A beautiful place: investigating the determinants of perceived scenic beauty in Austrian landscapes with social media data

Miroslav Despotovic () and Christoph Hauser ()
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Miroslav Despotovic: University of Applied Sciences Kufstein
Christoph Hauser: University of Applied Sciences Kufstein

Palgrave Communications, 2025, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract This study investigates the determinants of perceived scenic beauty in Austrian municipalities using social media data. Employing a multimodal approach, we analyze geo-referenced metadata and visual content from Flickr, focusing on the number of “favorite” clicks as a proxy for landscape attractiveness. The analysis integrates spatial models to explore direct and spillover effects of environmental features and physical activities, such as skiing and cycling, on landscape aesthetics. Our findings reveal that both subjective factors (e.g., physical activities) and intrinsic environmental characteristics (e.g., water bodies and Natura 2000 areas) significantly influence scenic beauty. Notably, skiing activity exerts stronger direct and indirect effects during the winter season, while environmental factors are more dominant in shaping perceptions during summer. Despite seasonal variations, spatial dependence and hotspots underscore the role of location-specific tourism and ecological attributes. This research highlights the potential of leveraging geo-referenced social media data for large-scale assessments of landscape aesthetics while acknowledging inherent biases, such as those in activity datasets like Strava with a particular type of assessed individuals. By addressing these challenges, this study advances the understanding of how environmental and human factors interplay in the perception of scenic landscapes, offering insights for sustainable tourism and regional planning.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04317-2

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