[h=1]A lot, as it turns out.[/h]Most of us have our phones in our pockets (or hands) most of the time. When we walk, when we work and when we travel. Our phones are not only our little helpers, but they are also a constant source of information for the telecommunication companies (telcos). They know who we call and when, but they are also well aware of our location, turning us into location probes.
This plethora of information has potentially enormous benefits. Apart from the obvious, enabling us to use the telecommunication services, it can provide all sorts of insights into the movement of people, such as with tourism analysis.
Start-up Market Locator*has teamed up with all three major Slovak telcos and the Slovak Ministry of Transport, Communications and Public Works to produce an analysis of incoming tourism in Slovakia. The result was a detailed analysis of foreign visitors and tourists, their movement and models of seasonality for different tourist attractions. This has important implications for the Ministry as it allows for more data-informed policies, but this insight can also benefit the tourism and HORECA segments which could also use this knowledge.
[h=1]How was it done, and what about privacy, you ask?[/h]The analysis gathered the data from SIM cards that were registered abroad but roamed on one of the three largest telco operators in Slovakia which together cover full 100% of the market. The data was anonymized and aggregated, allowing only for statistically significant points to occur in the results. The fully anonymous dataset included only location points (determined by the nearest cell tower and aggregated to a district level) and an anonymized identifier.
[h=1]Millions of people visited, but not every visitor was a tourist[/h]Some of the most interesting insights were into the quantity and distribution of tourists and visitors in Slovakia. The fact that Bratislava has seen the largest numbers of visitors is unsurprising. It is the capital, it is only a short distance from both Vienna and Budapest and it has a picturesque historical center. It is also a transportation corridor en route between Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic, as well as the most important flight hub in Slovakia. What I find surprising, however, is the sheer scale of Bratislava
This plethora of information has potentially enormous benefits. Apart from the obvious, enabling us to use the telecommunication services, it can provide all sorts of insights into the movement of people, such as with tourism analysis.
Start-up Market Locator*has teamed up with all three major Slovak telcos and the Slovak Ministry of Transport, Communications and Public Works to produce an analysis of incoming tourism in Slovakia. The result was a detailed analysis of foreign visitors and tourists, their movement and models of seasonality for different tourist attractions. This has important implications for the Ministry as it allows for more data-informed policies, but this insight can also benefit the tourism and HORECA segments which could also use this knowledge.
[h=1]How was it done, and what about privacy, you ask?[/h]The analysis gathered the data from SIM cards that were registered abroad but roamed on one of the three largest telco operators in Slovakia which together cover full 100% of the market. The data was anonymized and aggregated, allowing only for statistically significant points to occur in the results. The fully anonymous dataset included only location points (determined by the nearest cell tower and aggregated to a district level) and an anonymized identifier.
[h=1]Millions of people visited, but not every visitor was a tourist[/h]Some of the most interesting insights were into the quantity and distribution of tourists and visitors in Slovakia. The fact that Bratislava has seen the largest numbers of visitors is unsurprising. It is the capital, it is only a short distance from both Vienna and Budapest and it has a picturesque historical center. It is also a transportation corridor en route between Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic, as well as the most important flight hub in Slovakia. What I find surprising, however, is the sheer scale of Bratislava