Investigating the Temporal Dynamics of Tourist Movement: An Application of Circular Statistics

Abstract

This article explores temporal variability, referred to as temporal dynamics, in the movement patterns of tourists. Circular statistics were used to compute circular mean times and dispersions for different groups of tourists using data collected with Global Positioning Systems receivers at Port Campbell national Park in Victoria, Australia over a 2-day period. The results indicate that there is a tendency for tourists to visit the site around noon. The differences in the circular mean times computed for different regions and for different types of tourist are not significant. Nonetheless, kernel density estimation plots enabled variability, exhibited in terms of peak time and modality in patterns of visitor use, to be detected.