Marketing Policies for Smart Destinations: The Case of La Albufera, València

This chapter analyses how destination marketing can move beyond its traditional commercial focus and be redefined as a data-driven public policy tool that supports adaptive governance in high-pressure tourism destinations. Using the case study of La Albufera Natural Park in València, one of the main protected natural areas in the metropolitan region, and the technological platform Connecta-Dival, this chapter examines how real-time monitoring of tourist flows through wi-fi sensor networks enables public administrations to manage tourist demand dynamically, in line with the economic, social and environmental sustainability principles promoted by the internationally recognised smart tourism destination model. Through a mixed-methods approach that combines strategic policy analysis with big data analytics of anonymised connectivity records, the study provides applied evidence illustrating the potential of real-time data to strengthen destination marketing policies and reposition them as tools for supporting more sustainable and inclusive public management.