International tourism and high-speed rail mobility: Evidence from Mobile network data at Florence Santa Maria Novella

Abstract

Tourism has been a widely studied phenomenon for many years, using established methodologies and official statistics derived from surveys or accommodation registers. There are also studies that explore tourism linked to mobility, such as surveys on international tourism. This study aims to further explore this phenomenon by approaching it from a new perspective, investigating the dynamics linking international tourism and the presence of a high-speed rail hub in a destination. The study was conducted using mobile phone big data, from which foreign travellers who had made at least one train journey to or from Florence S.M.N. station were identified, analysing points of entry and exit from Italy, the various Italian tourist destinations visited, and excursion routes within the Tuscany region.