Mapping Tourism in Aruba: Leveraging Geosocial Data for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This research maps the spatial distribution of several types of visitors in Aruba by using geosocial data from Flickr image content. Computer processing power combined with the analytical ability of the researcher the method is formed. With these methods geovisualizations and charts are made to examine the geosocial data, discover patterns, and make conclusions based on the results. 19.189 images were extracted from Flickr and stored in an SQLite database. They were categorized into six tourist categories which resulted in a spatial distribution map for each category where eventually 18.300 images were accounted for. So the division in land of origin of the photographer and their time of visit is taken into account. The results also show which land use type and protected nature or marine areas many tourists go. A critical assessment is executed whereby the findings of the research are presented to several tourism agencies in Aruba to see if the findings correspond with their perception of reality, and the numbers of this research are compared to official statistics. The outcomes showed that the results were useful for these organizations to comprehend the movement of tourists and strive to regulate it. It considers both environmental sustainability (preservation of nature) and the locations of visited attractions, as well as devising strategies to manage, improve, and sustain them. is study contributes to a deeper understanding of tourist behavior patterns and offers insights into nature-inclusive tourism management in Aruba.