XML- based Automated Data Collection

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XML- based Automated Data Collection
8th International Forum on Tourism Statistics
14. November 2006, Cáceres, Spain
Ville Vertanen ville.vertanen_at_stat.fi
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Slide only in handout
Introduction - Strategies

• Statistics Finlands Strategy for EDR (Electronic
  Data Reporting)
• To offer an electronic option in all data
  collections by 2007 (not in person statistics)
• Its the respondents choice whether to use it or
  not
• Business Data Collections
• About 50 surveys (excluding collections with less
  than 30 respondents)
• 45 Web (Internet form) collections in use

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Tourism Statistics

• Monthly questionnaire
• Includes all establishments with 10 or more
  rooms, cottages or caravan pitches
• Covers 90 of room capacity in Finland
• Enquiry covers 1,406 accommodation establishments
  in 2006, of which
  756 hotels
  185 similar establishments
  283 camping sites
  132 holiday villages
  50 youth
  hostels

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Data collection for Tourism Statistics
Slide only in handout

• Up to 2005 collected information was keyed
  manually from paper forms into our database
• From the beginning of 2005 it has been possible
  to respond by an Internet questionnaire (09/2006
  250 answers)
• Information is entered manually into the
  questionnaire
• From autumn 2005 it has been possible to send
  information direct from hotel management systems
  into our collection database (09/2006 55
  answers)
• Typically, no manual input needed at Statistics
  Finland or at hotels

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Slide only in handout
Data collection with paper questionnaire
Accommodation establishment
manual
Database
manual
Accommodation establishment
manual
Statistics Finland
Accommodation establishment
print
Manual phases needed From SF to accomm. est. -
Reminders and feedback by mail
Accommodation establishment
manual
manual
Head agency
Accommodation establishment
print
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Data collection via the Internet
Accommodation establishment
manual

• Manual input needed at hotels but not at
  Statistics Finland
• - Reminders and feedback by email

Accommodation establishment
manual
Accommodation establishment
manual
Accommodation establishment
manual
Database
Statistics Finland
Accommodation establishment
manual
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Direct data collection
Accommodation establishment
- No manual input needed - Reminders and feedback
by email
Head agency
Accommodation establishment
Accommodation establishment
Accommodation establishment
Database
Statistics Finland
Accommodation establishment
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Direct data collection
Slide only in handout

• Data are delivered direct from hotel management
  systems into our database
• No manual work needed (except to initiate the
  transfer)
• After their reception data are submitted to the
  standard validation process
• Software vendors implement a module for the
  hotels management software using Statistics
  Finlands definitions for data and service
  interface
• Implemented using typical B2B integration
  technique XML Web Services

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Response activity via the Internet
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Definition of automated reporting

• Information is saved on specified XML -file. Why?
  
• XML -file can be specified accurately with XML
  -schema
• much of new data is based on XML
• XML -file is send by using Web Service. Why?
• After we have specified the WSDL description, the
  actual Web Service implementation takes just
  hours
• In Web Service we can control the transmission
  and authentication. User is informed ether
  success or failure

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Experiences in Finland

• Data reporting is now extremely easy said in
  Trade Magazine for Hotels and Restaurants.
• Data quality is good
• Data is coming faster than before, just few days
  after reference period
• Response burden is almost zero, previously 1-2
  hours per month.
• Cost have reduced in means of working hours,
  mailing and printing expenses
• Internet form is not used widely because printing
  and faxing reports is easier

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Encountered problems

• Room capacity and opening days are not always
  updated
• Correction is possible through web form
• Updating hotel softwares takes time
• One country is a small market for a global
  software house. When there are different systems
  in every country it takes a long time to
  implement this system

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How about international standard for automated
data reporting?

• Standard data delivery specification (Web Service
  or ftp or)
• Standard file format (XML or txt or )
• Standard file description, same file for every
  country
• Take what you need, leave the rest
• Benefits
• Software houses need to build only one system,
  this leads to faster implementation
• Maybe free for the user, because no country
  specifications is needed
• Good comparability between countries
• Hotels can send the same file for example to
  their head agency

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References
ContactMr. Ville Vertanenville.vertanen_at_stat.f
itel. 358 9 1734 3343

• Using the Web for collecting data for business
  statistics in Finland (Prepared by Ilkka
  Hyppönen), UNECE / CES Plenary Session (Geneva,
  13-15 June 2005).
• http//www.unece.org/stats/documents/ces/2005/8.e.
  pdf