Chapter 20: Application of Tracking Tools in Tourism and Hospitality Management

In this chapter, the concept, use, evolution, problems and implications of tracking techniques in tourism and hospitality research are addressed. First, the concept of tracking is defined and its applications in different sciences and, particularly, in tourism and hospitality are explained. Then, the past, present and uncertain future of tracking techniques is briefly discussed, including the evolution of the different types of tools used to track the places visited by tourists. Afterward, this chapter continues pointing to the limitations of tracking tools and it points to combining different tracking techniques as a key element to gather more accurate data from tourists. Last, this chapter focuses on the implications of data gathered through tracking tools for destination and industry managers. This chapter may serve to students interested in understanding how the generation of tourism statistics is expected to evolve during next years and to practitioners pretending to improve the management of tourism destinations or enterprises.