From Screens to Streets: Volunteered Geographic Information's Impact on Travel Choices

Abstract

Geo-tech transforms travel with real-time traffic, weather, and attraction updates. Travelers can personalize plans for safer, more convenient journeys. Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) empowers them further with user-generated reviews, geotagged content, check-ins, location sharing, social media posts, hashtags, vlogs, collaborative travel itineraries, community forums, and crowdsourced maps. These advancements make travel more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for everyone. However, VGI faces hurdles: data accuracy, information overload, privacy concerns, biased reviews, and tech dependence. To address these challenges, improved verification processes, advanced filtering options, offline features, user education on privacy, and AI-driven fraud detection are necessary to enhance the reliability and trustworthiness of VGI in travel planning.