Monitoring and Managing Visitors Flows in Destinations using Aggregative GPS Data

Recent technological developments have produced a range of sophisticated and readily available digital tracking technologies, of which the best known is the Global Positioning System [GPS]. Yet, despite this remarkable surge in technology, researchers in the field of tourist studies have failed to take full advantage of what these relatively new systems have to offer. Tracking technologies are able to provide high-resolution spatial and temporal data that could potentially, aid, augment, and advance research in various areas in the field of tourist studies. This article present the possibility to use aggregative data obtained from GPS receivers in order to better understand the impact of visitors on destinations. The data presented in this paper were collected in four different locations: PortAventura amusement park and the Mini Israel theme park (two enclosed outdoor environments) the Old City of Akko in Israel (a small historic city) and Hong Kong a truly World City.