Evaluation of smart scenic spot construction in China

The arrival of “Internet Plus” and the 5G era has brought rapid digital transformation. Many scenic spots in China are conforming to trends of the times by embarking on this transformation and beginning to become smart scenic spots. Yet these sites continue to face challenges in the process of smart construction. Moreover, theoretical guidance on the smart construction of scenic spots is lacking. We adopted a questionnaire survey method to study smart construction at 5A and 4A scenic spots in China. Based on the results, we established a smart scenic spot evaluation system via the Delphi method and the analytic hierarchy process. Our proposed system included infrastructure construction, smart service, smart management, and smart marketing as primary indicators. With the help of a geographic information system, we also discovered that scenic spots' locations influence smart construction. Findings can inform countermeasures and evaluation standards for China's smart scenic spot construction, offering guidance for improving sites' smartness.