Effectiveness of Non-Geotagged Social Media Data for Monitoring Visitor Experience in a National Park in Japan

Yutaka Kubota, Takafumi Miyasaka (), Masahiro Kajikawa, Akihiro Oba and Katori Miyasaka
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Yutaka Kubota: Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
Takafumi Miyasaka: Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
Masahiro Kajikawa: Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
Akihiro Oba: Research and Development Initiative, Chuo University, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan
Katori Miyasaka: College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa 252-0880, Japan

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: In the pursuit of sustainable national park management, park managers need to understand the interests and activities of their diverse visitors in order to conserve the natural environment and offer a better visitor experience. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of using non-geotagged social media data from posts by park visitors for park management in comparison with geotagged data, which has been studied more extensively. We compared (1) visitors’ sociodemographic characteristics between geotagged and non-geotagged social media users through an onsite survey in Nikko National Park, Japan, and (2) the content of geotagged and non-geotagged photos shared within the study area on X (formerly Twitter). Our results showed that visitors in their 30s and 40s and foreign visitors had a greater tendency to use geotags. Non-geotagged photos more frequently and deeply capture nature-based activities and interests, including activities on trails, such as mountain climbing and hiking, and an interest in diverse animals and plants and landscapes that are less accessible. These findings indicate that non-geotagged social media data may have less age and nationality bias and advantages over the more widely-used geotagged data in capturing various nature-based experiences offered by national parks. Leveraging both geotagged and non-geotagged data can enable park managers to implement sustainable practices catering to a broader range of visitor interests and activities, contributing to the overarching goal of sustaining the natural environment while also enriching the visitor experience within national parks.

Keywords: biodiversity; cultural ecosystem service; nature-based tourism; protected area; recreation; social networking service (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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