The emergence of smart city initiatives has transformed the tourism industry by integrating digital technologies into tourism services, destination management, and tourist experiences. However, the successful implementation of smart tourism systems requires a workforce equipped with appropriate technological competencies and professional skills. This study investigates the influence of employee capacity building on smart city tourism development, with digital competence serving as a mediating variable. The study adopts a comparative approach using data collected from tourism employees in Nigeria and India. A quantitative research design was employed, and data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with multi-group analysis to examine cross-country differences. The findings revealed that employee capacity building significantly enhances digital competence among tourism employees and positively influences smart city tourism development in both countries. Digital competence was also found to significantly contribute to smart tourism development and partially mediate the relationship between employee capacity building and smart tourism outcomes. The comparative analysis indicates that the direct influence of employee capacity building on smart tourism development is stronger in India, reflecting the country’s relatively advanced digital tourism infrastructure and smart city initiatives. Conversely, digital competence demonstrates a stronger mediating role in Nigeria, suggesting that improvements in workforce digital skills could substantially accelerate smart tourism adoption in the country. The study contributes to smart tourism and human capital literature by demonstrating the critical role of employee capacity building in enabling technology-driven tourism transformation. The findings provide practical insights for policymakers and tourism stakeholders seeking to enhance smart tourism development through workforce training and digital skill development.
Keywords: Human Capital Development, India, Nigeria, PLS-SEM, digital competence, employee capacity building, smart cities, smart tourism development, tourism workforce
