1996 What Tourism Managers Need To Know - A Practical Guide To The Development and Use of Indicators of Sustainable Tourism

Delivered by http://www.e-unwto.
org
Georgios Drakopoulos (307-99-294)
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
WHAT
TOURISM
MANAGERS
NEED
TO KNOW
A Practical
Guide
to the
Development
and
Use of
Indicators
of
Sustainable
Tourism
Delivered by http://www.e-unwto.org
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Copyright 1996 World Tourism Organization
What Tourism Managers Need to Know:

A Practical Guide to the Development and Use of
Indicators of Sustainable Tourism
ISBN: 92-844-0150-X
Published by the World Tourism Organization
All right reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information
storage and retrieval system without permission from the World Tourism Organization.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the
expression of any opinions whatsover on the part of the Secretariat of the World Tourism
Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities
or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Printed by the World Tourism Organization

Madrid, Spain
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
PAGE
FOREWORD
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PART ONE: OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
Purpose of This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Structure of Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What are Indicators? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Indicators for the Tourism Sector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Indicators: Only Part of Managing Sustainable Tourism
What Tourism Managers Need to Know . . . . . . . . . .
Use of Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. .3
. .6
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.11
.21
.23
.25
PART TWO: HOW TO CONDUCT INDICATORS

STUDIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
Setting the Boundaries of the Study Site

Identifying Site Attributes . . . . . . . . . .
Identifying Current Key Issue . . . . . . .
Selecting Indicators for Use . . . . . . . .
Determining Data Sources . . . . . . . . .
Data Collection and Analysis . . . . . . .
Evaluation of the Results . . . . . . . . . . .
Revisiting Key Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Site-Specific Indicator Selection Criteria
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
1:
2:
3:
4:
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.30
.31
.32
.33
.34
.35
.36
.37
.38
Supplementary Indicators of Sustainable Tourism

Summaries of Pilot Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Key Barriers to Sustainable Tourism . . . . . . . . . .
GlossaryTypes of Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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.43
.53
.67
.71
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FOREWORD
T
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here is a growing
recognition that at many
tourist destinations
traditional tourism management
practices have led to undesirable
social and environmental impacts.
Some of these impacts threaten to
undermine the economic viability
of the local tourism industry. This
threat, in turn, reduces the
prospects for the industrys
continued prosperity. Tourist
destinations that have sensitive
cultures or fragile ecosystems, and
in which local economies are
highly dependent on the tourism
industry, are particularly at risk.
The rapid growth rate of tourism
in many nations and regions has
made this situation more acute.
Recognizing the dependency of
tourism upon the environment, the
World Tourism Organization
(WTO) Environment Committee
has, through its Tourism and the
Environment Task Force, begun
developing a set of internationally
accepted indicators of
sustainability applicable to the
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
tourism industry. The aim of the research is to identify indicators to serve

as a tool for managers and planners of tourism development. WTO
intends the indicators to provide the information necessary to understand
better tourisms links with, and impacts on, the natural and cultural
environments within which the industry operates, and on which it largely
depends.
As part of the indicators initiative, the Tourism and the Environment Task
Force met in Winnipeg, Canada, in Fall 1992 to consider further the use
of indicators as a practical tool for those responsible for including
environmental considerations in tourism management. The task force
produced a recommended list of indicators for use at the national level,
as well as a list for application to specific tourist destinations.{1} In 1993,
WTO commissioned four case studies in which the recommended list of
potentially useful indicators of sustainable tourism were tested for
usefulness. The studies were done in Canada (Prince Edward Island),
Mexico (Los Tuxtlas), the Netherlands (a multi-regional approach), and the
United States (the Florida Keys). This guidebook builds on both the work
of these case studies as well as more recent work of a similar nature in
Argentina. As such, it represents the next step in development and
application of indicators to promote sustainable tourism.
ii
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OVERVIEW
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managers and administrators of

the worlds tourism industry. With
this information, they will be better
able to promote the industrys
long-term sustainability.
1.1
PURPOSE OF THIS
GUIDE
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The guide has two

objectives:
ourism management must

include consideration for the
natural and cultural
environments. This consideration,
however, can be included by
decision-makers only when they
have adequate information about
the industrys impacts on the
environment. Frequently, managers
and administrators in the tourism
sector are overwhelmed with data
about tourism operations. As a
result, they may be unable to
discern which economic and
environmental trends are relevant
to the management of sustainable
tourism operations. Conversely,
managers must often make
decisions without adequate
environmental and economic
information. As a result, there are
many instances in which members
or sectors of the industry find
themselves in difficulty, due to
inadvertent negative effects on the
environment in which they
operate, or to environmental
changes caused by others. This
guide is designed to aid in the
provision of information for
to facilitate the development of

