Statistical and sustainability indicators concerning tourism

Second Meeting of the Reflection Year on World Heritage Periodic Reporting

UNESCO Headquarters 2-3 March 2006

Mr. Gabor VerecziSustainable Development of Tourism

World Tourism Organization

• UN Specialized Agency• Headquarters in Madrid, Spain• Intergovernmental organization with 150

Member States and Territories• 350 Affiliate Members: private sector (tourism

trade associations, major airlines, hotels, tour operators), local authorities, education and research institutions, NGOs

World Tourism Organization

World Tourism OrganizationRegional Representation Sections:

•Africa

•Europe

•Americas

•Middle East

•Asia-Pacific

Program Activity Sections:

•Tourism Statistics

•Market Intelligence and Promotion

•Human Resources Development

•Sustainable Development of Tourism

•Quality of Tourism Development

•Press and Communication, Documentation, Publications

Affiliate Members:Business CouncilEducation CouncilDestination Management Programme

0

200

400

600

800

1.000

1.200

1.400

1.600

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

mill

ion

South AsiaMiddle EastAfricaEast Asia/PacificAmericasEurope

Actual Forecasts

808 mn620 bn USD

receipts

1bn

bn

1.6 bn

bn

The unstoppable growth of tourism

International tourist arrivals

Tourism: a threat or opportunity Tourism: a threat or opportunity for heritage sites?for heritage sites?

Depends on tourism planning and managementDepends on tourism planning and managementUncontrolled tourism can be a mayor threatUncontrolled tourism can be a mayor threat• physical impacts on structures, physical impacts on structures, • encroachment due to infrastructure development, encroachment due to infrastructure development, • air pollution by traffic, air pollution by traffic, • access problems for locals, access problems for locals, • over-commercialization of historical/religious valuesover-commercialization of historical/religious values

……But there are many other sources of threatsBut there are many other sources of threats

• Deterioration due to large- scale public or private Deterioration due to large- scale public or private projects or rapid urban development;projects or rapid urban development;

• Destruction caused by changes in the use or ownership Destruction caused by changes in the use or ownership of the land;of the land;

• The outbreak or the threat of an armed conflict;The outbreak or the threat of an armed conflict;

• Abandonment for any reason Abandonment for any reason whatsoever;whatsoever;

• Natural disasters (fires, earthquakes, Natural disasters (fires, earthquakes, landslides; volcanic eruptions, landslides; volcanic eruptions, floods, etc.)floods, etc.)

(main UNESCO indicators for (main UNESCO indicators for “World Heritage in Danger”)“World Heritage in Danger”)

Tourism: an opportunity to support the sustainable use of heritage sites

• Revenue generation for site conservation and maintenance (reduce dependency on public funding)

• Education of a wider public: fostering cross-cultural understanding

• Enhancing cultural values and pride in host communities (influencing policies)

• Driver of regional economic development (tourism product clusters, PPP, SMEs, multiplier effects, poverty reduction)

Instruments for making tourism more sustainable

• Command and control instruments

• Economic instruments

• Voluntary instruments

• Supporting instruments

• Monitoring instruments

INDICATORS

UNWTO’s Indicators Initiative

• 1993-6 Initial task force on indicators

• 1994-5 Case studies in pilot destinations

• 1997 Publication of initial Guide

• 1998-2003 Regional workshops • Lake Balaton - Hungary (Central Europe)

• Cozumel - Mexico (Spanish-speaking Caribbean)

• Villa Gesell - Argentina (South America)

• Beruwala - Sri Lanka (South Asia)

• Kukljica - Croatia (Mediterranean)

• As well, specific studies were done in Cyprus, and Cape Breton Canada.

New WTO Guide on Indicators

• Extensive review of international experiences• Involvement of 62 experts from 20 countries• Focus on local destinations, also covering applications at regional,

national and business levels • A recommended procedure

for indicators development • A categorized list of common

issues and indicators • Destination-specific applications• The role of indicators in

tourism policy and planning• Ample range of case studies

Sustainability indicators basic tools for tourism planning, management and monitoring

• To identify and measure the entire range of impacts (environmental, social and economic) that tourism can have in a particular area or society.

• Accurate information is needed for responsible decision-making

Sustainability indicators are information sets which are formally selected for a regular use to measure changes in key

assets and issues of tourism destinations and sites.

