It has also become possible for people to easily acquire tourism information that matches their own particular tastes using the internet, so tourism has taken a more diverse range of forms. One of these is “content tourism” that became popular in recent Japan. Sgains such a backdrop, the present study aimed to design, develop, operate and evaluate a system that integrated three subsidiary systems including Web-geographic information systems (GIS), a tourism information system and social networking service (SNS) in order to support walking-based content tourism. This made it possible to create sightseeing routes and to submit, store, and view tourist attraction information. Additionally, the system was operated for one month in Chofu City, Tokyo Metropolis, and the total number of users was 42. During the operation period, 12 new sightseeing routes were created and 30 new tourist attractions were submitted. Based on the results of the web questionnaire survey, users highly evaluated the key functions of the system and the overall system. However, of those key functions, evaluations were somewhat low for the ease of operation of the creation function of sightseeing route, so the improvements must be made. From the results of the access log analysis of users’ log data, the total number of sessions in this system was 134, 64% used PCs, 36% used mobile devices, Therefore, the approach of designing the system such that the same functions could be used regardless of the type of device one is using was an effective design approach.
The rapid advances in advanced telecommunications networks in recent years have made it possible for people to gather diverse information via the internet. In recent years, the widespread use of social media has made it possible for everyone to not only acquire information, but also to share their own information. The same is also true for tourism information. People aren’t limited to traditional means of acquiring tourism information, such as using guidebooks or travel magazines, but are increasingly using the internet. It has also become possible for people to easily acquire tourism information that matches their own particular tastes, so tourism has taken a more diverse range of forms.
One of these is “content tourism”. In Japan, a report announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism [
Locations related to anime or the like which are called “holy lands” are often known only to fans, and are seen as ordinary locations by people who are not fans. That means that in order to promote content tourism, it is vital that members of the community understand the content and the locations associated with it. This creates the need for a system that can simultaneously provide information related to conventional tourist attractions and “holy lands” in content tourism. Engaging in content tourism on foot has the potential not only to give local residents a greater understanding of their area, but also to promote their health.
Present study aims to develop a system that supports on-foot content tourism by not only tourists but also local residents, based on the social and academic background described above. The system integrates Web-Geographic Information Systems (Web-GIS), a tourism information system, and social networking services (SNS). Web-GIS is used to visually indicate tourist attractions on a digital map. SNS is used for the submission, storage, and viewing of user comments related to sightseeing routes and new tourist attraction information. The tourism information system makes it possible for information related to tourist attractions and sightseeing routes to be shared between users in advance, before they go sightseeing. During operation, various people use the system and answer a web questionnaire survey. Based on the results of the questionnaire survey, together with access log analysis, they evaluate the system in order to identify issues, and propose improvement measures.
The system is designed and developed integrating Web-GIS, a tourism information system and SNS. Therefore, the present study relates to two areas: 1) studies related to tourism support systems, and 2) studies related to content tourism support systems. Below, representative preceding studies related to these two areas in recent years are introduced, and then the originality of the system developed in the present study is demonstrated.
With regard to (1) studies related to tourism support systems, Maruyama et al. [
In (2) studies related to content tourism support systems, few studies have been conducted until now. However, in Japan, as contents tourism is actively promoted and a unique form, some studies in this area was conducted with a very few exceptions. Because, as mentioned in section 1, both Japanese and foreigners have frequently visited the places related to Japanese contents within Japan. For examples, Yamazakiet al. [
In (1) studies related tto ourism support systems, the routes created by the system of Ikizawa-Naitou et al. [
Compared to the above preceding studies, the first element of originality in present study is that it integrates Web-GIS, a tourism information system and SNS, enabling even people who do not know about the content to view sightseeing routes and comments created by other users and enjoy content tourism. The second element of originality is that it strives to promote a greater understanding in the community and promote health by enabling both tourists and local residents to take part in content tourism on foot.
This system is composed of Web-GIS, a tourism information system and SNS.
They can select the tourist attractions they wish to visit and create a sightseeing route to visit them. They can also view and evaluate sightseeing routes that other users have created. The system uses the information for the sightseeing route selected by the user to calculate the total distance that would be covered, the number of steps, and the total number of calories that would be consumed by walking the route. The system displays the top five users in terms of total distance covered and the top five most-used sightseeing routes. The information related to the new tourist attractions submitted by users and the sightseeing routes created by them are stored in the database.