practical indicators for the
sustainable management of
tourist destinations. This
development process will
normally occur under the
direction of national or regional
tourism authorities; and
to guide managers and
administrators in the use of
indicators in decisions regarding
tourism and the environment.
This information is intended for
those directly involved in the
planning and management of
national and regional tourism
development, or who are directly
responsible for the management of
specific destinations. Examples of
such individuals are tourism
authorities at the national level;
local or regional government
managers responsible for a
particular tourism sector; and
regional planners of tourist
destinations.
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Indicators of sustainable tourism

will be of direct use to managers
of, or stakeholders concerned
with, specific tourist destinations.
These people may, for example,
be resort owners, park managers
or members of local communities
concerned about preservation of
the key attributes that attract
tourists to their region. In addition,
the indicators can serve as a form
of monitoring at a wider regional
or national level. Specifically, this
monitoring is accomplished
through identifying trends in
important factors that affect the
industry. These trends can bring
issues of broader importance to
the attention of tourism authorities
at national or regional levels.
supplementary ecosystem-specific
indicators (preliminary list in
Appendix I) for application to
particular ecosystems (e.g.,
coastal areas, parks and
protected areas, or mountainous
regions); and
site-specific indicators that are
developed uniquely for the
particular site. These indicators
reflect important factors of the
site, which may not be
adequately covered by the core
and supplementary ecosystemspecific indicator sets, but are
nonetheless needed for
management of the particular
site. [Note: As more case
applications are done, some of
these site-specific indicators may
be incorporated into the
international set of recommended
ecosystem-specific indicators.]
This guide addresses two sets of

indicators of value to tourism
managers:
Focus of Indicators
of Sustainable
Tourism
core indicators of sustainable

tourism which have been
developed by the international
task force and are intended for
general application to all
destinations; and
destination-specific indicators
applicable to particular
ecosystems or types of tourism.
The indicators focus on what

managers need to know most to
reduce their risk of inadvertently
taking decisions that may damage
the natural and cultural environments on which the tourism
industry depends. These include
These indicators fall into two

categories:
measures of:
the general relationship between
tourism and the environment;
the effects of environmental
factors on tourism; and
the impacts of the tourism
industry on the environment.
knowledge of tourisms environmental effects allows tourism

managers to identify potential
problems sooner. In turn,
managers are then more able to
take necessary action to reduce
the risk of undermining
surrounding natural and cultural
attributes.
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Key Reasons for

Indicator Use
The identification and measurement of indicators can identify
specific cause/effect relationships
between tourism and the
environment. In addition, the
effects and impacts resulting from
tourism activities also can be
exhibited through indicators.
Tourism managers, consequently,
are then better able to:
identify emerging issues,
allowing prevention or mitigation;
identify impacts, allowing action
before they cause problems;
support sustainable tourism
development, identifying limits
and opportunities; and
promote management account
ability, developing responsible
decision-making built on
knowledge
Inherent in the indicators initiative
is the recognition that better
5
barriers to sustainable tourism

development. Appendix 4 serves
as a glossary of general terms
pertaining to indicators.
1.2
STRUCTURE OF
GUIDE
T
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his guide is presented in

two parts:
Part One addresses the rationale

for using indicators in the
management of sustainable
tourism.
Part Two provides a step-by-step
framework within which an
indicators study may be
undertaken. This framework
supports both the application of
core and supplementary
ecosystem-specific indicators, and
the identification and
implementation of site-specific
indicators.
There are four appendices.
Appendix 1 provides a list of
ecosystem-specific indicators.
Note, however, that the list
(partially based on the results of
the pilot studies), is preliminary
and still under development.
Appendix 2 briefly summarizes the
four case studies commissioned by
the WTO to test the suitability of
specific indicators of sustainability.
Appendix 3 provides a list of key
6
Stress on Tourism
Destinations
1.3
CONTEXT
Tourism activities often stress the

very natural and cultural attributes
that make a destination or region
attractive to tourists. Loss or degradation of these attributes can spell
economic disaster to the industry
and those whose livelihoods
depend upon it. The very success
of a tourist destination, therefore,
can lead to its demise asby their
numbers and activitiestourists
negatively affect the ecology and
culture of the areas they visit. Thus,
the tourist industry cannot ignore
environmental issues in its
management and has much to
gain from being a leader in the
implementation of both environmentally and economically
sustainable practices.
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ourism has been defined as

comprising the activities of
persons travelling to and
staying in places outside their
usual environment for not more
than one consecutive year for
leisure, business and other
purposes.{2} In 1993, the WTO
estimated that international arrivals
worldwide reached 500 million. It
is estimated that this figure will
nearly double to 937 million over
the next 16 years. Receipts from
tourism in 1992 were
approximately US $324 billion.{3}
Tourism, therefore, is significant to
the global economy and critical to
the economies of many countries.
The global tourism industry will,
however, increasingly be driven
not only by further demand, but
also by the challenge of meeting
this demand in an environmentally
sustainable manner.
The following categories of

