Japan Tourism Agency To Use Big Data To Gauge Tourist Needs

Above, a view of the Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba from Tokyo Tower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If this weren't a voluntary program, I'd be concerned that this would be another governmental encroachment on personal liberties and Big Brotherism akin to 1984.

However, it is a voluntary program to gauge Japan tourists's needs so that local governments can improve facilities and services, so I have no problem with it.

According to The Japan Times:

The Japan Tourism Agency plans to use big data to conduct a survey on foreign tourists’ behavior so that local governments and tourism industries can develop tours and events that meet their needs, NHK reported Wednesday. 

For foreign visitors who agreed to cooperate, the agency will ask them to download in their smartphones a special Global Positioning System application so it can collect data that include the routes they take to travel around the country, which tourist spots they visit and the comments they offer via social networking sites, the report said.

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