This system offers the following three benefits.
1) Users do not require prior information before sightseeing
Even users who are not knowledgeable about the content can learn about related content from the tourist attraction information. Users can also see sightseeing routes created by other users, which can assist them when creating their own sightseeing plans. Sightseeing routes used by a large number of people are displayed in rankings, making it possible for users to obtain information related popular sightseeing routes.
2) Users can learn about the sightseeing routes of other users
Users can see the sightseeing routes created by other users, which are stored in the database. This enables users to learn new information related to tourist attractions and sightseeing routes at any time.
3) Users can improve their health as they sightsee
Users can obtain information on the total distance they have covered, the total number of steps they have taken, and the total number of calories they have consumed. The system makes it easy for users to determine how much they have exercised, so they improve their health without even thinking about it.
Though this system is expected to be accessed using PCs and mobile devices, same functions can be used from any device as there is no difference in functions depending on the device used. The use from PCs, which are mainly indoors, is assumed to be the content tourism planning assistance, by creating sightseeing route, viewing tourist attraction information and sightseeing route, and evaluating sightseeing routes created by other users. On the other hand, the main use from mobile devices both indoors and outdoors is assumed to be the assistance of content tourism activities by means of submitting new tourist attraction information, and viewing tourist attraction information and sightseeing route.
The system uses a web server, a database server, and a GIS server.
There are various types of Web-GIS. In present study, ArcGIS API for JavaScript provided by the ESRI was used to develop the Web-GIS. ArcGIS API for JavaScript does not require software installation, and can be accessed by using a website. The detailed design is indicated below.
1) Display of tourist attraction information
The tourist attraction information saved in the database of the system is displayed on a digital map of Web-GIS. This makes it easy for users to determine the locations of tourist attractions. Tourist attractions are shown on the digital map using color-coded icons that indicate their categories.
2) Display of sightseeing route
The minimum distance between tourist attractions on sightseeing routes is displayed on the digital map of Web-GIS. This enables users to visually learn about sightseeing routes and see the locations of tourist attractions in relation to each other.
3) Measurement of sightseeing route distances
When multiple tourist attractions displayed on the digital map of Web-GIS are selected, the system measures the minimum distance between them. Users can use this total sightseeing route distance information to easily ascertain how
much time it would take to walk the route and how much of a burden it would present.
The tourism information system makes it possible for users to view information related to tourist attractions and sightseeing routes before they go sightseeing. Sightseeing routes used by a large number of people are displayed in rankings, so users can obtain information related to popular sightseeing routes. The detailed design of these three subsystems is indicated below.
1) Creation system of sightseeing route
Users can create sightseeing routes on the system. Users who have already walked the routes can register them as records of their trips, while they who have yet to go sightseeing can register them as sightseeing plans. Users can also select tourist attractions shown on the digital map to include them in their sightseeing route, and they can enter a title, description, and required walking time for their route. The registered information is stored in the database.
2) Viewing system of tourist attraction information and sightseeing route
Users can view tourist attraction information registered in the database and sightseeing routes created by other users. Tourist attraction information can be viewed in either list form or on a digital map. When viewing information on the digital map, users can select to show only tourist attractions related to content such as movies or anime. The following sightseeing route information is displayed: the date and time the route was created, the title, a description, the amount of time required to walk the route, and the number of times the route has been selected. The sightseeing route is also shown on the digital map, and information related to tourist attractions on the route can be viewed.
3) Ranking system of user and sightseeing route
The system displays the top five users in terms of total distance covered and the top five most-used sightseeing routes. For the most-often used sightseeing route ranking, the title and the number of times each route was selected are displayed. For the users in the total distance ranking, the user ID and total distance walked are displayed. The sightseeing route is also shown on the digital map, and information related to tourist attractions on the route can be viewed.
This system is composed of an evaluation system of sightseeing route, a submission system of tourist attraction information, and a management system of user information. The only profile information that is disclosed to other users is the user ID, and the disclosed information cannot be used to identify individuals. The detailed design of these three subsystems is indicated below.
