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ABSTRACT
Core retail management functions include defining market areas and profiling customers. For tourism enterprises, market areas are geographically dispersed with many customers residing beyond the immediate area surrounding the attraction. Visualization and analysis of these distributed market areas are significantly enhanced by the capabilities of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and help to support management objectives. Unfortunately, many businesses are unable to utilize GIS due to its complexity and expense. This study develops a decision support tool for tourism planning and marketing that is customized and easy to use, employs open source software to reduce expense, and allows for broad accessibility via web delivery. Users can easily visualize and examine the spatial distribution of their own United States (US) client origins and visitation patterns along with relevant tourism-specific and general demographic information. This functionality can be beneficial in developing or augmenting business plans or marketing strategies, and for informing tourism theory.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by a Hoffmann Fellowship from the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University. The authors would like to thank Dr Damian Maddalena, Dr Shuangyu Xu, Dr Laura Tateosian, and Dr DelWayne Bohnenstiehl for their comments and suggestions.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Stacy Kathleen Supak
Stacy Kathleen Supak is a Teaching Assistant Professor, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, NC State University, Campus Box 8004 Biltmore Hall, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).
Hugh Alexander Devine
Hugh Alexander Devine is a Professor, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, NC State University, Campus Box 8004 Biltmore Hall, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).
Gene Leroy Brothers
Gene Leroy Brothers is an Associate Professor, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, NC State University, Campus Box 8004 Biltmore Hall, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).
Samantha Rozier Rich
Samantha Rozier Rich is an Assistant Professor, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, NC State University, Campus Box 8004 Biltmore Hall, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).
Wenbo Shen
Wenbo Shen is a PhD candidate, Department of Computer Science, NC State University, 890 Oval Drive, Campus Box 8206, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).