environmental impact highlight the
types of risks associated with
unsustainable tourism practices:
stressing the capacity of infrastructure by overcrowding
polluting air, water and soil
overuse of natural resources
creation of noise and disruption
changing of the cultural character
of host communities
In addition, there may be effects
7
upon tourism from the activities of

other economic sectors, including:
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removing land from its potential

use as a tourism attribute (urban
renewal activities, designation of
resource development zones,
exclusive forest extraction areas)
changing the quality of environmental attributes and, consequently, of experiences obtained
by tourists (deforestation; river
and coastal pollution; air
pollution; elimination of animal,
fish and plant species of interest
to tourists)
With an effective means of
understanding both the limits and
opportunities afforded by the
environment for tourism, and by
providing a way to measure the
effects of its actions, the tourism
industry can best assure its future
viability. As such, properly
planned tourism development,
combined with protection of the
environment, produce the concept
of sustainable tourism. In working
to achieve sustainable tourism, the
goal is to assure tourism practices
meet the needs of both present
and future generations at the
location concerned.
continue to be enjoyed, key

indicators may be:
1.4
WHAT ARE
INDICATORS?
those which measure the size of

areas protected, or
the loss of attributes which are
the focus of protection (e.g.,
species, ecosystems).
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
ndicators measure information

with which decision-makers
may reduce the chances of
unknowingly taking poor
decisions. It is first necessary to
understand what needs to be
measured. Then the wide range of
potential information must be
reduced to a set of useable and
meaningful measures of those
factors important to the decisionmaker.
If the objective is to reduce the risk

of degrading environments used
by tourists (e.g., beaches, built
attractions), the most important
indicators may relate to:
levels of use, extent of impact on
the biological or cultural values
critical to continued use, or
market trends showing changes
in interest in continuing to
frequent an area.
Which indicators will be relevant

to tourism managers decisionTherefore, to determine an areas
making depends on the
sustainability, indicators such as
destinations attributes and the
these are useful in helping
relative
managers
importance of
understand the
these attributes
A study done in the late
links between
to tourists. If,
1980s in Malta showed that
tourism-related
for example,
in the high tourist season,
activities and
the main objecthere were 28 centimetres of
the continuing
tive at a destibeach available per tourist.
capacity of the
nation is to
Indicators like this are a
environment to
preserve specistrong portrayal of potential
sustain them.
fic attributes of
stress levels and can predict
natural enviproblems before they threaten
Most indicators
ronments so
to exceed carrying capacities.
are quantitathat they can
9
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
tive measures (i.e., counts or sizes

of things, or rates of change in
these measures). Commonly used
indicators in other sectors include
the Gross National Product (GNP),
or balance of trade, as an
indication of economic conditions;
temperature as an indicator of
weather; or infant mortality as an
indicator of health conditions.
economic valuation. While

ecological functions, such as
protection from ultraviolet rays
provided by the ozone layer, may
be critical to the survival of human
society, they may not be
measurable in monetary terms. As
a result, the value of the ecological
functions may be consistently
underestimated in traditional
economic and accounting models
and, consequently, by decisionmakers. For this reason, indicators
of sustainability are not always
quantifiable and may necessarily
be somewhat subjective. This
limitation, however, does not in
any way detract from their utility
as management information in
promoting sustainable tourism.
This guide is among the first efforts

to provide a tool specifically
directed at supporting sustainable
tourism. A set of international
environmental indicators similar to
the much-used and quoted
economic indicators has yet to be
developed, although work in this
area is underway in several
countries.{4}
Driving this work is increasing
evidence of the need for indicators
that can capture the effects of
economic activity, including
tourism, on the natural and cultural
environments. These effects have
direct implications for the
sustainability of industries such as
tourism. Tangible measures of
these effects, therefore, would be
invaluable to tourism managers.
It should be noted that
environmental and social
indicators are often not suited to
10
and use indicators for sustainable

