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This article explores the efforts of Destination Limfjorden in Denmark to enhance employees' competencies and skills in small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMEs) through the strategic use of data. The study employs a mixed-method approach, integrating digital questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to identify the competence needs of stakeholders. The research reveals a significant need for improved digital guest services and highlights the importance of data usage within companies, network building and general competence needs. The article also reviews the literature on the role of big data in augmenting tourism research and the challenges SMEs face in harnessing big data analytics. It underscores the need for robust knowledge management initiatives, targeted skill development programmes and a culture of collaboration among tourism SMEs. The article concludes by emphasising the increasing significance of big data competencies for SMEs in the tourism sector, particularly in remote European regions, and the potential of data analytics in fostering resilience among SMEs and enhancing their competitiveness within the evolving dynamics of the tourism industry landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of 12 semi-structured in-depth interviews with data experts from destination management organisations across Europe. The analysis revealed three overarching themes concerning the use of Big Data in the tourism sector: (1) size matters when it comes to utilising the information from Big Data sources – bigger is not perhaps better, but larger companies are more capable of harvesting the full potentials of the information; (2) companies lack the required competencies to work with Big Data strategically; and (3) one of the proposed solutions from the respondents was surprisingly a desire to share their data with the competitors thereby gaining a competitive leverage. Concluding on the above we suggest further areas for potential research: clarification of relevant competencies when working with Big Data, furthering collaboration between tourism companies to maximise the potential of sharing, and research into the effect on COVID-19 on Big Data and strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]