Big data now represent one of the key to better understand customer behaviour and therefore improve marketing actions for tourism products. Through collecting data about visitors, managers could have a better understanding of tourism patterns both during preparation of the visit and the visit itself. For now, managers can now easily collect data only for tourists spending at least one night at a destination. Nevertheless, this operation become more difficult where it comes to understand the behaviour of daily visitors. Therefore, one big question come up: How can destinations understand daily visitors behaviour without directly interacting with them?
Kari Barklund of DGTT presents an interesting case study Through a collaboration with New Nordic Engineering, Destination Djursland (DK) came up with a brilliant solution: small measurement station positioned in strategic points that register the number of people through the WiFi signal sent by their smartphone (don’t worry, of course privacy is still protected!).
How does the technology works? Travellers carry their smartphone when they move around Djursland’s region.
Smartphones transmit a signal 1-2 times per minute within a radius of 30 meters to identify possible Wifi connections. Each smartphone Wifi signals is composed by a unique digit number. New Nordic Engineering designed a special equipment (see picture) which is able to receive this signal. Destination Djursland then placed several of these equipments in strategic point in key areas of the region. The equipment have been located into strategic location: where guest might stop, at entry / exit of a park to determine the length of the visit. Therefore, the equipments can determine customer journey by tracking smartphone wifi signals.
This small measurement station has been helpful for Djursland’s destination development. Djursland have been able to identify 10 things from the project. From this experience, Djursland compared seasonality customers frequentation, location of most visit attraction, visitor frequentation during the week, connection between activities etc. With this data collection, Djursland could improved marketing actions: propose a tour (based on the guest frequentation & connection), invest on strength / weakness location, improve accessibility (parking) etc.
Limitations:
To be efficient, we suppose that visitor activate their wifi during their journey. But, do visitors activate their wifi connection all day-long? If they are visiting national or coastline, they might want to enjoy nature, environment, and disconnect from technology.
Then, smartphone wifi signals is spread within a limited radius (30 meters). Destination have to invest and place quite a few equipments in strategic location to collect enough data and make useful recommendation.
Finally, this data collection technology is only efficient for movement tracking. Destination can’t segment customer. If they want to collect demographic data and other informations it’s mandatory to perform surveys (in person or by other means).
Giulio & Valentin
Source: Kari Barklund (2018). "Destination Djursland : Using BIG DATA". Digital Tourism Think Tank. Retrieved from https://www.thinkdigital.travel/opinion/destination-djursland-using-big-data/
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