tourism. Many past international
efforts have generated long lists of
sector-specific indicators and
measures of biological integrity and
system stability. In contrast, the
WTO approach has been to
identify those indicators useful to
tourism sector managers and
administrators in their decisionmaking. These indicators are,
therefore, demand driven and
respond to decision-makers need to
know. As a result, the initial work of
the WTO Task Force has focused
on the development of a practical
subset of core indicators from the
longer list of possible indicators,
aimed at responding directly to the
central needs of decision-makers.
The core indicators were chosen
because they constitute the base
level of management information
necessary to manage sustainable
tourism in virtually any tourist
destination. As such, the core list
covers a limited range of measures
that enable monitoring key elements
of the changing human/environment relationship in the context of
tourism. The challenge has been to
identify indicators that provide the
range of information required, yet
are practical for most nations
and/or regions to provide (see
Table 1 for a list and brief
description of the core indicators).
1.5
INDICATORS FOR
THE TOURISM
SECTOR
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set of indicators of
sustainable tourism at
given destinations or
regions can help the planners and
managers of tourism anticipate
and prevent (or modify) those
tourism activities which may
threaten key environmental
attributes. Indicators are, therefore,
both a tool for managers today
and an investment in the future,
since they reduce the risk of
inadvertent damage to the natural
resource base on which the
industry depends. This guide
addresses core indicators and
destination-specific indicators, the
latter of which is split into two
parts: ecosystem-specific and sitespecific management indicators.
Core Indicators
The identification of indicators and
the methods by which they may be
applied at different tourist destinations build upon work undertaken
by Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United States, as part
of the WTOs initiative to develop
11
Table 1.
Core Indicators of Sustainable Tourism.
INDICATOR
1. Site Protection
2. Stress
3. Use Intensity
4. Social Impact
5. Development Control
6. Waste Management
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7. Planning Process
8. Critical Ecosystems
9. Consumer Satisfaction
10. Local Satisfaction
11. Tourism Contribution to
Local Economy
COMPOSITE INDICES
A. Carrying Capacity
B. Site Stress
C. Attractiveness
SPECIFIC MEASURES
Category of site protection according to IUCN[5] index
Tourist numbers visiting site (per annum/peak month)
Intensity of use in peak period (persons/hectare)
Ratio of tourists to locals (peak period and over time)
Existence of environmental review procedure or formal
controls over development of site and use densities
Percentage of sewage from site receiving treatment (additional indicators may include structural limits of other
infrastructural capacity on site, such as water supply)
Existence of organized regional plan for tourist destination region (including tourism component)
Number of rare/endangered species
Level of satisfaction by visitors (questionnaire-based)
Level of satisfaction by locals (questionnaire-based)
Proportion
of total economic activity
generated by tourism only
Composite early warning measure of key factors affecting the ability of the site to support different levels of
tourism
Composite measure of levels of impact on the site (its
natural and cultural attributes due to tourism and other
sector cumulative stresses)
Qualitative measure of those site attributes that make it
attractive to tourism and can change over time
The composite indices are largely

composed of site-specific
variables. Consequently, the
identification and evaluation of
the indicators composing these
indices require on-site direction
from an appropriately trained
and experienced observer. In the
future, based on the experiences

in designing composite indicators
for specific sites, it may be
possible to derive these indices in
a more systematic fashion. See
the case studies for Villa Gesell
and Peninsula Valdes for
application of these indices.
12
A brief summary of each of the

core indicators follows:
seascape conservation and

recreation
Category 6
Sustainable use of natural
ecosystems (i.e., managed
resource- protected area)
Site Protection
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This is a simple categorization of

the level of protection at the site,
based on the descriptive categories
produced by the International Union
for Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources (IUCN){6}. The
descriptive categories have been
selected to fulfill site-specific
management objectives:
Even within these categories, the

actual level of protection can vary.
For example, some national parks
contain areas of intensive tourism
use, whereas others are
completely off-limits to the public.
Category 1
Stress
Strict protection (i.e., strict nature
reserve or wilderness area)
This indicator measures the levels
Category 2
of stress on the site from tourists.
Ecosystem conservation and
Information is obtained through
recreation (i.e.,
monitoring
national park)
of tourist
Category 3
numbers. For
At Villa Gesell, Argentina,
Conservation of
managed
the population of 16,000
natural features
sites, such as
swells to over 120,000 in
(i.e., natural
national
January and February.
monument)
parks and
This growth produces
Category 4
wildlife
a tourist to local ratio of
Conservation
reserves,
nearly 10:1. A ratio of
through active
these
this magnitude
management (i.e.,
numbers are
can have serious social
habitat or species
obtained
impacts and can place severe
management
through
stress upon a destinations
area)
entrance
infrastructure (e.g., sewage
Category 5
statistics. For
treatment capacity,
Landscape or
areas not
water availability).
13
under direct management, other

sources (such as road traffic counts
or sampling procedures) must be
used.
indicator used to measure potential

impact is the ratio of tourists to
locals at peak period (compiled by
dividing the number of tourists by
the population of the site affected).
For organized mass tourism, this
indicator is simple to obtain (e.g.,
when an ocean liner with 2,000
tourists docks in a community of
500, the ratio is 4). For destinations
at which tourism is less organized,
it is more difficult to obtain the
statistics on tourist numbers (see
Stress Indicator above). For dispersed destinations, it is more
meaningful to develop particular
measures for impacts on specific
districts or communities, rather than
on regions as a whole (as was
done in both the Canadian Prince
Edward Island (PEI) case study, in
which the Cavendish beach area
was the focus rather than the whole
of the island and in Argentina).
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Use Intensity
The measurement of use intensity
indicates potential levels of
overuse of resources. For
managed sites, the numbers can
be readily obtained as in the
indicator for stress above. The
indicator is a simple mathematical
ratio of the number of persons on
the site divided by its area. For
areas in which statistics are not
directly collected for sites, it is first
necessary to clearly identify the
boundaries of the destination (See
Section 2.1). Statistics on numbers
of tourists come from transportation statistics (which involves
sampling of origins and
destinations or from tourist counts,
such as crowded beaches).
To measure the impact on a

