How do different nationalities explore Prague - A unique big data insight into visitor behavior

Digitalization is reshaping how travelers engage with destinations worldwide. This engagement can also generate a vast amount of data about visitor behavior that can be analyzed and used for data-based decision-making in destination management. For example, thanks to big data and heat maps of their users' behavior, SmartGuide as a digital audio guide platform can provide detailed insights into visitors' preferences and patterns.

The blog dives into SmartGuide’s big data report about its users' behavior in Prague and its findings, showcasing how different nationalities explore the city and its attractions, setting benchmarks for other destinations and tourism representatives looking to interpret visitors' behavior.

Visitor's behavior in Prague - SmartGuide's data analytics tools

Uncovering the pulse of Prague with SmartGuide

The comprehensive report on SmartGuide users' behavior in Prague in 2023 reveals several key outcomes that underscore the digital platforms' influence on the tourism of the city.

1. Over 60k unique travelers used SmartGuide in Prague in 2023, generating statistically significant data about visitor behavior, spread, and preferences. The outdoor points of interest (POI) alone count to almost 400 across the city, with coverage in 15 popular world languages.
2. Linguistic diversity and content usage: Although German tourists are the most frequent users (19% out of all app users), English is the most used language of content and the one with the most opportunities to explore (12 % of users from the UK, 11% users from the USA and more English speaking international visitors). Interestingly, the third most popular language of visitors who use SmartGuide is Spanish, closely followed by Italian and Russian.
3. Engagement channels: 50% of SmartGuide user data tracked in Prague in 2023 were acquired through Prague’s Hop-on Hop-off bus tours (the users’ engagement with the app is further tracked when they hop off the bus), 33% of users came organically or directly from the app stores and 7% came via SmartGuide’s long-term cooperation with RegioJet, the popular Czech buses and trains operator.
4. Impact of content on exploration patterns: There are major differences in visitors’ patterns given the variances in available content. English version of content for Prague consists of 37 tours, most of which proactively inspire tourists to spread beyond the overcrowded city center and discover areas such as Vyšehrad, Žižkov, or Holešovice. As a result, English-speaking users are more spread around the city than Germans or especially smaller audience groups like e.g. Slovaks where content availability is limited and there is huge potential to spread tourists further by increasing content coverage beyond English.

SmartGuide's audio tours in Prague encouraged visitors to spend 30% of their time outside of the crowded city center. By providing interesting stories about lesser-known places, the app inspires tourists to sift through exciting attractions beyond the typical tourist hotspots and contributes to eco-friendly practices. Furthermore, the inclusion of nearby destinations as featured destinations in the SmartGuide app encourages visitors to venture out to nearby areas.

Access SmartGuide's full Prague visitors' behavior report here.

SmartGuide collects data about independent travelers it guides around Prague

Exploring preferences of Prague visitors through big data insights

SmartGuide employs advanced technology and analytical tools to provide a detailed understanding of its users' interests in Prague, optimizing the visitor experience through data-driven decisions.

Big data dashboards

SmartGuide utilizes big data dashboards to present an in-depth collection and analysis of quantitative visitor information and demographics (such as visitors' origins, demographics, language choices, and favorite spots - as demonstrated also by the insights above).

         Quantitative data of users by country 

Thanks to using QR codes and NFC tags with unique activation links on various marketing materials that serve as acquisition points for the travel guide app, SmartGuide can also identify the top-performing as well as underperforming marketing channels and help destinations improve the promotion of their digital guides. This approach enables SmartGuide to amass quantitative data effectively and provides a clear view of users' interactions and preferences that in turn helps destinations to make informed strategic decisions and enhancements in their offerings.

Language split and most popular places and time spent

By aggregating and analyzing this data, SmartGuide can finetune its features and content to better meet the needs of its diverse user base. Additionally, this wealth of statistics aids in predicting trends and preparing for future demands, ensuring the platform remains a vital resource for both tourists, as well as destinations, attractions, and tourism businesses aiming to engage with visitors.

           Traffic sources information provided by SmartGuide

Heatmaps

Heatmaps serve as a powerful tool, offering qualitative insights that paint a vivid picture of visitors’ engagement in certain areas across different times and audiences. With heatmaps, it's possible to observe seasonal variations of spread and interest of visitors in a destination, measure the effectiveness of tours in dispersing tourism from overcrowded hotspots, and identify how movement patterns differ among various nationalities.

Heatmaps highlight concentration areas of tourists, enabling stakeholders to discern which parts of the city attract visitors the most and at what times. For example, the Žižkov tour from PCT is only available in English, not in other languages. As a result, Americans spend more time around Žižkov and the Atrium Flora as tourists, whilst other nationalities like Germans tend to not visit these areas as often. Likewise for other tours.

    Žižkov tour is more popular among Americans as compared to Germans

Similarly, as the Slovak content in SmartGuide is very limited, Slovak tourists tend to stick to the popular tourist routes and rarely tend to venture to other city parts, such as Žižkov. Unlike Czechs, Slovaks also have a higher interest in popular landmarks such as the Narrowest Street in Prague, or Tančící dům.

The lack of Slovak content is reflected in the behavior of Slovaks

Such results are important for apprehending how different nationalities allocate their time in the city, revealing, for instance, that while some visitors, particularly those from Spanish and Italian backgrounds, may primarily visit Prague, especially during winter months, German tourists are more inclined to travel around additional Czech destinations like Pilsen and Karlovy Vary as well.

German visitors tend to venture also to other Czech destinations, especially Pilsen and Karlovy Vary

SmartGuide heatmaps are based on precise GPS-based geolocation that offers accurate results down to meters, unlike BTS-based data. Thanks to that, it aids in pinpointing potential areas, streets, and particular spots for further content development, and promoting sustainable distribution of tourists across Prague, mitigating congestion in heavily frequented spots.

The adoption of SmartGuide by renowned Prague attractions showcases its esteemed technology. Notable sites including The World of Banksy, Clam-Gallas Palace, and the National Technical Museum, among others, have integrated this tour guide system to elevate the visitors’ encounters. This collaboration reflects the confidence these cultural landmarks have in SmartGuide's capability to deliver interactive and engaging tours.

Conclusion

SmartGuide's big data insights based on analyzing its users' behavior in 2023 in Prague brought two main findings. First, it proved the important role of digital guide apps in inspiring tourists to spread beyond the overcrowded hotspot. Second, it highlights just how much the availability of language-specific content is shaping the manner of different nationalities exploring this city.

The data points out the diversity of visitor engagement, reinforcing the need for tailored information and tours for different audience groups. Overall, SmartGuide's big data analytics report on Prague offers a deeper understanding of tourist behaviors across Prague, which can help promote the sustainability of tourism in the city.

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