MISSION

The impact of tourism on climate change urgently requires the data that will inform sustainable change built on established, evidence based sustainable tourism indicators. Tourism destinations require the tools and skills to monitor their transition towards sustainable living and facilitate destination comparison, for evidence-based planning and management. The observatory will offer decision-makers at all scales with critical real time data to facilitate evidence informed planning and decision-making.

CURRENT MONITORING PROCESSES

The observatory has been measuring and monitoring sustainable tourism since 2017 through the application of 43 sustainable tourism indicators. These are collected utilising visitor surveys, enterprise survey and resident surveys. The observatory works with destination tourism committees, committees and stakeholders. The indicators provide a baseline to facilitate evidence informed planning to transition towards a sustainable tourism destination.

KEY MONITORING AREAS

Local Satisfaction with tourism
Destination Economic benefits
Water Management
Sewage Treatment
Employment
Tourism Seasonality
Energy Management
Solid waste management
Governance
Climate Action
Accessibility

DID YOU KNOW...

The observatory initially collected indicator data through the means of paper-based surveys. It has now transitioned with the visitor survey, enterprise survey and resident survey through methods of smart technology. The observatory has designed online research tools to facilitate a more efficient way of data collection. For example, posters and stickers were designed and positioned at honeypot attractions to facilitate visitor surveys, each having a specific QR code. These QR codes were scanned by visitors and allowed for more efficient data collecting. The visitor surveys are supplemented by in-person surveys to ensure correct sample sizes, correct distributions of data and inclusivity for all cohorts.