<p>Now that the national parks have been reopened following the partial government shutdown, some may begin to use the power of social media to understand where tourists are going and what they're doing when they get there. Using photos found on photo sharing site Flickr, scientists with the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University have been able to better gauge interest in particular parks and attractions. This data can then be used to understand how many visitors are passing through park gates each year, thereby letting the surrounding communities know precisely the economic value of these attractions.</p><p>The same information could be used to understand the popularity of any given tourist destination, including amusement parks, ball parks and museums. A similar study was conducted at Stanford in February to understand the economic value of coastal areas on neighboring communities. This new research was published in the latest edition of the journal Scientific Reports.</p><p>The idea behind this research is quite simple. Tourists are often quite shutter happy, snapping pictures of natural landscapes and park markers. The Stanford scientists with the Natural Capital Project simply sought out public pictures of these natural areas, recorded the metadata associated with these pictures (including date, time and exact location) and compiled this information.</p><p>Specifically, the group gathered 1.4 million geo-tagged photos on Flickr, then used information found in the photographers profile to determine how far they traveled to arrive at their destination. After applying this information to 836 recreational sites in the US and abroad, the scientists say this method of understanding who visits these attractions and for how long is both reliable and cost-effective. Those in charge of these parks and attractions can also use this data to predict surges in traffic as well as slow seasons.</p><p><a href="http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112981335/flickr-helps-predict-peak-park-seasons-102213/">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131021211722.htm">Scientists Use Flickr Photos to Assess Value of Natural Tourist Attractions</a> (Science Daily (press release))</p><p><a href="http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20130922215054data_trunc_sys.shtml">Flickr holiday snaps yield tourism data gold</a> (Science a Gogo)</p><p><a href="http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Technology/2013/10/22/Flickr-photos-helping-researchers-measure-global-tourism/UPI-95771382472254/?spt=rln&or=1">Flickr photos helping researchers measure global tourism</a> (UPI.com)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dctZ1TMqHW82WUM7G7JYgjCUht_VM&ned=us">6 additional articles.</a></p>