Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
understandings of mobility (Shoval and Isaacson, 2010), and its relationship to time geog-
raphy in tourism (Hall, 2005d; Shoval,
Chapter 22
of this volume), perceptions of spatial
analysis as an uncritical geography may be infl uenced by its strong quantitative emphasis. The
chapter then goes on to discuss some of the major research contributions in contemporary
spatial analysis with respect to spatial interaction and modelling tourist movement before
examining the utilisation of GIS and advanced tracking technologies. The chapter concludes
by noting the critical function of spatial analysis and its value in policy arguments.
Elements of spatial analysis
In broad terms, spatial analysis is 'the quantitative study of phenomena that are located in
space' (Bailey and Gatrell, 1995: 7). Spatial analysis has a long tradition in human and physical
geography and, although the quantitative dimension of physical geography, biogeography and
spatial environmental studies is well recognised, it also arguably underpins human geogra-
phy's claims to be regarded as a social science rather than a subject of the humanities ( Johnston,
2003). Spatial analysis has been hugely infl uential in a number of fi elds of relevance to tourism
studies including retailing, housing studies, marketing, economics, transport studies and
urban and regional planning (Maguire
et al.
, 2005; Stilwell and Birkin, 2008; Wilson and
Fotheringham, 2008), as well as on particular themes such as regional development, periph-
eral areas and visitor behaviour (Brülhart, 2006; Gruber and Soci, 2010; Törmä, 2008). In
addition, the development of spatial analysis as a fi eld of study has been given much impetus
by the growing demands for spatial data accuracy and quality given the increased amount of
spatially referenced data held by the public and private sectors as well as the use of GIS as an
interactive decision-making and planning tool.
According to O'Sullivan and Unwin (2003), there are at least four broad overlapping areas
in the spatial analysis literature.
1.
Spatial data analysis
, which is often descriptive and exploratory, is involved when data are
spatially referenced and 'explicit consideration is given to the possible importance of their
spatial arrangement in the analysis or in the interpretation of results' (Bailey and Gatrell,
1995: 8).
2.
Spatial statistical analysis
refers to the use of statistical methods 'to interrogate spatial data to
determine whether or not the data are “typical” or “unexpected” relative to a statistical
model' (O'Sullivan and Unwin, 2003: 2).
3.
Spatial modelling
refers to the construction of models to predict spatial outcomes. These are
primarily mathematical models 'where model outcomes are dependent on the form of
spatial interaction between objects in the model, or spatial relationships or the geographic
positioning of objects within the model' (Haining, 2003: 4). An additional form of model-
ling in spatial analysis is cartographic modelling, in which 'each new data set is represented
as a map and map-based operations (or implementing map algebras) generate new maps'
(Haining, 2003: 4).
4.
Spatial data manipulation
, usually in a GIS, which are software systems for capturing,
storing, managing and displaying spatial data (Haining, 2003). Such spatial data may be
gathered from a variety of sources including censuses and surveys, geographic positioning
systems (GPS), as well as via remote sensing which is defi ned as measuring a particular
quality of a feature without being in physical contact with the feature itself, and
usually applied 'to the measurements acquired from either airborne or orbiting
platforms, with the features of interest located on or just above the surface of the Earth'
