coronavirus cases to quarantine for 14 days.

But how will they enforce it?

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Friday the city won't necessarily be tracking every traveler in the state.

"We really are asking people primarily to do the right thing here," she said.

According to the order, those in violation of the quarantine are subject to fines of $100 - $500 per day, up to $7,000.

"We're not saying that people aren't allowed to travel but that when they return they have to quarantine for 14 days," Arwady said.

She noted that while the city won't be pulling over people with out-of-state plates or creating a list of travelers, the order is aimed at discouraging non-essential travel.

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"We tried to balance here the ability to keep the really essential things going but send a strong message to individuals and to businesses that unless there is an essential reason to travel now is not the time to do it," Arwady said.

No specifics were detailed on how the city will notify those found in violation.

Under the order, travelers entering or returning to Chicago from "states experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 cases" will need to quarantine "for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state."

The order is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday and remain in effect until further notice.

States included in the order as of Thursday are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.

"A state will be designated if it has a case rate greater than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 resident population, per day, over a 7-day rolling average," the city said in a statement.

According to the city, the list of states will be "reviewed and amended every Tuesday, starting July 14, 2020."

Arwady said the city will use signage on highways and at airports and will work with airlines to notify travelers of the order.

"We want people to be thinking twice about whether now is a good time to travel," Arwady said.

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Rostov Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Rostov oblast: Rostov-on-Don .

Rostov Oblast - Overview

Rostov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the south of the European part of the country, part of the Southern Federal District. Rostov-on-Don is the capital city of the region.

The population of Rostov Oblast is about 4,154,000 (2022), the area - 100,967 sq. km.

Rostov oblast flag

Rostov oblast coat of arms.

Rostov oblast map, Russia

Rostov oblast latest news and posts from our blog:.

4 December, 2017 / Stadiums and Matches of the World Cup 2018 in Russia .

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13 March, 2016 / Official Look of Host Cities of World Cup 2018 in Russia .

1 February, 2014 / Snow apocalypse in Rostov region .

12 January, 2011 / The most beautiful staircase of Rostov-on-Don city .

History of Rostov Oblast

In ancient times, the territory around the Don River was part of the region called Scythia (the Greeks), Stsitiya or Tanais named after the Tanais River, the present Don River (the Romans), Sarmatia (the Roman historians of the 1st century). In Russian chronicles of the 14th and 15th centuries, this land was called “Field” or “Wild Field”. Since the second half of the 16th century, the Moscow tsars, starting with Ivan the Terrible, already called all Cossack land simply “Don”.

The ancient people settled in the lands along the Don River since the Stone Age. In the 8th-7th centuries B.C., the Scythians began to settle in the steppes to the north of the Black Sea, between the Don and the Danube. Settlements on the territory of the present Rostov region were first mentioned by Herodotus. A lot of archaeological finds were found in numerous Scythian burial mounds: iron swords, daggers, special items of horse decoration, golden and silver items.

In the 6th-5th centuries B.C., the Greeks began colonization of coastal areas of the Black Sea. In 480 B.C., their largest towns (Olvia, Tira, Hersonissos) united in the kingdom of Bosporus with the capital in Panticapaeum (present Kerch). It was engaged in active trade with the Mediterranean towns.

After long and turbulent history with periods of prosperity and decline, the Greek towns fell under the blows of nomadic peoples migrating through the Don steppes from East to West. For several centuries, this flourishing region turned into a wasteland.

More Historical Facts…

In the 4th century, the Avars settled on the Don land. After them the Khazars came here, who founded their settlements and built a fortress called Sarkel. Constantly raiding the southern lands of Kievan Rus, they were a serious threat to the Old Russian state.

Later, the Pechenegs came here and the Polovtsian tribes after them. The Polovtsi captured the steppe areas of the Don, Kuban, the Azov Sea and ravaged the outskirts of Kievan Rus for decades reaching Pereyaslavl, Chernihiv and even Kiev.

In the early 13th century, the first wave of the Mongol invasion reached the Russian land. In 1223, the combined forces of the Russian princes and the Polovtsi clashed with the Mongols in the Battle of the Kalka River (the tributary of the Kalmius, which flows into the Azov Sea to the north of the Don). Due to poor coordination Russian and Polovtsian troops suffered a complete defeat.

It was the beginning of the period of Russian history known as the Mongol yoke, which lasted until 1480. In the 1470s, the Azov steppes were occupied by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire and became a constant threat on the south-eastern borders of Russia.

In the mid-16th century, runaway serfs began to settle in the area of the Don River. Later, they became known as the Don Cossacks. In 1560, the Cossack town of Cherkassk was founded. Gradually, from the late 16th - early 17th centuries, the Cossacks began to cooperate with the Russian military, economic and political systems.

In the 18th century, the land of the Don Cossacks became part of the Russian Empire and lost its autonomy. The Cossacks actively opposed this fact, which led to the peasant wars and uprisings headed by Stepan Razin, Kondrat Bulavin, Emelyan Pugachev. The Cossacks were included in the Russian army as irregular troops. They had special rights and privileges. The Cossacks were good soldiers and participated in all military campaigns conducted by the Russian Empire.

By the end of the 18th century, about 225 thousand people lived in the Don region, half a century later - 775 thousand. By the middle of the 19th century, two centers formed on the Don: Novocherkassk (military and administrative center) and Rostov-on-Don (industrial and commercial center). In 1859, the population of the region was about 900 thousand.

