Application of GIS Technologies in Tourism Planning and Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Gelnica

Application of GIS Technologies in Tourism Planning and Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Gelnica

This study examines the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in tourism planning and sustainable destination management, using Gelnica, Slovakia, as a case study. The research highlights a key challenge—the absence of systematic visitor data collection—which hinders tourism market ana...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marieta Šoltésová, Barbora Iannaccone, Ľubomír Štrba, Csaba Sidor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
Subjects:
GIS
tourism planning
visitor analytics
sustainable tourism
digital tools
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/14/3/120
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Summary:This study examines the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in tourism planning and sustainable destination management, using Gelnica, Slovakia, as a case study. The research highlights a key challenge—the absence of systematic visitor data collection—which hinders tourism market analysis, demand assessment, and strategic decision-making. The study integrates alternative data sources, including the Google Places API, to address this gap to analyse Points of Interest (POIs) based on user-generated reviews, ratings, and spatial attributes. The methodological framework combines data acquisition, spatial analysis, and GIS-based visualisation, employing thematic and heat maps to assess tourism resources and visitor behaviour. The findings reveal critical spatial patterns and tourism dynamics, identifying high-demand zones and underutilised locations. Results underscore the potential of GIS to optimise tourism infrastructure, enhance visitor management, and inform evidence-based decision-making. This study advocates for systematically integrating GIS technologies with visitor monitoring and digital tools to improve destination competitiveness and sustainability. The proposed GIS-driven approach offers a scalable and transferable model for data-informed tourism planning in similar historic and environmentally sensitive regions.
ISSN:2220-9964

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