destination over time (e.g., the
tourist season), the number of days
at the destination by visitor is the
most appropriate indicator.
Social Impact
This indicator is important because,
without including the social and
cultural effects of tourism development in tourism management
processes, the notion of sustainable
tourism would be incomplete. The
Development Control
This indicator is used simply to
determine whether or not projects
receive prior environmental review
14
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in accordance with existing

legislation at the national, regional
or site level. The indicator consists
of a ranked response from 15.
The assignment of a 1 indicates no
development control while progressively higher rankings indicate
commensurate increased degrees
and effectiveness of control. In
many situations, it is useful for
managers to monitor also the level
of enforcement or completeness of
the review process. This indicator
may seem very simplistic at the site
level, but at regional or national
levels it can measure progress in
the establishment of review
procedures that protect key
environmental assets.
large numbers of people, this

indicator is more important than
for those that have relatively little
use (see Stress Indicator).
Planning Process
As with Development Control, this
indicator is based on a ranking of
1-5; the assignment of a 1 indicates
no formal planning process
governing tourism development and
activity, while successively higher
rankings indicate the increased
usage and efficacy of such a
process. It is based on the assumption that most of the resources used
by tourists are managed by other
sectors. It is only through the
existence of a comprehensive
planning process that the values
central to successful and sustainable
tourism can be identified and
protected. Managers may wish to
identify clearly the degree to which
the regional planning process
respects the full range of values
important to tourism.
Waste Management
The key indicator for waste
management is the percentage of
sewage that receives treatment. It
is calculated by dividing the
amount of sewage treated by the
total amount produced at the site.
For intensively managed sites, this
information is estimated often
through sewage and water
authority records. For many sites,
the amount receiving treatment
may be near zero. Treatment also
includes effective septic and
cesspool systems. For sites with
Critical Ecosystems
This indicator is based on the
understanding that the rarer the
species, the more interesting it is
likely to be to tourists and, hence,
15
the more vulnerable it is likely to

be. Therefore, it is essential to monitor critical ecosystems and species,
both for their own protection and
for the protection of the tourism
industry that depends on them. The
indicator is a simple number based
on the known species at risk (for
which there are three levels: endangered, vulnerable, and
threatened). A change in this number means that species have been
eradicated, saved, or stressed.
Excellent
10 9 8
2 1
The supplementary question which

may be asked is: Would you
recommend this tourist destination
to your friends?
In administering this questionnaire,
managers may also wish to ask an
open-ended question inquiring
why a particular rating is chosen.
For individual sites, this
information would aid in the
interpretation of the answers to the
above question. Those
administering the questionnaire
are advised to follow appropriate
sampling methodologies to obtain
a large enough random sample for
analysis (usually over 100
people). If there are clearly
different segments of the market,
they may have to be sampled
separately (e.g., summer tourists
vs. skiers; hotel visitors vs.
campers). Attention must be given
to ensure that each segment is
adequately represented in the
survey. Repeat monitoring must
replicate the original sampling
methodology.
Consumer Satisfaction
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
This indicator is obtained through

a questionnaire and sampling
approach. This indicator is
measured by asking visitors two
questions: one mandatory and the
other optional. The latter would be
asked if the first proved inadequate or inappropriate. The first
measures the quality of the tourism
experience and, thus, reflects
many of the changing conditions
at the destination and the changing expectations of the tourists.
The measurement is obtained
through the following question:
In your last (current) visit to

___________, which best describes
your experience?
16
(a) more tourism?

(b) the same level of tourism?
(c) less tourism?
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Local Satisfaction
This indicator measures the level of