Indicators for all stages of the planning process

1. Definition/delineation of the destination/development area

2. Participatory processes

3. Vision, mission statement

4. Initial assessment: assets, risks, impacts

5. Objectives

6. Strategies and action plans

8. Implementation

9. Monitoring

Modifying strategies and applying corrective actions when needed (based on evaluation results)

Set up data boundaries

Quality indicators: express broad aims

Clarify issues, assessment report

Quantify objectives, set timeframe

Evaluation: performance, efficiency, effects

Reporting and accountability

Benefits from good indicators• Better decision-making, lower risks and costs, identify limits and

opportunities

• Identification of emerging risks - prevention

• Identification of impacts - corrective action

• Performance measurement of the implementation of development plans and management actions

• Greater public accountability, better communication

• Constant monitoring – adaptive management and continuous improvement

Expression of indicatorsQuantitative measurements:•Raw data (number of tourists visiting a site/year/month, volume of waste generated)

•Ratios (ratio of the n. of tourists to local residents)

•Percentage (% of trained staff, % change in visitor numbers, expenditures)

Qualitative/normative measurements:•Category indices (level of protection)

•Normative indicators (existence of tourism management plan, yes/no)

•Nominal indicators (e.g. eco-labels, certifications)

•Opinion-based indicators (level of satisfaction of tourists, or of local residents)

Feasibility criteria:• Relevance to the issue• Data availability (capacity to collect and process) • Credibility of the information • Clarity and understandability to users• Comparability over time and across jurisdictions or

regions

Monitoring takes time and resources:Selection of indicators

Good indicators: easy to measure and understand

Managers are surrounded by

indicators25,4%

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45,9%5,0%1,2% 4,4%

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Key issues to monitor on tourism at heritage sites

• Level of protection (legislations, designations)• Use levels and intensity• Visitor management and infrastructure (congestion

management)• Damages, deterioration (caused by tourism)• Tourism’s support for site conservation (revenue generation)• Visitor’s profile, satisfaction and perception• Benefits to local communities (satisfaction of locals)

How many tourists are too many?

A key quality concept with different dimensions:-Environmental-Cultural-Social-Psychological-Infrastructural-Management

Different types of users, forms, needs

Dynamic, depends on management

Visitor management models

Defining carrying capacity and optimal use levels

Perception by tourists and host communities

Computer-generated photos illustrating a range of use levelsVisitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) method

Integrated approach to congestion management:

Actions at 3 levels, along the tourism supply chain

Controlling use intensity• Existence of appropriate visitor registry system• Total number of visitors to the site and its key areas

(per peak day, season, month, year) - seasonality• % of area opened for visitors, current building used

(open, closed, abandoned)• Number of tourists per square meter at the site and its

key zones in peak days• N. of tour operators with licence and permits to operate

at the site

Indicators for sustainable tourism at cultural heritage sites

• Tourism issues are incorporated in site-management plan (yes/no), existence of tourism management plan, existence of zoning for tourism use

• Existence of congestion management practices (at the site, destination, demand levels)

• Number of staff handling visitors (ratio of staff to tourists), level of training (guards, guides, information, catering, management, etc.)

• Existence of basic visitor facilities (access, toilets, catering, parking), per number of visitors

• Existence of visitor/information centre, interpretative materials (e.g. brochures, panels), guided tours, trails, signage (length of trails, number and language of signs)

• Perception of tourists on crowding, quality of services

Visitor management and infrastructure

Damages, deterioration (caused by tourism)

• % of site open to visitors in degraded condition• Number of incidents of damage caused by tourists,

violation of rules• Species population: sighting, counting• Air and noise pollution caused by tourist

transportation• Cleanliness of sites: amount of waste collected,

availability of waste collection facilities, littering, perception of visitors on cleanliness

Tourism’s support for site conservation• Revenue generated from tourism (per sources:

entrance and parking fees, commissions and licence fees, services, sale of products, image rights, donations, etc.)

• % of tourism revenue retained at site, used for site maintenance and conservation

• % of site restored

Visitor’s profile, satisfaction/perception

• Origin (domestic, international), age, gender of visitors, mode of travelling (individual, group)

• Satisfaction/perception: services, facilities, experience, crowding

• Info gathered at entrance (registry) and through exit surveys

• Complaints received• Number, % of return visitors

Benefits to local communities• Number of employees from local community (unskilled and skilled

labour)• Number of local SMEs related to tourism at the sites (TOs,

accommodation, catering, transport), number of locals employed in them

• Infrastructure development at the site, benefiting also local communities

• Satisfaction of locals (survey on opinions, attitudes)

• Existence of coordination mechanisms (with local authorities, private sector associations)

• Negative impacts on culture

Statistical indicators forsite management and conservation

• A set of baseline issues and indicators• Supplementary indicators (suited for different

types of sites and issues)• Site-specific indicators (defined for particular

issues at each site)

COMPARABILITY

Suggestions to develop an indicators programme for heritage sites

• Define an indicators framework (baseline and supplementary indicators)• Develop pilot projects at selected heritage sites, (UNWTO indicators

workshop methodology):– detailed case studies (demonstrating good practices)– participatory approach, demonstration of planning and management processes in

a real situation, with the participation of national and local stakeholders – creating dialogue and triggering tourism planning

– test the indicators– train site managers on monitoring, evaluation, and congestion management

practices• Consolidate the framework, produce guidelines and manuals• Upscale the indicators application (replication), exchange of experiences,

periodic revision• Create an Award on excellence in site management (recognize good

practices)

Strenghten site manager’s capacities in monitoring and reporting for more regular use (daily operations, annual evaluations)

Thank you

www.world-tourism.org/sustainable