A_geographical_information_retrival_system

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p>INTRODUCTION<br>1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY<br>According to Chang, K. T. (2008), Geographic Information Retrieval System<br>(GIRS) is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage and<br>present all types of geographical data. The acronym GIRS is sometimes used for<br>geographical information science or geospatial information a study which refers to<br>the academic discipline or career of working with geographic information system.<br>In simplest terms GIRS is the merging of cartography, statistical analysis and<br>database technology.<br>A geographical information retrieval system can be thought of as a system which<br>digitally creates and manipulates spatial areas that may be jurisdictional, purpose<br>or application- oriented. Generally, a GIRS can be custom designed for an<br>organization. Hence, a GIS developed for an application jurisdiction, enterprise or<br>purpose may not be necessarily interoperable or compatible with a GIRS that has<br>been developed for some other application, jurisdiction, enterprise or purpose.<br>What goes beyond a GIRS is a spatial infrastructure, a concept that has no such<br>restrictive boundaries.<br>2<br>In general sense, the term GIRS describes any information system that integrates,<br>stores, edits, analyzes, shares and displays geographic information for informed<br>decision making. GIRS applications are tools that allow users to create interactive<br>queries (user – created searches), analyze spatial information, edit data in maps and<br>present the result of all these operations. Geographic information science is the<br>science underlying geographic concepts, applications and systems.<br>The link between geography and information technology can not to a very large<br>extent be over- emphasized.<br>Using Enugu State tourism board as a case study has helped to give a<br>comprehensive understanding of the importance and the need of a geographic<br>information system, as it is believed, information technology has a significant role<br>in geographic information system and high level of expectations would and is<br>already being demanded from its use both in Nigeria and the world at large.<br>1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM<br>In our daily lives as humans, most of our endeavors involve moving from one<br>location to another for one thing or the other. A problem emerges when there is no<br>proper direction or a system as to give accurate direction in locating our<br>destination, what the said destination contains and what is has to offer. This is the<br>problem the state has as concerning tourism, whereby a good number of tourists<br>3<br>(most especially tourists visiting for the very first time) and other individuals<br>wanting to visit tourist sites in the state but cannot do so because of the lack of a<br>well detailed system to provide them (tourists) with an accurate geographic<br>information system as to how to locate these sites within the state.<br>Due to the lack of an accurate geographic information retrieval system as far as<br>tourism is concerned, most tourists are discouraged from exploring these tourist<br>locations within the state, this in turn hampers the positive impact that tourism is<br>meant to have on the development in the state and the Nigerian society at large.<br>1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY<br>1. To examine the existing / current system in regards to how geographic<br>information for tourism is provided for tourists in and outside the state.<br>2. To improve on the already existing system by designing a geographic<br>information retrieval system that is well detailed and easily accessible.<br>3. This study also seeks to help in broadening the scope of tourism in the state<br>through providing a comprehensive geographic information retrieval system.<br>1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY<br>The significance of this study is to show that a link between geography and other<br>professions can be created on the platform of information technology. i.e. to show<br>4<br>that with information technology the problem of location can and is solved to a<br>very large extent.<br>1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY<br>The scope of this study is limited to tourist locations and hotels within the state<br>using the Enugu state tourism board as a case study in view of providing /<br>improving on the existing geographic information system of the board for tourism<br>in the state.<br>1.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY<br>Time was a major constraint faced during the research for this project work and<br>limited the effort in developing a much more comprehensive package needed in the<br>design and implementation of the geographic information retrieval system.<br>1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS<br>GEOGRAPHY: Geography is a science that deals with the distribution and<br>arrangement of all elements of the earth‟s surface. The word geography was<br>adopted in the 200s BC by the Greek Scholar Eratosthenes and means „earth<br>description.‟<br>5<br>INFORMATION SYSTEM: An information system can be defined technically as<br>a set of interrelated components that collect (or retrieve), process, store and<br>distribute information to support decision making and control in an organization.<br>GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM: A “geographic<br>information system” (GIRS) is a computer-based tool that allows you to create,<br>manipulate, analyze, store and display information based on its location<br>LOCATION: The position, site or sitting of somebody or something.<br>MAP: A diagrammatic drawing of something such as a route or area made to show<br>the location or how to get there.<br>TOURISM: Travel to benefit from a particular service or activity that is<br>unavailable at home.<br>COMPUTER : An electronic device that can accept data/ information inform of<br>input , process the data /information in order to produce an output and also has the<br>capability to store the information for future use.<br>DATA: Data refers to raw or unprocessed information.<br>SOFTWARE: This is the logically written instruction that controls the operations<br>of the hardware.<br>6<br>HARDWARE: This is the physical components of computer system and other<br>geographic tools or devices.<br>DATABASE: This is the collection of related data/ information stored mostly in a<br>central location.<br>COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN (CAD): Software programs for the design,<br>drafting and presentation of graphics. Originally designed for manufacturing and<br>drawing, now also widely used for mapping.<br>OPERATING SYTEM: A series of computer programs which control the<br>operations of the computer itself. Application programs such as GIS software run<br>under an operating system. Examples of operating system include UNIX, VMS,<br>DOS etc.</p><div><div></div></div><br> <br><p></p>