E-Identity of Places in Smart City to Support Digital Transformation

The level of digital transformation is a crucial requirement in all advanced countries, serving as an indicator for evaluation and competition among them. Smart cities and electronic government services are considered key digital transformation outcomes and applications. This research introduces an enhanced and supportive concept for digital transformation and smart cities by transforming physical locations and objects into smart entities. The research proposes providing a digital identity and card for each landmark or place within the city. Additionally, it presents the idea of a smart application that allows individuals to interact with these entities, read information about them, and engage with them. Furthermore, the application can provide data, statistics, and brochures specific to these locations, including visitation numbers, nature, and operating hours. This data significantly supports government decisions in developing these places within the cities. Moreover, the research supports these locations with the concept of smart or digital gates through unique QR codes for each place. A case study is presented to apply the proposed ideas within a dedicated application for the city of Al-Madinah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, focusing on its religious, historical, and touristic landmarks.