Summer of Colour: Red Ladies by Clod Ensemble

Previously, we discussed how open data related to accessibility has many benefits for tourism.  In this post, we highlight how collaborative efforts related to tourism can be mutually beneficial, referring to tourism research conducted by the European Commission.

 Due to the EU encompassing many countries, they can collaborate with other countries whose citizens frequently travel to Europe.  For instance, their 50,000 Tourists initiative enabled tourists from South American countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Chile to travel to the EU by capitalising on ‘spare airline and hotel capacity during low season’.  This also benefited EU nationals who wanted to visit Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.  However, these tourists, whether they were visiting South American or the EU, had to have specific reasons for travelling, such as ‘family ties, educational or cultural links, or an interest in gastronomic or religious tourism’.

Operating on a smaller scale in Kent, this type of initiative can also be successful since there are trains and buses that take tourists around Kent, and there are also many hotels and B&B’s that may have spare rooms during low season.  If organisers of events and owners of hotels and transportation in Kent can come to an agreement similar to the EU’s 50,000 Tourists initiative,  tourists can take advantage of low costs and travel more often.  But again, there is all this useful information that not many people are privy to!

While an open data source for Kent events is the goal, additional information can truly help users not only become aware of the types of events being held in Kent, but also logistical information such as how these events cater to all types of people, including those that need extra accessibility, and how to get to the events and where to stay.  As this posts suggests, the benefits of creating an open data source are endless and can positively affect not only tourists, but organisations in the whole of Kent as well.  We just need to collaborate with each other to make the most of what each has to offer to tourists.

Read the previous post: Learning from Similar Tourism Research (part 1): Audience Interest

Read the previous post: Learning from Similar Tourism Research (part 2): Accessibility