Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Muskie School of Public Service
Faculty Mentor
Tracy Michaud, PhD
Abstract
Tourism is Maine’s largest industry; A University of Maine study in October 2019 shows that 1 out of 10 jobs are in Maine’s hospitality sector. Growing and protecting this industry is of vital importance to various stakeholders across the state. Data about how and where our visitors spend their time can inform this process. Traditional data collection methods can be costly and time consuming. This study incorporates new data collection techniques, utilizing new “big data” sources. Flickr.com is a public photo sharing website. The metadata from geotagged photos obtained from its API contain a record of unique experiences. The spatial aspect of this data can provide new insights into how and where our visitors spend their time. This study will explore the experiences shared by Flickr users visiting the Portland Peninsula from 2015-2019. Looking for patterns in the use of space, based on authenticity factors identified by traditional survey methods. These new insights could help guide future resource allocation and influence decision making regarding Maine’s tourism industry.
Open Access?
1
Visualizing Authenticity: Combining Traditional and “big data” techniques to map visitor perceptions of authenticity in Portland, Maine
Tourism is Maine’s largest industry; A University of Maine study in October 2019 shows that 1 out of 10 jobs are in Maine’s hospitality sector. Growing and protecting this industry is of vital importance to various stakeholders across the state. Data about how and where our visitors spend their time can inform this process. Traditional data collection methods can be costly and time consuming. This study incorporates new data collection techniques, utilizing new “big data” sources. Flickr.com is a public photo sharing website. The metadata from geotagged photos obtained from its API contain a record of unique experiences. The spatial aspect of this data can provide new insights into how and where our visitors spend their time. This study will explore the experiences shared by Flickr users visiting the Portland Peninsula from 2015-2019. Looking for patterns in the use of space, based on authenticity factors identified by traditional survey methods. These new insights could help guide future resource allocation and influence decision making regarding Maine’s tourism industry.