satisfaction of locals who are
If there are clearly different segpotentially affected (positively or
ments of the community, they may
negatively) by the tourism industry.
have to be sampled separately
It is obtained through the posing of
(e.g., ethnic groups, castes, tourist
two questions in a questionnaire to
sector vs. nonlocal (yearIn
Prince
Edward
Island,
tourist sector
round)
Canada the peak day effects
workers).
residents of
on site access at Cavendish
Attention must
the tourist
Beach are quite evident; trafbe given to
destination or
fic
leading
to
the
beach
ensure that
adjacent
becomes so congested that
each segment
thereto: one
waiting times alienate many
is adequately
mandatory
tourists
to
the
point
at
which
represented in
and the other
they wish they had not come
the survey and
optional. The
at all. Even though peak day
repeat monilatter would
be asked if the loads of this nature occur only toring replicates
briefly over the season, their
the original
first proved
effects on consumer satisfacsampling
inadequate or
tion can clearly be significant.
methodology.
inappropriate.
The first
question is:
Proportional Contribution of
What is your opinion of the
Tourism to Local Economy
tourism industry in your
community?
This purpose of this indicator is to
measure the dependency of the
Excellent Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
local economy on tourism. The
greater this dependency then the
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
greater the risks to the economy,
and possibly the environment
The supplementary question is:
(e.g., pressure on development
All things being equal, would
which may be ill conceived could
you like to see:
be greater with a higher
17
dependency) , if tourism at the

destination is subject to significant
fluctuations.
Carrying Capacity
This indicator measures the fragility
of the site and identifies changes in
its robustness to support a variety of
tourism activities. It will normally be
a composite measurement of the
quality, quantity and sensitivity of
the sites environmental assets (e.g.,
area of forest cover, quantity of
natural areas, etc.) and capacity of
built structures. The objective of this
indicator is to estimate the safe
limits of tourist numbers doing the
most common range of activities on
the site. This number can often be
enhanced or raised through sound
management, or lowered through
degradation from mismanagement.
(More detailed discussions of
carrying capacity are available
elsewhere{7}).
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Composite Indices
These indices are a composite of
the core indicators and the
ecosystem-specific indicators,
which are combined to yield a
single measure that can be
monitored over time. One
objective of the ongoing pilot
study program has been to
experiment in the development of
the three composite indices
described below. At this stage in
the work, each index will be
uniquely developed for each new
site and will respond to the
particular characteristics of the site
and its use. In future work by the
WTO Environment Committee, it is
expected that more standard
formulae for the use of these
indices will be developed. As an
initial test, in the two Argentine
pilot projects,attempts were made
to identify the components of the
indices for each site. In the case of
site stress and carrying capacity
some positive results were
obtained. For site attractiveness,
results were less promising.
Site Stress
A Site Stress Indicator can be
derived from several measures of
levels of use intensity pertaining to
specific, identified priority sites or
hot spots. It is a function of the
following factors: number of
tourists, type of activity, frequency
of activity, intensity/concentration
of use. The number of measures
18
created reflects pressure on the

system from a range of activities. If
the number rises, it is assumed that
the stress on the system has risen,
thereby potentially negatively
affecting the environment at the
site and/or the tourism activities
occurring on the site.
sites because of the unique mix of

attractions and attributes of each
site. Initial attempts at computing
this indicator have proven difficult.
Supplementary (DestinationSpecific) Indicators

Destination-specific indicators are
designed to supplement the core
indicators and capture important
changes unique to different types
of destinations. Two classes of
destination-specific indicators have
been identified that are useful to
tourism managers. The first is
ecosystem-specific indicators (a
number of which are identified in
Appendix I). These indicators are
split into eight different ecosystem
categories groups and represent a
useful starting position for tourism
managers looking for indicators to
supplement the core indicators.
The second is site-specific
management indicators, uniquely
designed by managers for
application at specific sites. These
two classes are discussed in
greater detail as follows:
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Site Attraction
This indicator is based on such
measures as landscape variety,
cultural variety, uniqueness, level
of maintenance, level of
unrest/political stability/security,
ease of access, cleanliness, etc.
Such an index can be derived
from the criteria used to identify
UNESCO sites, for example with
an aggregate weighted index
produced. The objective of this
indicator is to measure changes in
the desirability of a destination
from a tourist perspective.
Significant degradation of
aesthetic interest or appeal, for
example would negatively affect
this index. If one or more key
attributes are degraded, the index
may fall; conversely, through good
management and site
rehabilitation, the indicator may
rise. It is not expected that this
indicator will be useful for
comparison purposes between
Ecosystem-Specific Indicators
In the work by the WTO
Environment Committee and the
19
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
pilot studies by member States, it

became clear that indicators that
are in addition to the core
indicators would be useful to suit
the circumstances of each individual site (or type of ecosystem).
As a result, work continues toward
identification and evaluation of
key indicators to measure sustainable tourism in, for example,
game parks, urban tourism, small
cultural sites and mountain parks.
Specifically, the eight ecosystems
for which supplementary indicators
are being developed are:
guide provides the framework

within which tourism managers can
identify and implement indicators
tailored to measure the particular
attributes of a tourist destination
and, therefore, to make decisions
promoting the sustainable
management of tourism activities
having an impact on these
attributes. The procedures by which
additional site-specific indicators
can be identified and developed
are included in Part Two.
Coastal zones
Mountain regions
Managed wildlife parks
Unique ecological sites
Urban environments
Cultural sites (heritage)
Cultural sites (traditional
communities)
Small islands
Site-specific management
indicators
In addition to the core and
supplementary ecosystem-specific
indicator sets, tourism managers
are encouraged, where necessary,
to develop additional indicators
that respond to the unique
conditions of a specific site. This
20
supporting sustainable tourism

management. Other key building
blocks include:
1.6
INDICATORS:
Only Part of Managing
Sustainable Tourism
1) Planning Framework for

