In practice, almost no human activity is now possible without some form of digital mediation. The same is happening in very many areas. The result is the creation of a parallel version of the world that contains an incredible number of digital trails.

Reading and interpreting these trails is not always easy, and there are many factors that a data scientist must consider carefully, but the results are fascinating and very interesting. The presence of people in a variety of locations and their movements, without the constraints and problems of traditional recordings, provides valuable information for anyone involved in travel and tourism at all levels.

Big Data is certainly an opportunity, but it can be grasped only by being very familiar with the technical, human and social aspects in order to avoid mistakes, misinterpretations and trends with regards to the users.