Strategic Visitor Flows (SVF) Analysis Using Mobile Data

The aim of this research is to show empirical evidence of SVF in the Fribourg region in Switzerland by exploiting mobile phone data.

Abstract

‘Visitor flows’ (VF) is defined as the generalized spatial movement patterns of travellers and have always been relevant in tourism studies. Nowadays, VFs are important for understanding travel networks which go beyond the specific spatial dimension to include informational or virtual dimensions such as travellers experiences. Travel network modelling is not only a valuable marketing tool helping to increase value in the supply chain but also it challenges the traditional organization of destination management organizations (DMO’s). DMO’s have to reshape their governance model from a static-central model to a dynamic network; destination managers have to change from flows of powers to power of flows (Castells, 1989). VF in this broader picture moves from merely descriptive to strategic VF (SVF). The aim of this research is to show empirical evidence of SVF in the Fribourg region in Switzerland by exploiting mobile phone data.