Tourism, while economically beneficial, often results in negative impacts on the travel destinations, including overtourism and environmental degradation. Addressing these harmful effects has become a priority for many Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), that are often challenged by insufficient control over policies at different stakeholder levels. This paper aims to equip DMOs and policymakers with a tool to monitor and manage tourist flows and behaviors, emphasizing sustainability. The study leverages big data approaches, integrating structured mobile phone network data (TELCO) and unstructured online user-generated content (UGC), to analyze tourists' sustainable behaviors and introduces a dynamic approach using spatial and temporal lenses to track real tourist behaviors. Focusing on Verona, Italy, the research identifies how tourists interact with natural and social contexts, assessing their impacts on the city over time. The study finds a growing trend towards experiential tourism, where tourists engage with local culture outside the main attractions. This shift supports sustainable tourism by reducing congestion in popular areas. From a managerial standpoint, the study provides a methodological approach to control and interpret sustainable real behaviours. It captures the evolution of tours and attractions visited over time, providing insights into the impacts of public policies on tourists’ behaviours and choices. The findings enable Verona to optimize mobility flows, revise destination offerings, and enhance the promotion of diverse and local experiences, thereby supporting sustainable destination management and the creation of new business opportunities.