Tourism. A planning and
management system is necessary
to use information from the
indicators and to incorporate this
information into future decisions.
Because the environment is shared
with other economic sectors and
communities, some form of
integration with the planning and
management of these entities is
also extremely desirable.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
he indicators of
sustainability are a useful
tool when coupled with
other tools and approaches to
managing tourism in a sustainable
fashion. Managers need clear
knowledge of the particular
attributes that make a destination
a success (i.e., what draws
tourists). Against these attributes,
indicators of sustainable tourism
enable the identification,
measurement, and tracking of key
changes and potential risks.
Similarly, the values of the host
community are important as a
framework within which tourism
must operate.
2) Monitoring. Once identified,

indicators must be measured and
tracked, and the resulting data
organized into a form useful for
tourism managers. As such,
necessary equipment and
expertise must be put in place and
maintained over time to ensure this
information is available. The most
effective use of indicators is in the
monitoring of changes, so that
proactive or remedial action can
be taken by tourism managers
promptly, and unacceptable results
avoided.
The use of valid and reliable

indicators is critical to both the
successful measurement of a tourist
destinations environmental assets,
and the recording of
environmental stresses and
responses associated with
changing tourism activities.
Indicators, however, are only one
of the building blocks necessary in
3) Standards. Tourism managers

may require benchmarks against
which to measure indicators. This
need will be particularly acute for
21
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
those tourism activities that are

potentially very stressful upon the
environment. These benchmarks
may be environmental thresholds
against which the effects of
tourism-related activities can be
measured by arbitrary or generally
accepted standards (e.g., Blue
Flag beaches, drinking water
standards). The recording of
indicators measurements often
provide information useful for the
establishment of standards.
4) Accountability and
Reporting. Increasingly, industry
sectors such as tourism are made
accountable by national and
international agencies for their
environmental effects. There has
been pressure, therefore, for
sectors to establish reporting
systems (to government and to the
public), covering both their
environmental impacts and their
actions to address unacceptable
effects. Indicators can aid in both
demonstrating the effects of
improved management and
informing the public of the results
of management efforts.
22
the prosperity and sustainability of

the tourism industry?
1.7
WHAT TOURISM
MANAGERS NEED
TO KNOW
2. Measures of pressures or
stresses.
These measure key external factors
or trends of concern which must be
considered in any management
response. Examples are population
growth, changing expectations or
demands, and increased pressures
on shared resources. How do
changes in these stresses or
externalities relate to the fortunes of
the industry and its components?
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
hile theoretical
foundations on
which to measure
sustainable resource management
are valuable, for practical
applications one must begin with
the decision-maker and ask what
he or she needs to know to make
better decisions. Initial steps have
been taken to define and classify
indicators, based on their role in
supporting the types of decisions
that governments and the tourism
industry encounter in planning and
managing tourism nationally and
locally. The general types (based
on what the decision-maker needs
to know) include:
3. Measures of the state of

the natural resource base
(product) and measures of
demands upon it. These allow
managers to understand what has
changed regarding the resources
that they manage or influence, and
to discern how they stand relative
to others, to last year, or to established standards. Examples are
current levels of pollutants and
current use levels of facilities or
destinations.
1. Warning indicators.
These indicators sensitize decisionmakers to areas of possible concern and to the need to anticipate
and prevent problems. Examples
of commonly used warning indicators include the loss of repeat
visitors, reduced numbers of visits,
reduction in investment. What are
the early warning signs of risk to
4. Measures of
impacts/consequences.
These allow decision-makers to
include known impacts in their
business plans, and to target the
actions of others that they may
wish to influence. Examples of
23
tourism industry define and take a

sustainable path are, therefore,
varied. They include ecological,
cultural, social and economic
measures. Fortunately, many of
these indicators rely on information
commonly required by different
sectors. Much knowledge can thus
be derived from existing information sources. The same indicators
useful to measure environmental
impacts, for example, may serve
to measure the effectiveness of
management actions addressing
the impacts. For example, positive
change in an indicator, such as
beach closures, may reflect the
results of efforts to reduce pollutant
loadings. Negative change in the
same indicator may reflect the
impact of increased development
and use by the tourism sector or
others.
these impacts are beach closures

due to pollution and loss of animal
populations in affected areas. Two
types of impact measurement may
be identified:
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
biological and physical