1) Submission system of tourist attraction information
Users can submit new tourist attraction information. When registering tourist attraction information, users enter the name of the tourist attraction, its category, and if there is any content that relates to the tourist attraction. If there is any related content, the user can register the website that corresponds to the content. The registered information is stored in the database.
2) Evaluation system of sightseeing route
Users can submit comments on sightseeing routes that other users have created. The comment, the commenter’s user ID, and the comment date/time are displayed. Comments are stored in the database.
3) Management system of user information
The system manages user information and uses the information for the sightseeing route selected by the user to calculate the total distance covered, number of steps, and total number of calories consumed. Equation (1) used to determine the number of steps was based on information on the website of the OMRON corporation [
The number of steps taken by users is calculated using Equation (1). The value measured by the Web-GIS is used as movement distance l. The average height for the user’s gender and age are used as height h.
s = l × 1000 h × 0.45 (1)
s: Number of steps;
l: Distance covered (km);
h: Height (cm).
The number of calories consumed by users is calculated using Equation (2). The METs value m indicates how many times greater the energy used by exercising is than the amount of energy used by resting. Walking at a speed of 67
| Age groups | Male | Female | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average height (cm) | Average weight (kg) | Average height (cm) | Average height (cm) | |
| 10 - 19 | 161.8 | 52.1 | 153.0 | 45.7 |
| 20 - 29 | 171.5 | 64.8 | 158.5 | 52.6 |
| 30 - 39 | 172.1 | 71.0 | 158.3 | 53.4 |
| 40 - 49 | 171.3 | 71.1 | 158.7 | 55.8 |
| 50 - 59 | 170.8 | 70.4 | 157.0 | 55.2 |
| 60 - 69 | 167.2 | 67.1 | 153.9 | 54.2 |
| 70- | 162.7 | 62.7 | 149.0 | 51.3 |
meters per minute (4.0 kilometers per hour) has a METs of 3. The average weight for the user’s gender and age are used as weight w. Exercise time t is calculated by dividing the distance measured using the Web-GIS by a walking speed of 67 meters per minute.
c a l = m × w × t × 1.05 (2)
cal: Calories consume (kcal);
m: METs value;
w: Weight (kg);
t: Exercise time (m).
This system implements 5 unique functions for users, which will be mentioned below, in response to the purpose of the present study as mention in section 1. In order to implement these functions, the system was developed by integrating plural systems into a single system.
When first using this system, users register an account. On the page of the function of new user registration, they enter their ID, password, gender and age. Once they are registered, they can access the system by entering their ID and password.
route registration. Here, the user enters the title, category, description, total distance and required time of the sightseeing route, and then presses the “Finalize route” button to create the sightseeing route.
map view). Users can switch to the viewing function of tourist attraction information by selecting “View tourist attractions” on the menu bar at the top of the main page of the system and then, on the following page, selecting either “View in list” or “View on map”. If users select “View in list”, as shown in
to walk the route, and the number of times the route has been selected. Pressing the “Details” button (
of calories they have consumed, the comments they have submitted, and the sightseeing routes they have selected or created. Pressing the “Log out” button on this page will log the user out of the system.
sightseeing route.
In the backend of the system, the following 4 processes are conducted in response to the 5 functions in the frontend.
1) Processing related to the user information registration and login
This processing is related to the function of new user registration and login, and management function of user information. User information is stored in the database developed by heroku. The password is hashed to prevent it from being used maliciously by a third party. This system performs backend processing, when users log in to only allow users who enter matching IDs and passwords to log in. If they do not match, an error message is displayed.
2) Processing related to the update of tourist attraction information
This process is related to the submission function of new tourist attraction information. When a user submits new tourist attraction information, the system performs backend processing to store the data in the database.
3) Processing related to the creation of sightseeing route creation
This processing is related to the creation function of sightseeing route. The system performs backend processing on the information input using the creation function of sightseeing route to divide it into two tables and store it in the database. One of these tables contains the date/time that the sightseeing route was created, its title, its description, the amount of time it takes to walk, and the number of times it was selected. The other contains the coordinates of the center point of the digital map, its magnification rate, the name of the tourist attraction, its category and its related content.
