The 4th World Conference
on Smart Tourism WCST
WCST2026@Da Nang 16-19 December 2026
Duy Tân University, Da Nang, Vietnam
Call for Papers
The 4th World Conference on Smart Tourism
(WCST2026 @Da Nang)
The 4th World Conference on Smart Tourism (WCST) invites researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry experts to submit their work for this premier event dedicated to advancing smart tourism.
This year’s theme highlights the vital role of academia–industry collaboration in harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive transformative innovation in tourism and hospitality across the Global South.
Conference Theme
The theme of WCST 2026, “Synergizing Industry and Academia: Harnessing AI for Transformative Tourism and Hospitality in the Global South,”
emphasizes the critical need for collaborative innovation as AI technologies rapidly reshape tourism and hospitality ecosystems. In many regions of the Global South, advancements in artificial intelligence, data-driven service delivery, and digital infrastructures offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance competitiveness, foster inclusive growth, and build sustainable tourism futures. However, the effective adoption of these technologies requires strong partnerships between universities, industry stakeholders, and public institutions to address challenges such as capability gaps, equitable access, ethical governance, and community-centered development. WCST 2026 seeks to provide a vibrant platform where scholars, practitioners, and policymakers can jointly explore strategies, share insights, and co-create transformative solutions that empower the Global South in the AI-driven tourism era.
Conference Topics
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1) AI-Driven Innovation in Tourism and Hospitality
This theme explores how emerging AI technologies are reshaping value creation, service delivery, and guest experiences across tourism and hospitality sectors. It focuses on the transformative potential of generative AI, automation, and intelligent service systems in enhancing operational efficiency, service personalization, and data-informed decision-making. Contributions addressing predictive analytics, personalized travel design, and immersive technologies—including AR, VR, MR, and digital twins—are particularly encouraged, especially those that demonstrate methodological rigor and offer theoretical or practical advancements for the industry.
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2) Smart Destinations and Sustainable Development in the Global South
This theme examines the interplay between smart destination development and sustainable tourism futures in emerging economies. It highlights how AI-enabled systems, smart city infrastructures, and real-time data environments can support sustainability goals such as resource optimization, carbon reduction, and responsible visitor management. Papers are invited that investigate technology adoption in rural or underserved communities, showcase inclusive approaches to smart tourism development, and address the unique challenges and opportunities facing the Global South in building resilient and equitable tourism ecosystems.
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3) Industry–Academia Collaboration for Digital Transformation
This theme focuses on the critical role of collaborative frameworks that unite universities, tourism enterprises, and policymakers in accelerating digital transformation. It welcomes studies on joint research initiatives, living labs, open innovation platforms, and co-education models that strengthen talent development and foster AI-driven solutions for the tourism and hospitality sectors. Contributions that highlight successful cases of industry–academia partnerships, demonstrate scalable cooperative strategies, or present new models for aligning educational systems with technological change are especially encouraged.
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4) Entrepreneurship, Startups, and Tourism Tech Ecosystems
This theme invites research on the growing entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems shaping the future of tourism technology, particularly within the Global South. Submissions may explore the development of AI-enabled startups, accelerator and incubator models, venture creation processes, and commercialization pathways for emerging tourism technologies. Studies grounded in empirical evidence, case analyses, or ecosystem-level perspectives are encouraged, especially those that reveal how innovation networks contribute to competitiveness, inclusiveness, and sustainable growth in tourism economies.
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5) Governance, Ethics, and Policy for Responsible AI
This theme addresses the governance challenges, ethical complexities, and policy implications of adopting AI across tourism and hospitality. It seeks contributions that examine responsible AI frameworks, data governance mechanisms, transparency and fairness concerns, and regulatory approaches that balance innovation with societal well-being. Papers that explore cross-country policy comparisons, ethical risk mitigation strategies, or governance models that promote accountable and sustainable AI deployment—particularly in the context of the Global South—are highly welcomed.
The conference will feature a combination of presentations by leading international scholars and interactive sessions designed to support emerging researchers. In these sessions, doctoral students and early-career academics will have the opportunity to present their work-in-progress and receive constructive feedback from senior scholars, with the aim of enhancing the quality, clarity, and academic contribution of their research.
Submission Categories
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Full Papers
Completed research
with clear objectives, methods, results, and implications. -
Short Papers
Emerging or in-progress studies, including preliminary analyses or case studies, submitted for idea exchange and feedback.
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Undergraduate Pitching Competition
Undergraduate submissions presenting innovative ideas or early-stage projects, outlined through a brief proposal.