During the Russian Civil War, this region was one of the centers of the White movement and became the scene of bloody battles. The final blow to the Don Cossacks, who survived in the Soviet Union after the Civil War, was decossackization, dispossession and famine of 1932-1933. Rostov Oblast was established in 1937.

The shooting of a peaceful demonstration in Novocherkassk became the blackest page in the history of the 1960s. On June 2, 1962, employees of the local electric locomotive plant with their families came to the rally with demands for higher wages. In response, the troops were deployed in the city. When people tried to break through to the building of the city executive committee, the troops opened fire. According to official figures, 26 people were killed and 87 wounded.

Pictures of Rostov Oblast

Rostov Oblast - the land of the Cossacks

Author: Igor Tartanov

Paved road in the Rostov region

Author: Eugeny Gromenko

Rostov Oblast landscape

Author: Poluyan Sergey

Rostov Oblast - Features

Rostov Oblast is located in the southern part of the East European Plain and partly in the North Caucasus region, occupying a vast area in the river basin of the Lower Don. The region stretches for 470 km from north to south and 455 km from west to east.

The climate is temperate continental. The average temperature in January is minus 3 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 23.4 degrees Celsius. The nature of the region is diverse. Steppes, forests, the Don River, the coast of the Azov Sea are inhabited by more than 100 species of animals and fish.

Rostov Oblast lies mainly in the steppe zone with semi-deserts in the south-east. About 6% of the territory is covered by forests and bushes, most part of the region is occupied by farms engaged in agriculture on the fertile black soil. The largest cities are Rostov-on-Don (1,135,000), Taganrog (245,600), Shahty (226,300), Volgodonsk (168,200), Novocherkassk (163,700), Bataisk (126,800), Novoshahtinsk (103,400).

Rostov Oblast is rich in various mineral resources. The most important among them are fuel resources. Coal deposits of eastern Donbass are well-known. About 90% of coal is anthracite, which has the highest calorific content of all types of coal except for graphite. There are deposits of natural gas and oil, phosphorites.

Development of the region’s economy is based on such factors as favorable economic and geographical position (connecting the center of Russia with the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia), the availability of natural resources, high availability of labor resources, well-developed transport infrastructure.

Rostov Oblast is one of the leading regions of Russia in the level of development and variety of industries. The region’s economy is based on agricultural industry, food-processing industry, heavy and agricultural machinery, coal mining, automotive industry. Rostov Nuclear Power Plant is located about 12 km from the city of Volgodonsk.

The main treasure of the region is its fertile black soil occupying almost 65% of the territory, the fertile layer can be up to 1.5 meters. Rostov Oblast is the second largest producer of agricultural products in Russia (wheat, maize, rice, millet, buckwheat, soybeans, vegetables, fruits, and berries).

Sunflower is the main industrial crop. This region produces more than 20% of all sunflower seeds in Russia. Milk producing, cattle-breeding, sheep-breeding, horse-breeding and poultry farming are the most developed.

The federal highways E115 - M4 “Moscow - Novorossiysk”, E50 - M19, E58 - M23 “Kishinev - Rostov”, E40 - M21 “Volgograd - Kishinev” pass through the territory of the Rostov region. The railway routes to the south of Russia pass through the province - to Krasnodar krai (the Azov and Black Seas) and Ukraine. The main waterways are the Don and Seversky Donets. Taganrog, Azov and Rostov-on-Don are large sea ports.

Tourism in Rostov Oblast

Rostov Oblast attracts tourists by its rich history, charming nature, unique Cossack culture. The Don River, one of the largest rivers in Europe, with its branches and tributaries; Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea; Tsimlyansk reservoir; Don and Azov steppes create a memorable image of the Rostov region.

In total, there are more than 8,000 objects of archaeological heritage of federal importance in this region. The cities of Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, Azov, Novocherkassk are the main tourist centers.

Unique collections of Scythian gold are exhibited in regional museums as well as excellent ethnographic collections representing variety of national cultures of the Don region, items of everyday life of the Cossacks, pictures made by famous painters of the 18th-20th centuries.

The history of the region is closely linked to the famous Don Cossacks of the 16th-18th centuries (Yermak Timofeyevich, Stepan Razin, Kondraty Bulavin, Yemelyan Pugachev, Matvey Platov), as well as Emperors Peter I and Alexander I. Anton Chekhov, one of the greatest writers of short fiction in history, was born here. The Don River area is described in the works of Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Sholokhov.

Numerous Orthodox churches and monasteries are visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. The climatic conditions of Taganrog Bay create favorable conditions for the development of sanatorium and resort industry.

The main places of interest located outside Rostov-on-Don and Taganrog include:

• Azov Historical-Archaeological and Paleontological Museum-Reserve,
• Azov Museum of Local Lore,
• Gunpowder Cellar in Azov,
• Archaeological Museum-Reserve Tanais with the excavation of an ancient town and necropolis,
• Aksai Museum of Military History,
• Museum of the History of the Don Cossacks and the monument to Yermak in Novocherkassk,
• State Natural Reserve “Rostovsky”,
• Manych-Gudilo - the largest lake in the Rostov region.

Rostov oblast of Russia photos

Rostov Oblast scenery

Stud farm named after Kirov in Rostov Oblast

Author: Alena Amplieva

Traveling on the roads of the Rostov region

Author: Nikolay Sevastyanov

Churches in Rostov Oblast

Church of the Don Icon of Mother of God in Novoshakhtinsk

Church in Rostov Oblast

Author: Vlad Rost

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