Given the negative impact of the pandemic on the tourism industry, the considerable weight of the gastronomy sector, the insufficiency of solvent conceptual models that allow the processing of big data generated by users or consumers and shared on social media (UGC), and the scarce and/or immature presence on the Internet (accessible website and social media) of restaurants and other companies that sell gastronomic experiences, the main objective of this GASTROTUR project is to contribute to the recovery and revaluation of the Spanish tourism sector related to gastronomic experiences, through the challenges of innovation and digitization.

To do this, the perceived image of smart tourist destinations (DTI) will be analysed from a semiotic perspective, through UGC on gastronomic experiences, and the image projected by destination marketing and management organizations (DMO) and by websites of establishments dedicated to marketing such experiences in DTIs. The analysis of UGC big data sources, through a solid conceptual model and methodological framework, contrasted with data on business profitability, will improve the competitiveness of the sector and provide information to propose possible communication and marketing strategies for companies and DMOs through innovation and digitization, taking into account the gender perspective and accessibility to websites. The results disseminated through publications, congresses, seminars, specialized press and informative manuals can be very useful for professionals in the sector.