What Tourism Managers Need to Know

Indicators:

Critical Building Blocks for Better DecisionsVictoria Falls

Zimbabwe

Tourism is a driver of change• Seashores are the prime

destination for tourists and visitors worldwide

• Tourism is the largest migration in human history - every year

• Tourism is the top of the food chain - dependent on ecological integrity, cultural diversity and economic stability

• Tourism stresses coastal environments in many ways

• Tourism is also a stimulant for alterations, both positive and negative in coastal zones Sri Lanka

•How many tourists is enough?•What is at risk? • How can we capture benefits without excessive costs? •What are the limits of capacity of impacted environments?•Can we measure key impacts?•What are appropriate indicators for improved planning systems?•Can we manage tourism to respect limits and opportunities?•Can we measure our progress?

Key Questions for Monitoring and Management

Great Wall of China

Why Indicators of Sustainability?

• decision-makers need to know:– the links between stressors

and the environment– the effects of

environmental factors on sectoral objectives

– the impacts of specific activities (e.g tourism)on the environment

• the objective is to reduce future risks to the ecological, socio-cultural and economic functions of regions (destinations)

Antigua

Types of Indicators

• early warning indicators ( unhappy visitors, residents)

• indicators of stress on the system (species reduction, erosion)

• measures of current state of use (visitor numbers, density)

• measures of industry impacts (deforestation rates, game take)

• measures of management effort (cleanup cost, repairs)

• measures of management effect (changed pollution levels, area under protection)

• Who will use them, and how?

Sumela Turkey

• Relevant - to real decisions

• Feasible - practical to obtain

• Credible - they are believable

• Clear - easily understood

• Comparable - can be used to measure change or relate to other sites

Good indicators are:

Monte BiancoItalia

The Benefits from Good Indicators

• Foster full participation in defining risks and sensitivity

• Help lower risk or cost• Identify emerging issues -

allowing prevention• Predict impacts - allowing

prevention or mitigation• Support sustainable

development - identifying limits and opportunities

• Allow for accountability -no responsibility without knowledge

• Help build solutions into management

Varna Bulgaria

WTO Core Indicators

Indicator Specific Measures

Site protection Category of site protection according to IUCN index

Stress Tourist numbers visiting site (per annum/peak month)

Use Intensity Intensity of use - peak period (persons/hectare)

Social Impact Ratio of tourists to local (peak period) Development Control Existence of environmental review procedure or formal

controls over development of site and use densities

Waste Management Percentage of sewage from site receiving treatment (additional indicators may include structural limits of other

Infrastructural capacity on site - e.g., water supply)

Planning Process Existence of organized regional plan for tourist destination region (including tourism component)

Critical Ecosystems Number of rare/endangered species

Consumer Satisfaction Level of satisfaction by visitors (questionnaire based)

Local Satisfaction Level of satisfaction by locals (questionnaire based)

WTO Indicators ofSustainable Tourism

(Derived indices)

Carrying Capacity Composite early warning measure of key factors affecting the ability of the site to support different levels and types of use

Site Stress Composite measure of levels of impact on the site - its natural and cultural attributes due to tourism and other sector cumulative stresses

Attractivity Qualitative measure of those site attributes that make it attractive to tourism

These derived indicators have been conceptually useful but in practice very difficult to make operational….the insights gained in the process of development are often more valuable than the quantification

Composite IndicesCostinesti Romania

Indicators Case:Prince Edward Island, Canada

• warm water, sandy beach

• heavy swimming use in summer

• national park protects shore zone

• intensive development of park periphery zone for tourism

• concern over uncontrolled development /habitat stress

• key indicators: peak use levels, water supply, sewage disposal, habitat stress

Indicators case:

• Heavily used beach site

• Intensive summer use

• Fragile dune ecosystem

• Need for control

• Problem with protection of fragile ecology

• Key indicators: use levels, ratio of tourists to

locals, rate of beach erosion, rate of dune destruction

Villa Gesell Argentina

Indicators case: Black Sea Coast, Romania

• Beach and historic resorts on Black Sea coast

• Concern for beach pollution, image abroad, service quality

• Large-scale inclusive resorts

• Need to manage quality of product and image

Key indicators: water quality, service quality, tourist satisfaction

• Island cruise ship destination - up to 11 ships per day

• Fragile reef ecosystem

• Visitor numbers may equal resident population

• Limited water availability

Key Indicators: total tourist numbers, ratio to locals, water use, levels of ecosystem protection, currency leakage

Indicators case:Cozumel, Mexico

Indicators case: Beruwela Sri Lanka• Beach destination

• Targets German and French

• Security issue

• Very seasonal

• Little local control

Key Indicators:

• use levels/bookings

• garbage counts

• level of planning

• harassment of

tourists

Indicators Case: Mexcaltitan Mexico

• Island in swamp• 2000 year history• Shrimp production• No tourism yet• Not prepared for

influx

Key Indicators:

• Water supply• Peak tourist numbers• Sewage • Cultural disruption - crime data• Level of planning • Garbage control

Indicators Case: Ugljan and Pasman Croatia

• Small islands as yet undeveloped for mass tourism

• Vibrant local community

• History, music, family are key assets

• Wish to benefit from tourism and minimize negatives

• Key indicators: use levels, variety, access, employment, seasonality, repeat visits, image

Ecosystem Specific Indicators

• Respond to specific risks found in typical tourism destinations of different types

• Supplement the core indicators

• Can be augmented by indicators which respond to specific unique risks of each destination.Zambezi river

Zambia

Coastal ZonesIssue

Ecological destruction

Beach degradation

Fish stocks depletion

Indicators

Amount degraded

Levels of erosion

Reduction in catch

Measures

% in degraded

% of beach eroded

Effort to catch fish

Red Sea, Egypt

Small Islands

• Currency leakage capita flight %leakage fx• Water supply water volume use per capita use• Local jobs employment %tourism jobs

ISSUE INDICATORS MEASURES

Also use coastal zone indicators

Kurumba Maldives

Unique Ecological SitesIssue

Ecosystem

degradation

Measure

% area negatively affected

Count species

Key species as % of total plant cover

Indicator

Site degradation

Number and mix of species

Reproductive success

GuilinChina

Urban EnvironmentsISSUE INDICATORS MEASURES

• lack of safety - crime levels - crimes reported• uncleanliness - site attraction - counts of levels of

waste health threats - drinking water quality - availability of clean water

- noise levels - records on decibel count at key locations

Hong Kong

Issue

Violation of norms

Displacement of locals

Indicators

Local satisfaction

Disruption

Outmigration

Change of mix

Measures

Questionnnaire

Complaints

Local/visitor ratios

Traditional Communities

Zhozhuan China

Cultural Sites - Built HeritageIssue

Site degradation

Safety

Indicators

Levels of pollutants

Restoration costs

Crime rate and type

Measures

Acidity of precipitation

Repair costs per year

Crimes against tourists reported

Alarcon Spain

Mt Athos Greece:Closed community

Conclusion• Tourism can be a strong element in development

• Seek solutions which benefit both the local community and tourism

• Integrate tourism planning with community and regional planning

• Sustain the things which are most valuable and important

• Use the indicators process to help identify risks and manage them

Moorea Tahiti

strategic building blocks for sustainable tourism

Indicators:

Dolomites, Italia

Available from WTO:

www.world-tourism.org

Available FREE from Ecotourism Society website

email Ted. Manning@cac.gc.ca