Digital Governance and Urban Attractiveness : Smart Wayfinding as a Strategic Lever for the City of Fez

Abstract

This paper presents a systematic literature review examining the interrelations between digital governance, smart wayfinding, and urban attractiveness, using the city of Fez as a reference case. The purpose is to understand how intelligent wayfinding systems can act as communication and branding levers within digital governance strategies. The study adopts the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol to ensure methodological transparency, rigor, and reproducibility. Out of 92 identified documents, 25 indexed studies (2014–2025) were included in the final corpus, the analysis identifies three main findings. First, digital governance emerges as a strategic framework that goes beyond administrative digitization, fostering transparency, co-production, and citizen participation. Second, smart wayfinding is conceptualized as both a cognitive and symbolic interface, translating institutional governance into tangible and inclusive urban experiences. Third, urban attractiveness is found to depend on how local governments transform digital technologies into tools of communication, territorial identity, and competitiveness. The case of Fez demonstrates the relevance of this integrative model, combining technological innovation, cultural heritage, and social inclusion. The article concludes by proposing the notion of the « readable and communicative city », where governance, design, and digital communication converge to strengthen the visibility, legibility, and sustainability of urban territories.

Classification JEL : O18, H11, M15.

Paper type: Theoretical Research