Tourism Statistics Database
UN Tourism systematically collects tourism statistics from countries and territories around the world in an extensive database that provides the most comprehensive repository of statistical information available on the tourism sector. You can explore the data available through the UN Tourism database below:
145 Key Tourism Statistics
145 Key Tourism Statistics
Data on inbound, outbound and domestic tourism, international tourism flows, tourism industries, employment and other indicators.
145 Key Tourism StatisticsSDGs Indicators
SDGs Indicators
Data on the economic contribution of tourism and the implementation of relevant standards, such as the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).
SDGs Indicators
Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST)
The Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) is an internationally agreed reference framework for measuring the economic, social and environmental aspects of tourism.
As a living example of going beyond GDP, MST supports the production in countries of reliable, internationally comparable data on the performance of countries and subnational tourism destinations when it comes to the sustainability of tourism.
All in all, MST leads to more robust data to ensure that tourism action on the ground really contributes to the betterment of people’s lives now and into the future.
The MST Statistical Framework has been developed by UN Tourism in partnership with leading countries, and with the support of the United Nations Statistics Division, the International Labour Organization and others.
Governance
Governance
Under the auspices of the UN Tourism Committee on Statistics, the development of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism was led by the Expert Group on MST with the technical guidance of the Editorial Board on MST.
GovernanceStatistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism
Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism
The Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) is an organizing structure for integrating statistics on the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable tourism.
Statistical FrameworkPilot studies and country experiences
Pilot studies and country experiences
Country pilot studies have contributed to the design and development of the statistical framework by testing its relevance and feasibility.
Pilot StudiesRELATED INITIATIVES
Sustainable Development Goals Indicators
Sustainable Development Goals Indicators
UN Tourism Committee on Statistics liaises with the official UN process (IAEG-SDGs) on the development of statistical indicators for the measurement of tourism's role in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SDG IndicatorsESG Framework for tourism businesses
ESG Framework for tourism businesses
While a number of ESG reporting and disclosure initiatives already exist, they have been developed relatively independently, meaning the comparability and scalability of ESG reporting is limited. In this context, UN Tourism is joining efforts to provide a single ESG framework that can be used as a single reference by all kinds of tourism businesses.
ESG FrameworkDOCUMENTS/PUBLICATIONS
- SF-MST Brochure
- Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) - Draft, version February 2024
- Experiences from Pilot Studies in Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism: A Synopsis for Policymakers
- Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism - Learning from Pilots
Events related to MST
- MST: Closing the gap between policy and statistics (27 February 2024, New York, UN Headquarters)
- UN Tourism Regional Workshop on Measuring Tourism Asia-Pacific (15 - 17 March 2023, Kathmandu, Nepal)
- UN Tourism Asia-Pacific Workshop on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (29 March and 14 December 2021, Philippines)
- Virtual 63rd ISI World Statistics Congress 2021 (11 - 16 July 2021)
- High Level Discussion on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (12 March 2021)
- Accounting and Statistics for Sustainable Tourism (8 March 2017, New York, UN Headquarters)
MST in the media
- Palma Declaration: “The path towards social sustainability of tourism in the EU”
- Planificación e indicadores: la hoja de ruta para el turismo sostenible
- La sostenibilidad turística en datos, según el análisis de Deloitte
- Kraus-Winkler: Österreich federführend bei internationalen Nachhaltigkeitsstandards im Tourismus
?The #UN55SC has adopted the UN Tourism Statistical Framework for Measuring Tourism Sustainability.? This milestone marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to measure tourism's impacts on the economy, society, and environment.
— UN Tourism (@UNWTO) March 1, 2024
Congratulations to all involved! ? pic.twitter.com/eVqSv70a6f
Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism
The Statistical Framework for MST is an internationally-agreed framework describing the main concepts, definitions and data organization structures to support the production and organization of data on the impacts and dependencies of tourism on the economy, society and the environment. The Framework has been endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) at its 55th session (27 February – 1 March 2024). The final version (subject to official editing) is available at: https://unstats.un.org/UNSDWebsite/statcom/session_55/documents/BG-4a-SF-MST-E.pdf.
Quick overview of contents:
- List of abbreviations and acronyms
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Key features of SF-MST
- Chapter 3: Measuring the economic dimension
- Chapter 4: Measuring the environmental dimension
- Chapter 5: Measuring the social dimension
- Chapter 6: Implementation and application of SF-MST
- Annex 1: SF-MST Research agenda
- Bibliography
- Glossary
Global Consultation on the SF-MST
Global Consultation on the SF-MST
The global consultation was undertaken with the objective to present the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism to the United Nations Statistical Commission for its endorsement
Global Consultation SF-MSTConsultation on past versions of SF-MST
Consultation on past versions of SF-MST
Several rounds of consultation on the different versions of Statistical Framework for MST have been carried out among the Expert Group on MST and the UN Tourism Committee on Statistics.
Consultation past versions SF-MST
Statistics of tourism
The United Nations recognizes the World Tourism Organization as the appropriate organization to collect, to analyse, to publish, to standardize and to improve the statistics of tourism, and to promote the integration of these statistics within the sphere of the United Nations system.
“Official statistics provide an indispensable element in the information system of a democratic society, serving the government, the economy and the public with data about the economic, demographic, social and environmental situation.”
Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics
The UN Tourism Statistics, Standards and Data Department is committed to developing tourism measurement for furthering knowledge of the sector, monitoring progress, evaluating impact, promoting results-focused management, and highlighting strategic issues for policy objectives.
The department works towards advancing the methodological frameworks for measuring tourism and expanding its analytical potential, designs practical guidance for their implementation in countries, supports statistical strengthening in countries through capacity building, and compiles and disseminates tourism statistics of countries all over the world.
Standards
Standards
The United Nations recognizes the World Tourism Organization as the appropriate organization to collect, to analyses, to publish, to standardize and to improve the statistics of tourism, and to promote the integration of these statistics within the sphere of the United Nations system.
StandardsTourism Statistics Database
Tourism Statistics Database
UN Tourism systematically gathers tourism statistics from countries and territories around the world into a vast database that constitutes the most comprehensive statistical information available on the tourism sector.
Tourism Statistics DatabaseCOVID-19 AND TOURISM STATISTICS
COVID-19 AND TOURISM STATISTICS
With new situations emerging from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, some clarifications need to be made to the UN statistical standards on tourism to maintain as far as possible data consistency and international comparability
COVID
Standards
System of Tourism Statistics is embedded in the National Statistical System, providing of reliable, consistent and appropriate statistical information on the socio-economic aspects related to tourism, integrated within the economic and social statistics related to other fields and at different Breif text
UN Standards for Measuring Tourism
UN Standards for Measuring Tourism
With the support of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), UN Tourism has launched the initiative Towards a Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST). The aim is to develop an international statistical framework for measuring tourism’s role in sustainable development, including economic, environmental and social dimensions.
UN Standards for Measuring TourismUN Tourism Statistics - UN System
UN Tourism Statistics - UN System
The United Nations Statistical Commission, established in 1947, is the apex entity of the global statistical system. It brings together the Chief Statisticians from member states from around the world.
UN Tourism Statistics - UN SystemInternational Conferences on Tourism Statistics & Other Events
International Conferences on Tourism Statistics & Other Events
Over the years, UN Tourism’s Statistics Statistics, Standards and Data Department has coordinated important developments relating to the conceptualization of tourism and its measurement, progressively building consensus amongst the international statistical community.
Events