Submission Guidelines and Important Dates
1) Full Paper / Short Paper / Presentation Submission
Submissions may be made as a Full Paper or Short Paper option. Full Papers (1,000 words) should present well-developed research with a clear structure, including Title, Abstract, Keywords (max. 5), Introduction, Method, Results or Key Insights, and Conclusion. Short Papers (500 words) may outline work-in-progress, preliminary analyses, or conceptual contributions in a concise yet coherent format. For submissions accepted as Full Papers or Short Papers, authors will be required to submit a PowerPoint presentation for the final conference session. Presentation-only submissions should provide a PowerPoint file summarizing the research purpose, approach, and key findings. All submissions must follow APA referencing style. Local-language submissions are accepted for the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Thai Tracks.
Paper Submission Deadline: 30 July 2026, 12:00 PM (KST, GMT+9)
Announcement of Accepted Papers: 30 August 2026, 12:00 PM (KST, GMT+9)
Presentation Submission Deadline: 30 September 2026, 12:00 PM (KST, GMT+9)
Submission Options:
Full Paper (1,000 words) – Eligible for Awards
Short Paper (500 words)
PowerPoint Presentation Only (English only)
APA referencing style required
Local Language Papers:Chinese Track, Japanese Track, Korean Track, Vietnamese Track, Indonesian Track, Thai Track
2) Undergraduate Pitching Competition Submission
The Undergraduate Pitching Competition invites innovative ideas and early-stage projects presented in a PowerPoint format. Submissions should clearly outline the problem statement, proposed approach, expected outcomes, and relevance to the conference theme. All submissions must follow APA referencing style and will be reviewed for clarity, originality, and feasibility.
Abstract Submission Deadline:30 August 2026, 12:00 PM (KST, GMT+9)
Announcement of Accepted Submissions:15 September 2026, 12:00 PM (KST, GMT+9)
Presentation Submission Deadline:30 September 2026, 12:00 PM (KST, GMT+9)
Submission Options:
PowerPoint Presentation Only (English only)
APA referencing style required
Submission Options Type Submission Presentation Publication Deadline Full Paper Up to 5 pages Yes Conference Proceedings(not publishing) 30 July 2026 Short Paper Up to 3 pages Yes 30 July 2026 Undergraduate/Graduate Pitching Competition Up to 3 pages Yes 30 August 2026 Each paper should be represented by at least one registered presenter.
If at least one author has not completed their registration by 31 October 2026, the paper will be removed from both the program and the proceedings.
Accepted submissions will be considered for several conference awards, including the Best Research Paper Award, Special Recognition Award, Best Research Student Award, and the Undergraduate Pitching Competition Award.
Please download the conference format for your reference
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Full Papers
Full papers may be up to 5 pages in length, not including references. These must be prepared using the template available here.
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Short Papers
Short papers may be up to 3 pages in length, not including references.
Registration deadlines and Fees
1) Registration Deadlines
Early Bird Registrations: Until 30 September 2026(by 12:00 PM, KST/GMT+9)
Regular Registrations: From 1 October until 31 October 2026(by 12:00 PM, KST/GMT+9)
Late Registrations: From 1 November until 30 November 2026(by 12:00 PM, KST/GMT+9)
On-site Registrations at the Conference: From 16 December until 19 December 2026
2) Registration Fee
| Early Bird Registrations (~ 2026-09-30) |
Regular Registrations (2026-10-01 ~ 2026-10-31) |
Late Registrations (2026-11-01 ~ 2026-11-30) |
On-site Registration at the Conference (2026-12-16 ~ 2026-12-19) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| AST Member 1) | $300 | $400 | $500 | $600 |
| AST Non-Member | $400 | $500 | $600 | $700 |
| Graduate Student | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 |
| Undergraduate Student | Free 2) | |||
* All registration fees include the Social Event (Gala Dinner) fee of USD 100 |
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3) Day Tickets
One-Day Ticket: $100 (Early Bird) / $150 (Regular) / $200(On-site)
Two-Day Ticket: $200 (Early Bird) / $250 (Regular) / $300(On-site)
* Please note that while all standard registration categories include the Social Event (Gala Dinner) fee of USD 100, Day Ticket registrants are required to register separately for the Gala Dinner and pay an additional fee of USD 100 if they wish to attend.
4) Guest Tickets
| Early Bird Registrations (~ 2026-09-30) |
Regular Registrations (2026-10-01 ~ 2026-10-31) |
Late Registrations (2026-11-01 ~ 2026-11-30) |
On-site Registration at the Conference (2026-12-16 ~ 2026-12-19) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guest Social Event Ticket Only * | $100 | $100 | $150 | $200 |
| * Additional ticket for your family or guest | ||||