The mobility network of European tourists: a longitudinal study and a comparison with geo-located Twitter data

Abstract

In this paper we provide a network study of the structural and dynamical characteristics of tourism flows in Europe in the period 1995-2012. Travels in Europe were studied following the network science research paradigm and focusing on the whole network of intra-European tourism destinations. Network analysis was used to map and reveal the pattern of connections between states as shaped by bilateral tourism flows. Data were provided by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. For several countries, we updated and integrated UNWTO data with information available from the national statistical office of the individual countries. For the year 2012, results obtained from the UNWTO record-based network were compared to geo-located Twitter data as a proxy of human mobility patterns. Our analysis provides evidence of a shift towards an increased homogeneity in the travelling preferences of European tourists, an acquired attitude of visitors to travel shorter distances, and a tendency of mobility patterns to merge. Finally, the comparison between UNWTO and Twitter data shows a different spatial distribution of visitors. These results provide a useful insight for policy makers involved in tourism planning.