Can we automatically create an "attraction map" of the world from Flickr geotagged images and their associated tags? We performed an analysis of Flickr data and developed a visualization technique called Tag Maps to do exactly that. Using the analysis and the Tag Maps visualization, we created an exploration tool called World Explorer that allows one to, well, explore the world like never before.

The idea behind the data analysis is simple: by taking a photo, photographers essentially express their interest in a particular place, and implicitly “vote” in favor of that location. Further, additional information can be extracted from tags attached to these photos on Flickr: tags that frequently appear in images from a specific location (but are otherwise rare) suggest a topic unique to the location.

The data analysis results in a set of highly representative tags associated with each map location. The World Explorer visualization is facilitated by placing these representative tags on a map (“a Tag Map”). We augment the Tag Map with photos that represent each tag at its specific location. Together, World Explorer effectively provides a sense of the important concepts and attractions embodied in each map area and zoom level, and allows users – tourists planning a trip, virtual world-discoverers or just some bored individuals – to explore the world via photos.

Bonus features: Tag Maps is available for developers as a visualization tool that supports any GeoRSS data streams; the data for World Explorer is available through an API.

For more information, check the web sites: tagmaps and yahooresearchberkeley