Using Agent Analyst to Model Tourist Destination Choices
Spatially-explicit simulation of human-environment interaction is a topic of increasing discussion within the field of GIScience. Agent- based modelling (ABM) is one approach to creating a simulation model of entity interaction. Agent-based modeling (ABM) techniques have proven useful for simulating non-linear, emergent behaviour within a target system. This type of dynamic, multi-actor interaction is prevalent in the field of tourism and is an area well suited to study with ABMs. This paper outlines one conceptual approach to studying tourist behaviour within a landscape of competitive destinations. Agent Analyst is a recently developed computer program that couples geographic information systems (GIS) with an ABM. This type of integration provides both a temporal component to traditional GIS analysis, as well as allowing agent-based modelling to occur on a more realistic landscape. This paper provides “proof of concept” for Agent Analyst as a viable modelling platform and produces a basic model of tourist destination choice and interactions in the province of Nova Scotia. As a preliminary exploration, the emphasis of this paper is on evaluating Agent Analyst software itself, more precisely its modelling functionality, user interface and general potential of the software as a spatially-explicit agent-based modelling platform.