4) Processing related to the evaluation of sightseeing route
This process is related to the viewing function of tourist attraction information and sightseeing route, and the evaluation function of sightseeing route. The system performs backend processing on the comments on sightseeing routes to divide it into two tables and store it in the database. One of these tables contains comments on sightseeing routes by the user that created them, while the other contains comments by other users.
5) Processing related to the selection of sightseeing route selection
This processing is related to the ranking function of user and sightseeing route. When a sightseeing route is selected, the system performs backend processing to calculate the total distance covered by the user, the total number of steps they took, and the total number of calories that they consumed. The system also performs backend processing to update the number of times the sightseeing route was selected and the content of the user information. The backend organizes data related to the number of times that each sightseeing route is selected and the total distance covered by each user, and it displays the top five users in terms total distance covered and top five most-often used sightseeing routes on the page for the ranking function of user and sightseeing route.
The interface of the system was designed to be usable on both a PC and a mobile device. As the user’s mobile device interface is developed using a responsive design, it is almost identical to the PC interface. The administrator’s PC interface is developed utilizing Graphic User Interface (GUI). If malicious users and invalid submissions might be found, the administrator can delete them at one click.
Chofu City, Tokyo Metropolis, and its periphery is selected as the operation target area of this system. This is because the area contains many locations associated with anime and movies, etc., and because performing tourism on foot is recommended for this area. The system is envisioned to be used by the following three types of people. People who are very familiar with the operation target area and who are also knowledgeable about tourist attractions that are related to content can share information by submitting new tourist attractions and sightseeing routes. People who are very familiar with the operation target area but who are not knowledgeable about tourist attractions that are related to content can gather information shared by other users and can create sightseeing routes. People who are not familiar with the operation target area can view tourist attraction information and sightseeing routes created by others to efficiently design their sightseeing plans.
In order to make it possible to use the functions of the system immediately after it was launched, data related to tourist attractions needed to be gathered in advance. Sightseeing pamphlets from the Chofu City Tourist Association [
This system was put in operation for a period of one month, for use by people both inside and outside the operation target area.
| Age groups of Users | 10 - 19 | 20 - 29 | 30 - 39 | 40 - 49 | 50 - 59 | 60- | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of system users | 6 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 42 |
| Number of web questionnaire survey respondents | 5 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 35 |
| Valid Response Rate (%) | 83.3 | 94.4 | 80.0 | 80.0 | 33.3 | 80.0 | 83.3 |
| Category | Number of new sightseeing spots submitted by users |
|---|---|
| Famous places and historical sites | 1 |
| Park and garden | 6 |
| Public facilities | 4 |
| Eateries | 11 |
| Temples and shrines | 2 |
| Museums | 1 |
| Hot springs | 0 |
| Cherry blossom viewing | 1 |
| Festivals and events | 0 |
| Theme parks | 0 |
| Others | 4 |
| Total | 30 |
In this section, first of all, the system developed in the present study was evaluated based on the results of a web questionnaire survey to users and an access analysis of users’ log data. Next, based on the results, improvement strategies for the system will be submitted.
In accordance with the objectives of present study, a web questionnaire survey is conducted in order to evaluate (1) system usage and (2) the system functions. The questionnaire survey was conducted on a website one week after the system went into operation.
30% of respondents gathered tourism information from websites, 22% from social media, and 20% from guidebooks and pamphlets (multiple answers were allowed). From this, it can be concluded that while some users gathered tourism information from printed media such as guidebooks and from word of mouth, many users gathered information via their internet using PCs or smartphones. It is also important to note that social media was used to gather tourism information. The above make it clear that the system, which gathers tourism information via the web from PCs and mobile devices, would be effective at providing tourism support.
1) Evaluation of key functions
2) Evaluation of the system as a whole
therefore can not only provide users with a deeper understanding of the operation target area, but can also promote content tourism. 83% of respondents indicated that they “Agreed” or “Somewhat agreed” that they wished to use the system in the future. Ongoing operation of this system therefore has potential for multifaceted use by users.
In present study, Google Analytics is used to analyze user access logs from the operation period. Access logs is acquired by using html files loaded by each page of the website to be analyzed to call a PHP program that contained an access code created using Google Analytics.
