Statistical and sustainability indicators concerning tourism

1. Second Expert Group Meeting World Heritage Periodic Reporting UNESCO Headquarters 22-23 January 2007 Statistical and sustainability indicators concerning tourism Mr. Gabor VerecziSustainable Development of TourismWorld Tourism Organization

2. C-- 39-- 38-- 37-- 36-- 35--- Indicators: A “thermometer” of tourism sustainabilityfor destinations Alert: remedial action!! Caution: preventive measures! OK, doing well

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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)

6. Monitoring takes time and resources:Selection of indicators • Feasibility criteria: • Relevance to the issue (who is using and how?) • Data availability (capacity to collect and process) • Credibilityof the information • Clarityand understandability to users • Comparabilityover time and across jurisdictions or regions Good indicators: easy to measure and understand Use of alternative, approximate measures if needed Start with a smaller set, develop capacities gradually

7. 1 2 3 4 5 Managers are surrounded by indicators 1994 ☻☻☻☻2004 ☻☻

8. Some common deficiencies in the application of indicators at destinations • Lack of data, inconsistency of collection (just occasional surveys) • Monitoring activity does not cover all key sustainability issues (e.g. more focus on economic performance and indicators) • Lack of technical capacities, qualified staff, equipment • Lack of coordination between agencies collecting and using data (sometimes duplication), lack of involvement of private sector • Not taking advantage on data collection and processing capacities (e.g. authorities can get support from educational and research institutions, students for surveys) • Data and info available is not linked to planning and management processes, not used by relevant organizations • Data is not processed sufficiently to support decision making (data rich and information poor situations) and communication needs

9. Key issues to monitor on tourism at heritage sites Possible sources from the new PR format • Level of protection (legislations, designations) (Sect.I-conventions, national-local protection • Use levels and intensity (Sect. II data sheet, number of visitors – possible breakdown – domestic and foreign, annual distribution) • Visitor management and infrastructure (congestion management) – Sect. II assessment, congestion - factor table • Damages, deterioration (caused by tourism) – Factor table • Tourism’s support for site conservation (revenue generation) – Data sheet, would be good to further specify in assessment • Visitor’s profile, satisfaction and perception – ask on availability of evaluation practices in assessment table • Benefits to local communities (satisfaction of locals) Assessment table – 6.4 needs further specification, perhaps a specific section

10. Monitoring preservation of OUVsMonitoring the factors affecting OUVs • Indicators:Impact-performance, management response, perception-opinion of stakeholders • Provide a supplement with a list of suggested indicators for the factors, with methodological guidelinesm examples • Encourage site managers to monitor indicators for the selected priority factors • Build capacity, promote and disseminate good practices in monitoring • Create a benchmarking facility, observatory

11. Developing a regular data collection and reporting mechanism Reporting template: Sustainability or tourism management issue Definition of Indicator, method of calculation Data source Frequency of data collection and reporting Observed trends Objectives, targets (desired trends) Actions to reach targets (including improvements in indicator)

12. White Dear Cave College Lushan Commercial incursion, visual pollution of landscape Indicator: number of commercial signs visible from scenic viewpoints

13. How many tourists are too many?

14. 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

15. Sydney Quarantine Station (Australia): Tourism Optimization Management Model (TOMM)

16. 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 MediterraneanIsland of Capri, Italy, 17-20 May 2000Final Report-PDF

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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Statistical indicators forsite 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)

26. 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)

27. Thank you www.world-tourism.org/sustainable