GPS-Based Mobile Exercise Application: An Alternative Tool to Assess Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Visitors’ Activities in a National Park

Authors

  • Jinwon Kim University of Florida
  • Brijesh Thapa University of Florida
  • Seongsoo Jang Cardiff University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2019-9175

Keywords:

GPS-based mobile application, hot spot analysis, Seoraksan National Park, South Korea, spatio-temporal patterns, visitors’ activities

Abstract

The assessment of spatio-temporal patterns of visitors’ activities in national parks is essential to mitigate impacts to natural resources as well as manage experiences. With the use of a GPS-based mobile exercise application dataset, this study explored the spatio-temporal patterns of visitors’ activities in Seoraksan National Park, South Korea. A total of 1,206 anonymous mobile application users along with their 2,571 activity start points were acquired for January 2015 to December 2015. GIS-based hot spot analyses were employed to analyze the spatial patterns of activity points over time. Results indicated activity hot spots for hours (i.e., dawn, morning, afternoon, and evening) as well as risky points (i.e., falling-rocks, risk of structure collapse, or lightning) during dark hours (night) across seasons. Findings from this study can assist managers to allocate their spatio-temporal park management resources effectively to minimize environmental impacts, and enhance visitor experiences and safety. Furthermore, GPS-based mobile exercise application can be used as an alternative tool to assess spatio-temporal use of visitors in national parks. 

Subscribe to JPRA

Author Biographies

Jinwon Kim, University of Florida

Jinwon Kim, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management at the University of Florida, USA. The overall goal of his research is to identify the role of tourism, recreation and parks in the creation of active, vibrant, sustainable and resilient communities. Dr. Kim’s research has focused on four areas: (1) water-based recreation and tourism planning (2) environmental justice issues, including the accessibility and equity of recreation opportunities (3) recreation and public health policy and (4) applications of GIS and spatial technologies in tourism/recreation planning, development and management. As a tourism/recreation geographer, Dr. Kim is especially interested in applying geospatial concepts and analytical methodologies to problems that recreation or tourism managers face in their everyday decision making. His academic papers have been published in top-tier tourism, environmental planning and leisure journals, including Tourism Management, Journal of Travel Research, Leisure Sciences, Journal of Leisure Research and Journal of Environmental Planning and Management.

Brijesh Thapa, University of Florida

Brijesh Thapa, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation & Sport Management at UF. He is also the Co-Director of the Tourism Crisis Management Initiative, and an Affiliate Faculty in multiple academic units: School of Natural Resources & Environment, Warrington College of Business, Center for International Business Education and Research, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Water Institute, Transportation Research Center, and the Graduate Program in Sustainable Development Practice.

Overall, his research theme is within the nexus of tourism, conservation and sustainability. In this context, he has explored specific issues and associated linkages from a developed and developing country’s standpoint largely among key stakeholder groups (e.g., visitors, residents, tourism industry, and policy makers). Among developed countries, his research has been based from a U.S. perspective examining specific themes such as, environmentalism, recreation behavior, planning and management issues at various nature-based tourism settings managed by the state and federal government. Among developing countries, his research has focused on the examination of stakeholder perspectives so that effective policies can be implemented – to minimize negative impacts on natural and cultural resources; maximize economic benefits for locals; and optimizes visitor experience in parks and protected areas. Based on this core and associated lines of research inquiry, he has been involved in numerous international projects in various capacities in 28 developing countries. Additionally, Dr. Thapa has been involved in a range of projects at UNESCO World Heritage Sites in numerous countries with respect to tourism, cultural heritage, and natural resources management issues. Overall, his research findings are tools for managers and policy makers to effectively manage visitors, residents, and cultural and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

More recently, Dr. Thapa has been focused on numerous capacity building and institutional development projects through curriculum development, research, and training in tourism, nature and cultural heritage conservation, and natural resources management. Currently, as a PI and CO-PI, Dr. Thapa has been involved in several long-term federally funded projects with totals in excess of $2 million in Armenia, Turkey, Russia, Nepal, and the Southern Africa region (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Tanzania). He has received funding from U.S. Federal Agencies such as: Department of State, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Agency for International Development, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Seongsoo Jang, Cardiff University

Dr Seongsoo (Simon) Jang recently joined Cardiff Business School as a Lecturer in Marketing.

He focuses on empirical and quantitative research that lies at the intersection of advanced methodology (e.g., hierarchical modeling and spatial analysis) and digital marketing (e.g., online promotions, mobile games, two-sided platforms). He has initiated multiple projects with external researchers while collaborating with leading high-tech & retail firms in South Korea and France. Examples are mobile application market, GPS-enabled exercise app operator, and leading bakery chain. He has published in Journal of Product Innovation Management, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, Journal of Business Research, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change.

His industry experience includes working for large telecommunication and e-commerce companies such as SK Telecom and SK Planet for 15 years. His roles were predominantly in the fields of marketing analytics, marketing strategy and retail management. He also took a role in training marketing & new product development managers to become data-driven decision makers at SK Group, South Korea.

Downloads

Published

2019-02-06

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 1 (2019)

Section

Research Notes

License

Sagamore Publishing LLC (hereinafter the “Copyright Owner”)

Journal Publishing Copyright Agreement for Authors

PLEASE REVIEW OUR POLICIES AND THE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT, AND INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS BY CHECKING THE ‘AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS COPYRIGHT NOTICE’ CHECKBOX BELOW.

I understand that by submitting an article to Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, I am granting the copyright to the article submitted for consideration for publication in Journal of Park and Recreation Administration to the Copyright Owner. If after consideration of the Editor of the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, the article is not accepted for publication, all copyright covered under this agreement will be automatically returned to the Author(s).

THE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT

Assignment of Copyright

I hereby assign to the Copyright Owner the copyright in the manuscript I am submitting in this online procedure and any tables, illustrations or other material submitted for publication as part of the manuscript in all forms and media (whether now known or later developed), throughout the world, in all languages, for the full term of copyright, effective when the article is accepted for publication.

Reversion of Rights

Articles may sometimes be accepted for publication but later be rejected in the publication process, even in some cases after public posting in “Articles in Press” form, in which case all rights will revert to the Author.

Retention of Rights for Scholarly Purposes

I understand that I retain or am hereby granted the Retained Rights. The Retained Rights include the right to use the Preprint, Accepted Manuscript, and the Published Journal Article for Personal Use and Internal Institutional Use.

All journal material is under a 12 month embargo. Authors who would like to have their articles available as open access should contact gbates@sagamorepub.com for further information.

In the case of the Accepted Manuscript and the Published Journal Article, the Retained Rights exclude Commercial Use, other than use by the author in a subsequent compilation of the author’s works or to extend the Article to book length form or re-use by the author of portions or excerpts in other works.

Published Journal Article: the author may share a link to the formal publication through the relevant DOI.

Author Representations

  • The Article I have submitted to the journal for review is original, has been written by the stated author(s) and has not been published elsewhere.
  • The Article was not submitted for review to another journal while under review by this journal and will not be submitted to any other journal.
  • The Article contains no libelous or other unlawful statements and does not contain any materials that violate any personal or proprietary rights of any other person or entity.
  • I have obtained written permission from copyright owners for any excerpts from copyrighted works that are included and have credited the sources in the Article.
  • If the Article was prepared jointly with other authors, I have informed the co-author(s) of the terms of this Journal Publishing Agreement and that I am signing on their behalf as their agent, and I am authorized to do so.