Girona, a city in Spain's Catalonia region, has implemented a new tourist monitoring system in its historic Old Town, Barri Vell, specifically targeting UK visitors with nine strategically placed detectors.

Real-time data access allows local authorities to monitor tourist numbers at specific locations, aiding in the prevention of overcrowding and optimizing tourism services such as transportation and waste management.

Girona's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, faces challenges due to increased tourist traffic, and this new system aims to balance tourism growth with the preservation of its cultural and architectural heritage.

These devices capture mobile phone signals to count visitors, map their routes, and differentiate between locals and tourists, providing insights into visitor duration and patterns.

Local businesses will benefit from this data as it allows them to adjust services and inventory based on tourist behavior, leading to improved customer satisfaction and potentially higher profits.

The initiative aims to enhance the visitor experience by directing tourists to less crowded attractions and offering personalized recommendations based on their preferences.

The collected data will help city planners improve visitor management by identifying peak times and popular routes, ultimately enhancing the tourist experience while maintaining local quality of life.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to balance tourist numbers, upgrade city services, and protect local heritage while accommodating the rising influx of UK tourists.

By managing visitor flows, the project addresses over-tourism issues, particularly during peak seasons, while reducing pressure on historical sites and local infrastructure.

Girona's approach to smart tourism serves as a model for other cities facing similar challenges of overcrowding and sustainability in tourism management.

This project reflects a broader trend towards sustainable tourism in Europe, showcasing the effective use of technology and data to improve tourism quality and manage resources.

Privacy measures are in place to ensure that the information gathered is anonymized and complies with EU data protection regulations, safeguarding individual identities.