Introduction

Over the past two decades, tourism has undergone a profound transformation, propelled by digitalisation, the expansion of information and communication technologies, and the growing availability of real-time data. Within this new landscape, a distinctive paradigm has taken shape in the management of tourism: tourism intelligence. More than a process of statistical collection or trend observation, it represents a systematic approach to gathering, analysing, interpreting, and applying knowledge derived from tourism data in order to inform strategic and sustainable decision-making. In a world defined by volatility, uncertainty, and global interdependence, data have become a strategic resource, offering the capacity to reveal behavioural patterns, assess impacts, identify opportunities for innovation, and design strategies of resilience in the face of economic, health, or environmental crises. The challenge, therefore, is not the accumulation of information but its transformation into meaningful, actionable knowledge capable of guiding decision-making across the entire tourism ecosystem: businesses, destination management organisations, public administrations, and local communities alike.