Researchers at the tourism research center ETOUR have developed a new tool that contributes to developing the Halland tourism industry.
The new system saves guest night statistics and information about how visitors use the destinations' websites, as well as guests' comments about the destinations on social media.
– Through this survey, we have been able to see what topics guests are talking about on social channels and what attracts visitors to Halland, says Anna Bengtsson, development manager at Destination Halland.
Imagine if everyone working in the tourism industry had full control over what tourists do, live, eat, think, like or dislike. If they knew how tourists search for information online and what comments they leave behind on social media. How would companies then use this to develop their own operations?
This research project analyzes the digital footprints that tourists leave behind before and during their visit to Halland. The aim is to provide the many different players in the tourism industry with increased knowledge about guest behavior and needs. Because the better each player becomes at welcoming their guests, the more attractive Halland becomes as a tourist destination.
– We have developed a business intelligence system with extensive knowledge of the Halland guest. In practice, the system consists of a prototype with a data model, a data warehouse and a web interface that can be used for analysis and development, says Maria Lexhagen, researcher and senior lecturer at ETOUR.
The researchers in the project are established in business intelligence, tourism and destination development. The combination of technical expertise and social scientists has been an important component. ETOUR's part of the project has been completed, but in 2018 Destination Halland will start using the tool to develop Halland as a tourist destination.
– During the course of the project, we have gained access to a large amount of research-based knowledge. The focus of the project has been on establishing structures and processes for working with statistics and data in destination development, and here we are bringing with us a lot of new knowledge, says Anna Bengtsson, development manager at Destination Halland.
