2nd September 2014

Sean White – Tourism Intelligence Unit (ONS)

Measuring Tourism Locally inNorthern Ireland

Background to the TIU

"existing [tourism data] sources are no longer fit for purpose and the potential economic, social and environmental contributions of the tourism sector will only be realised if priority is allocated to better measurement." (Allnutt Review, 2004)

• The Allnutt review – a ‘tipping point’ for tourism statistics

• One of the recommendations – to set up a Tourism Statistics Unit (preferably in ONS)

The Result : Tourism Intelligence Unit

• The Tourism Intelligence Unit (TIU) was set up in ONS on August 1st 2008.

• Was developed through the English Tourism Intelligence Partnership made up of RDAs, VisitEngland, tourism organisations and academia

• The aim of the unit is to make improvements to tourism statistics, especially those that relate to the tourism industry, the visitor economy and the economic impact of tourism.

“the committee is encouraged by the plans to develop a Tourism Intelligence Unit. We support the proposal for the Unit to review the Allnutt recommendations with a view to their development and implementation…It is of vital importance to the industry that this should not be merely another false dawn.” (House of Commons CMS Committee on Tourism, 2008)

Original TIU –Work Programme

1- Measuring the supply-side of tourism.

2- Piloting a new day visits survey.

3- To develop ‘Best Practice’ in collecting data locally.

4- Development of a tourism satellite account.

Key Outputs

• The Economic Importance of Tourism: The UK Tourism Satellite Account for 2010 and 2011 (August 2013)

Key Outputs: Tourism Direct GVA, Tourism Direct Employees and FTEs, Internal Tourism Consumption, Tourism Ratios

• The Supply Side of Tourism in 2009 (February 2012) Key Outputs: GVATI, Output, Employment characteristics, Tourism industry

demography

• The Sub-Regional Value of Tourism in the UK in 2011 (April 2014) Key outputs: Tourism Direct GVA and expenditure data at NUTS 2 and 3

• A Review of Sustainable Tourism Indicators (October 2011) Key Outputs: A set of indicators for monitoring sustainable tourism at the national

and local levels

Examples: Direct GVA and Expenditure

Estimated Tourism Expenditure 2008 (£m) by UK NUTS3 Area and Visit Type (top 20 shown)

Tourism Direct GVA in 2008-2011 by tourism sub sector

Tourism Employment

• Characteristics of Workers in Tourism, 2011 (June 2013)Key outputs: Age, Sex, nationality, educational attainment characteristics of tourism

workers

• Employment Characteristics of Tourism Industries, 2011 (March 2013)

Key outputs: FT and PT employment, temporary working, self employment, workplace characteristics, occupations

• The Geography of Tourism Employment, 2011 (Nov 2012)Key Outputs: regional and sub-regional employment estimates

Employment Examples

Age profile of Employment in Tourism and non-tourism

Main and Second Job Employment in Tourism Industries as a Percentage of Total Employment (NUTS 3, 2010-2011)

Guidance on Measuring Tourism Locally

• Measuring Tourism Locally: Guidance Note One

This guidance note is the first of six updates to the original series produced by the TIU with the aim of providing local tourism officials a consistent framework within which to measure and collect data on various facets of tourism activity.

• The other 5 guidance notes are now being scheduled for update, namely:

• Guidance Note 2: Local Economic Impact Modelling

• Guidance Note 3: Undertaking Visitor Surveys

• Guidance Note 4: Tourism Benchmarking

• Guidance Note 5: Measuring the Supply Side of Tourism

• Guidance Note 6: Event Analysis and Evaluation

Guidance Notes

VisitWales – Authority Profiles

• 22 local authority profiles covering detailed analysis of visitor data from surveys, economic data, census information, occupancy data, value of tourism

• Published Today!

International Context

• Strong links with UNWTO, OECD, ILO, Eurostat, EC

• Return of Tourism data to Eurostat• Adherence to international recommendations

in analysis of tourism industries and compilation of Tourism Satellite Account

NI Project Requirements

• Need to engage with local LGD representative to gain a clear picture of their requirements with a view to matching this with what is achievable.

 • Share expertise in measuring the local impact of tourism activity.

 • Identify gaps in current availability of information.

 • Suggest alternative approaches or methodologies that would deliver a

consistent approach.

• Suggest alternative approaches or methodologies that would enable comparison across events and areas, taking local information into consideration.

• Identify resources required for different options to deliver consistent and comparable approach to measuring local tourism activity

Project Options

• Option 1: Scoping Exercise• Review of best practice in measuring tourism at

the local scale• Assessment of available sources of information

(national and local)• Would include tourism statistics and

economic/social statistics with relevance for tourism

• Data inputs needed for event analysis and assessment of best practice in measuring impact of events

Project Options

• Option 2: Best Practice Guidance with worked examples for selected areas• As option one but to include analysis of

data provided by local organisations in NI (e.g. To build economic value estimates, event analysis worked examples etc)

• Could be based on a VisitWales type of local area profile

• Would depend on the input of data from local organisations

Project Options

• Option 3: Analysis based on provided data for all areas and selected events• As option 2 but to cover all LGD areas in NI• Event analysis dependent on relevant information

being made available

Resources Needed

• Verbal discussion (SW to update)

Discussion

Contact Details :

Email : sean.white@ons.gsi.gov.uk

Phone : 01633 455687http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Economic+Value+of+Tourism