Geographical Information and Landscape History in Tourism Communication in the Age of Web 2.0. The Case of the Salt River Bay National Park in St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands

Abstract

Maps and other location‐based information have traditionally played an important role in the choice of holiday destination and the selection of sites to visit. Recently new technologies have changed the pattern of tourist information search and use, notably the Internet, mobile communications—foremost cellular telephony—and Global Positioning System (GPS). Focusing on a national park in the U.S. Virgin Islands, we take stock of available geographic data and their potential use in tourist communication. It is argued that Internet‐based neogeography offers strong potential for multilayered interpretation and dissemination to specific visitor groups. Due to a contested history and controversial designation of the area as a national park it is argued that caution must be taken in the interpretation and communication of especially historical maps and population data. Three possible user scenarios centered on visitor activities and information needs are presented. Finally, we conclude that there is a compelling need to develop quality content to satisfy visitor demands and thereby enable competitive advantage.

This article results from the Danish Galathea 3 project “St. Croix in Past and Present” and has number P10 in the Galathea publication series.

Keywords:

• National park
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• heritage
• location‐based services
• Internet mapping
• neogeography
• Web 2.0

Notes

This article results from the Danish Galathea 3 project “St. Croix in Past and Present” and has number P10 in the Galathea publication series.

1. Website: http://www.nps.gov/sari/ accessed March 2008.

2. For discussion of the cognitive aspects of the process, see MacEachren (2004), chapter 4: How maps are understood.

3. By georeferencing we mean the process of creating a transformed (stretched, scaled, rotated) version of the scanned map that fits with a reference map, typically the latest available topographical map of the area.

4. A promising example is demonstrated at a site maintained by the Heritage Agency of Denmark: http://www.kulturmiljoportalen.dk/, see also www.monument.dk. The private, nonprofit organization St. John Historical Society on a smaller USVI island has taken a similar approach in providing information on plantation ruin sites.

5. The Danish West‐Indian Society occasionally organizes group travels to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Several cases resembling scenario 1 are expected.