1. Statistical and sustainability indicators concerning tourism
Second Meeting of the Reflection Year on
World Heritage Periodic Reporting
UNESCO Headquarters
2-3 March 2006
Statistical and sustainability indicators concerning tourism
Mr. Gabor Vereczi Sustainable Development of Tourism World Tourism Organization

2. 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

3. World Tourism Organization
Regional 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 Council
Education Council
Destination Management Programme

4. The unstoppable growth of tourism
International tourist arrivals

5. Tourism: a threat or opportunity for heritage sites?
Depends on tourism planning and management
Uncontrolled tourism can be a mayor threat
physical impacts on structures,
encroachment due to infrastructure development,
air pollution by traffic,
access problems for locals,
over-commercialization of historical/religious values

6. …But there are many other sources of threats
Deterioration due to large- scale public or private projects or rapid urban development;
Destruction caused by changes in the use or ownership of the land;
The outbreak or the threat of an armed conflict;
Abandonment for any reason whatsoever;
Natural disasters (fires, earthquakes, landslides; volcanic eruptions, floods, etc.)
(main UNESCO indicators for “World Heritage in Danger”)

7. 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)

8. Instruments for making tourism more sustainable
Command and control instruments
Economic instruments
Voluntary instruments
Supporting instruments
Monitoring instruments
INDICATORS

9. UNWTO’s Indicators Initiative
Initial task force on indicators
Case studies in pilot destinations
1997 Publication of initial Guide
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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. Expression of indicators
Quantitative 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)

15. Monitoring takes time and resources: Selection of indicators
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
Good indicators: easy to measure and understand

16. Managers are surrounded by indicators
Managers are surrounded by indicators
☻☻☻☻ ☻☻

17. 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)

18. How many tourists are too many?

19. Defining carrying capacity and optimal use levels
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

20. Perception by tourists and host communities
Computer-generated photos illustrating a range of use levels
Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) method
International Conference on Sustainable Tourism in Small Island Developing Sates (SIDS) and other Islands was convened jointly by WTO with UNEP in Lanzarote, Spain, 1998 (Final Report -PDF). Based on its resolutions, regional meetings were organized in collaboration with UNEP:
Sustainable Tourism and Competitiveness in the Islands of the Mediterranean Island of Capri, Italy, May 2000 Final Report-PDF

22. Integrated approach to congestion management:
Actions at 3 levels, along the tourism supply chain

23. Controlling use intensity
Indicators for sustainable tourism at cultural heritage sites
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

24. Visitor management and infrastructure
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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. Statistical indicators for site management and conservation
COMPARABILITY
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)

30. Suggestions to develop an indicators programme for heritage sites
Strenghten site manager’s capacities in monitoring and reporting for more regular use (daily operations, annual evaluations)
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)

31. Thank you