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• Exploring the approaches to mobility studies using Big Data from the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA).
• When a Motorcycle Grand Prix is held, the number of visitors to a region multiplies significantly and sees the arrival of high-income tourists, based on data in relation to the 2023 edition.

We looked at the different options available on the MITMA website in relation to mobility studies using Big Data with the practical case of the Jerez Motorcycle Grand Prix. It is usually held on the last weekend of April, one of the months in which the number of tourists in the city is highest according to data from experimental statistics from the National Statistics Institute that measure tourist numbers via mobile phones, probably as both the Grand Prix and Holy Week fall at this time of year.

What impact does the Grand Prix have on the number of visitors?

Based on the travel data in the days surrounding the celebration of the Grand Prix in 2023 (28-30 April), the competition has a very positive impact on the number of visitors in Jerez de la Frontera. The week in which the Grand Prix is held, there were almost 20% more visitors than the average number for the month of April. During the weekend of the competition, this figure peaked at 35% more than normal.

Starting on Thursday, the day before the start of official practice, the number of arrivals passes 100,000, a phenomenon that is only achieved on these days in April. The highest number of arrivals was on Saturday (more than 135,000) and Friday (more than 120,000). Only four days in the rest of April exceeded 90,000 arrivals. While during the week of the Grand Prix, this figure was practically reached or surpassed every day.

Just one week after the motorcycle spectacle, the city hosts its traditional Horse Fair (6 to 13 May). It also has an important effect on increasing travel, although less so than the MotoGP race.

Consideration must be given to the fact that MITMA mobility data refers to arrivals and not actual tourists. With this in mind, the figures are much higher than the number of tourist reflected in the National Statitics Institute's experimental statistics (around 50,000 toursits).

How does it affect mobility within the city?

The Grand Prix has a notable impact on usual weekend figures. Last year, the event saw almost 8% more weekend travel in Jerez de la Frontera than the average for the other weekends in the month. What's more, consideration must be given to the fact that the first weekend of April marked the start of Holy Week. Disregarding these days (in particular Palm Sunday, which exceeds even the day on which the Grand Prix is held by more than 5% in terms of internal travel), the increase in travel came to almost 11% during that weekend.

In the graph, it can be seen that on Sundays, there is usually a drop in travel. On the Grand Prix weekend, the highest volume of internal travel in the month was on Friday and the drop on Sunday was noticeably lower, moving mainly to Monday, 1 May (public holiday). The average travel figure for that weekend is very similar to the daily average for the month (normally higher than on weekends).

Where do those visiting the city for the Grand Prix come from?

Looking at the place of residence of those who travel to Jerez de la Frontera, it is possible to reach a conclusion about the most common places of origin. People residing in the province of Seville are worth particular mention, doubling the number of people arriving from Madrid and Malaga. Generally speaking, arrivals are mainly from the closest provinces, plus Barcelona and other Mediterranean provinces. The places of origin mainly correspond to the monthly data taken from the National Statistics Institute's experimental statistics, with perhaps only the provinces of Valencia and Alicante having less presence.

The MITMA data also allows us to look at the activities in which visitors are involved, distinguishing between trips home, related to work or studies, other frequent activities and other less frequent activities. It is possible to view the breakdown by municipality and taking the provincial capitals of the three provinces with the people to travelling to Jerez de la Frontera during the Grand Prix as reference, the conclusion seems clear: the event seems to be responsible for the large part of the increase in travel. Seville, Madrid and Malaga arrivals for less frequent activities increased by more than 20% that weekend compared to the usual rate for the month.

MITMA use of municipal data does not allow the origin of international arrivals to be identified. Taking the data from the National Statistics Institute's experimental statistics for measuring tourism based on mobile telephony for the month of April (the data is monthly) as a reference, there are more than twice the number of British tourists than French tourists and more than triple the presence of German and Dutch tourists. Some way behind are arrivals from Portugal, the United States and Italy.

What is the economic profile of visitors coming for the Grand Prix? 

The Motorcycle Grand Prix sees the arrival of high-income visitors multiplied, in particular from Madrid and Barcelona; this weekend, such visitors become the majority and even double the presence of lower-income visitors. The impact is much more noticeable when looking at visitors from Barcelona and high-income visitors actually represent the majority practically throughout the entire week of the Grand Prix. This impact is also seen, even more evidently, during the Horse Fair held subsequently.

The impact is not so clear from other origins and high-income visitors are usually in the minority in practically all cases. However, it is common for them to be more present during both events across almost all places of origin.

The analysis was performed using provincial capitals with the most visitors in Jerez de la Frontera during the 2023 Motorcycle Grand Prix as a reference, since the MITMA mobility data offers information on the income of travellers between destinations for the selection of two municipalities. Other consultations have been made using random places of origin and, in general, the increase in the presence of high-income visitors during the motor event is replicated.