The system had a total of 134 sessions. 64% of the devices used to access the system were PCs, 34% were smartphones, and 2% were tablet devices. This is because the system uses a digital map, which is easier to see on a PC with a large screen. A small number of users also accessed the system using a tablet device. In order to eliminate differences in the types of information that can be obtained depending on the type of device, the system was designed to provide identical functions regardless of the type of device used to access the system. The analysis results indicate that this approach was effective.
Based on the results of the questionnaire survey and the access log analysis, after
| Rank | Page name | Number of visits by page | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Page for the creation function of sightseeing route | 557 | 25.5 |
| 2 | Page for the viewing function of tourist attraction information | 372 | 17.0 |
| 3 | Page for the function of login | 307 | 14.1 |
| 4 | Top page | 246 | 11.3 |
| 5 | Page for the viewing function of sightseeing route | 176 | 8.1 |
| 6 | Page for the submission function of new tourist attraction information | 134 | 6.1 |
| 7 | Page for the management function of user information | 117 | 5.4 |
| 8 | Page for the questionnaire survey | 109 | 5.0 |
| 9 | Page for the ranking function of user and sightseeing route | 85 | 3.8 |
| 10 | Page for the function of new user registration | 82 | 3.7 |
the issues Based on the results of the web questionnaire survey and the access log analysis to identify future improvements to the system. These are summarized below.
1) Enriching tourist attraction information
The tourist attraction information provided by the system should be expanded by gathering information on eateries and photographs of tourist attractions and registering them in the database of the system.
2) Changes to web page designs
Web pages should be changed to make them easier to understand and use by changing fonts, font sizes, and backgrounds for better visibility. The size of popups on the digital map of Web-GIS should be changed to make the system easier to use on mobile devices.
3) Enriching the creation function of sightseeing route
A function should be added for searching for tourist attractions for individual content, when creating sightseeing routes. This would make it possible for users to learn about locations related to content that they enjoy. When there are locations related to content that users like but that is not registered in the system, this would also enable the users to submit the locations as new tourist attractions. There should also be a function for displaying detailed information related to each tourist attraction. This would make it easy for those unfamiliar with the area to create sightseeing routes using the system.
In present study, a system that integrated three subsidiary systems—Web-GIS, a tourism information system and SNS—was designed and developed in order to support walking-based content tourism. This made it possible even for users to create sightseeing routes and to submit, store, and view tourist attraction information. Additionally, it also made it possible to strive to promote a greater understanding in the community and promote health by enabling both tourists and local residents to take part in content tourism on foot. The present study has these two elements of the originality, comparing the preceding studies in the related academic areas.
The operation target area of the system was Chofu City, Tokyo Metropolis, and it was put in operation for a period of one month, for use by people both inside and outside the operation target area. A total of 42 people used the system. The largest share of users was between age 20 and 29, and the majority lived in Chofu City. During the operation period, 12 new sightseeing routes were created and 30 new tourist attractions were submitted. These results indicate that there is great potential for a large amount of new tourist attraction information to be submitted and sightseeing routes to be created if the system were put into long-term operation.
A web questionnaire survey to users and analyzed access logs were administrated in order to evaluate the system developed in the present study. Based on the results of the questionnaire survey, users highly evaluated the key functions of the system and the overall system. Ongoing operation of this system therefore has potential for multifaceted use by users. However, of those key functions, evaluations were somewhat low for the ease of operation of the creation function of sightseeing route, so the improvements indicated in Section 6.3 must be made. Based on the results of the access log analysis, the system had a total of 134 sessions, and 64% of the devices used to access the system were PCs, 34% were smartphones, and 2% were tablet devices. Therefore, the approach of designing the system such that the same functions could be used regardless of the type of device one is using was an effective design approach.
Future research tasks include making improvements to the system based on the findings in Section 6.3 and using the system in other urban tourist destinations to expand the system usage track record and improve the usability of the system.
In the operation of the on-foot content tourism support system and the web questionnaires survey of the present study, enormous cooperation was received from those mainly in Tokyo Metropolis. We would like to take this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge them.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.
Nagano, N. and Yamamoto, K. (2022) On-Foot Content Tourism Support System in Urban Tourist Destinations of Japan. Journal of Geographic Information System, 14, 546-569. https://doi.org/10.4236/jgis.2022.145031