#26 When we say that territorial attractiveness can be measured, it's not just a consultant's stance. It's a question of data infrastructure.

The attractiveness of a region isn't something you guess. It's something you measure. And not just through impressions or feelings. It's a precise, rigorous process, built on a solid data infrastructure. At Agence ALPS, we've developed the Attractiveness Model Canvas, a tool that connects a regional analysis to a series of open APIs across France and Europe.

This isn't a consultant's stance trying to impress. It's a concrete approach, based on reliable and up-to-date data. In just a few minutes, our tool generates a comprehensive report on a region's residential, tourist, and economic attractiveness.

In this article, I'll explain how this data infrastructure works, why it's essential, and what limitations we've encountered, particularly with overseas territories.

The importance of a data infrastructure for measuring territorial attractiveness

Measuring a region's attractiveness begins with collecting relevant data. Without data, it's impossible to understand what attracts or repels residents, tourists, or businesses.

But it's not just a matter of quantity. Data must be reliable, up-to-date, and above all, accessible. This is where open APIs play a key role. They allow for the automatic querying of public and private databases, eliminating the need for manual searches.

At Agence ALPS, we have connected our diagnostic tool to several major sources:

• Google for search trends and online visibility

• Claude AI for semantic analysis and data synthesis

• INSEE & data.gouv.fr for demographic, economic, and social statistics

• DATAtourisme for tourism data

• DVF Cerema for real estate transactions

• OpenStreetMap for mapping and accessibility

• Opendata.swiss for additional European data

• RNA (National Directory of Associations) for local community life

This combination allows for a complete and accurate view of the territory.

How the Attractiveness Model Canvas transforms data into action

The tool we designed doesn't just collect data. It analyzes it, cross-references it, and transforms it into actionable insights.

In just a few minutes, it produces:

• An overall attractiveness score that summarizes the region's performance

• Strategic canvases that highlight strengths and weaknesses

• A concrete action plan to improve attractiveness

• A benchmark against comparable regions to position the region within its environment

For example, if the tourism score is low, the action plan might recommend strengthening online visibility via Google, or improving accommodation options using DATAtourisme data.

This quick and accurate assessment helps decision-makers make informed decisions based on facts, not impressions.

The limitations of open data: a blind spot for overseas territories

Despite the wealth of available data, we have identified a significant limitation: the National Directory of Associations (RNA) has gaps for the French overseas territories.

Association data is often incomplete, or even nonexistent, for Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion, French Guiana, and Mayotte.

This creates a blind spot in mapping civic life in these territories. Yet, associative life is a key indicator of a territory's social and economic vitality.

This lack of data is a real issue for the DJEPVA (Delegation for Youth, Engagement, and Sports) and the relevant DRAJES (Regional Directorates for Youth, Sports, and Social Cohesion).

The overseas territories deserve the same level of visibility in national data as metropolitan municipalities.

Naming this problem is already a step toward solving it.

Why using multiple open APIs is key to reliable territorial diagnosis

Each data source offers a different perspective.

• Google reveals what people are searching for and how they perceive a region.

• Claude AI helps to synthesize and interpret this complex data.

• INSEE and data.gouv.fr provide official figures on population, employment, and housing.

• DATAtourisme offers information on tourist flows and facilities.

• DVF Cerema shows trends in the real estate market.

• OpenStreetMap allows for the analysis of geography, infrastructure, and transportation.

• Opendata.swiss complements this with comparable European data.

• RNA sheds light on local community life, a key social indicator.

By combining these sources, a comprehensive, reliable, and rapid assessment is obtained.

This also allows for comparisons between regions, the identification of best practices, and the development of tailored strategies.

Working on territorial attractiveness also means managing missing data.

In our daily work, we often encounter missing or incomplete data.

It's frustrating, but it's also a reality we must accept.

Rather than skirting around the problem, we need to name it clearly.

For example, the lack of data on associations in the French overseas territories hinders a comprehensive analysis.

By highlighting this issue, we hope to encourage public stakeholders to improve the collection and dissemination of this data.

That's also part of working on territorial attractiveness: encountering missing data and naming the problem so that someone will eventually solve it.

And you, which open data APIs do you use in your territorial assessments?

The use of open data is a strong trend in territorial consulting.

But each stakeholder has their own preferences, tools, and methods.

At Agence ALPS, we chose this combination of APIs for their complementarity and reliability.

And you?

• Which data sources do you favor?

• What tools help you understand and improve the attractiveness of your territories?

Feel free to share your experiences.

Territorial attractiveness is not just a vague idea. It is built with solid data, appropriate tools, and a commitment to getting to the heart of the matter.

The Attractiveness Model Canvas is a concrete example of this approach.

It shows that measuring attractiveness begins with building a reliable data infrastructure.

And that this infrastructure must be comprehensive, inclusive, and open to all territories, including the most remote.

This is how we can truly understand a territory, and help it to develop.