Towards data-driven tourism

The full title of this interdisciplinary research project is "New data sources for better territorial management in Valais: use cases for tourism and its legal framework". For greater readability, the research findings, published in the form of a White Paper, have been reformulated under the title "Towards data-driven tourism". 

A public presentation conference was also held on March 20, 2024 at the Swiss Digital Center in Sierre, during which 4 high-quality speakers, in the persons of Mr. Bruno Huggler, Mr. Lauris Loat, Mr. Roland Schegg and Mr. Bruno Pasquier, took turns at the microphone to shed light on the theme. Videos are available below, in addition to the White Paper and the speakers' presentations also available for download (see below "Documents"). It should be noted that the conference was held in French and that all documents are in that language.

The project explored the use of a variety of data sources, from Google search trends to mobility data and information from electricity and water meters. Wherever possible, the analyses were based on information gathered during interviews with professionals in each field, at both Valais and Swiss level, and were thus anchored in the reality of companies potentially supplying data.

In parallel, the research addressed the complex legal challenges and ethical issues surrounding the collection and use of personal data. The result is a focus on privacy and confidentiality. Legal implications and regulatory compliance requirements in data processing are also discussed for each potential source of new data.

This white paper reiterates the vital importance of data in understanding and managing modern tourism. It envisions a future where the judicious integration of big data, aligned with technological advances and regulatory developments, can revolutionize the tourism sector. It demonstrates that this data, if properly managed, offers an unparalleled opportunity to improve understanding of tourist needs and behaviors, leading to a significant improvement in the overall tourism experience.

The project was supported by the Service des hautes écoles of the Département de l'économie et de la formation du canton du Valais, as part of the call for projects 2023 "Procédure du Service des hautes écoles concernant l'encouragement de projets interinstitutionnels".