Beyond the Screen: Comparing Travel Patterns Between Digital and Non-Digital Tourists in Spain

This paper explores the influence of home digitization and various sociodemographic factors on the adoption and intensive use of e-tourism among residents in Spain, with a particular focus on rural destinations and sustainable mobility practices. The utilization of nationally representative microdata from the Resident Tourism Survey (FAMILITUR) and the Survey on ICT Equipment and Use in Households (INE) for the period 2017–2023 has facilitated the estimation of logit and ordered logit models, which have been employed to characterize the digital behaviour of tourists. The findings indicate the presence of a second and third digital divide, with educational level, income, and digital competence significantly increasing the likelihood of independent trip planning and the adoption of more sustainable tourist behaviours. In contrast, older adults, rural tourists and individuals engaged in traditional leisure activities demonstrate a more limited utilization of digital instruments. The present paper emphasizes the way digital inequalities impede equitable access to tourism, thereby exerting a profound impact on rural development and the formulation of inclusive public policies. These findings contribute to the advancement of knowledge regarding the digitization needs of tourism, territorial cohesion, and sustainability in peripheral contexts.