cultural and economic (some of
which may be a result of the
physical impact)
5. Measures of management
effort/action.
These give decision-makers
information on the results of action
by governments and industry in
response to particular situations.
Examples are levels of pollution
regulation, amount spent to control
waste, size of areas protected,
existence of sustainable tourism
plans. These measures respond to
questions such as: Are we doing
enough?
6. Measures of management
impact.
These permit decision-makers to
understand the on-site effects of
efforts directed at promoting
sustainable tourism. Examples of
these measures include signs of
reduced levels of waste production
at a site or reductions in the
degree of site degradation.
The indicators needed to help the
24
of stress on the community or

environment. The indicator shows
change and signals potential for
concern. Managers using the
indicator must then examine the
implications of indicator
measurements in terms of their
goals and of the sensitivity of the
sites that they manage.
1.8
USE OF
INDICATORS
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
ndicators are not an end in

themselves, but rather a vehicle
for better understanding tourism
and the environment. Clear and
mutually agreeable indicators are
a key step in establishing the
capacity to understand and better
manage the tourism sector relative
to the environments it uses.
Indicators show important changes
in environmental attributes; these
changes may trigger management
responses. Ideally, each indicator
is supported by a regular
monitoring program which yields
information on a continuous basis,
revealing trends over time.
Use of Standards
Indicators can be used along with
standards that govern tourism
activities. In fact, changes in key
indicators which may signal
unacceptable levels of impact or
stress may lead to the development
of standards designed to limit or
control these impacts or stresses.
By measuring important changes,
appropriate indicators can
stimulate the establishment of
standards. For example,
increasing levels of pollution
(measured in coliform counts or
levels of heavy metals in water)
have been the stimuli for
establishing standards for
contaminant levels in both drinking
and beach water quality in many
countries. The water quality
standards embodied in the Blue
Flag program have become wellknown benchmarks important to
Changes in indicators are not

necessarily positive or
negative for everyone; changes
reveal information that requires
interpretation. An increase in
numbers of persons per square
kilometre in a tourism destination
may be interpreted positively as a
measure of better marketing or
improved attractiveness, or
negatively as an increase in levels
25
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Europes tourism industry. Where

standards exist, the monitoring of
indicators is done relative to the
established standards. Monitoring
information supplies tourism
managers with critical data on
how well they are doing against
standards or thresholds. Therefore,
it is contingent on managers to
determine if relevant standards
against which indicators may be
measured exist and where they
may be obtained if they do. It is
suggested that local government
authorities pertinent to the area
subject to measure be contacted to
obtain this information.
regarding mutual management

solutions. Within a nation, the
indicators can be used for
managing target sites which may
be the fastest changing or most
intensively used. In such cases, the
indicators act as a support for
national or regional managers by
enabling them to see site-specific
important changes.
In sum, indicators are one of the
first and most critical steps to
sound environmental management
of tourism destinations. They
provide decision-makers with
timely and precise warnings of
changes which can potentially
affect tourism management
objectives.
Comparative Use
Indicators often and ideally permit
comparison between or among
sites or regions. It may be
possible, for example, to show that
the percentage of sites indicating
a nations improvement in levels of
protection has risen 10 percent
over five years, while another
countrys levels have remained
stable. Similarly, site managers
may be able to identify other sites
in their country or elsewhere with
similar levels of use intensity or
contamination and begin to
communicate with the site
managers to exchange information
26
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
How to
Conduct
Indicators
Studies
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
experience of a broader variety

of applications; and
to provide a baseline for
establishing indicators that can
be applied at tourism destinations
in all nations as part of an effort
to support sustainable management of tourism worldwide.
his part contains instructions

for those charged with
carrying out an indicators
study. There is often considerable
discretion available to managers
in the choice of how to undertake
the following steps. As such, the
steps constitute a guiding framework for an indicators study rather
than a detailed methodology.
Following are the procedures and

criteria necessary for the choosing
of a site, and the selection and
application of indicators relevant
to that site.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
It is assumed the objectives of an

indicators study are:
to determine whether information
can be obtained for the core
indicators at the test site and to
evaluate the quality of that
information and degree of effort
needed to obtain it;
to identify whether there are
additional indicators needed to
support the key decisions by
managers of the site [in particular
the suggested supplementary set
in Appendix I] which may apply
to a particular type of
ecosystem and, if so, relate this
new information to WTO;
to provide feedback to WTO
regarding the adequacy of the
core and supplementary
indicators in the context of
particular tourist destinations so
that, if needed, amendments can
be made to the core and
supplementary lists to include the
29
Jurisdictional management
authority. Is it clear where the
physical and administrative lines
of jurisdictional authority exist,
who these authorities are and
what is the scope of their
administrative mandate?
2.1
SETTING THE
BOUNDARIES OF
THE STUDY SITE
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
he first activity in conducting

an indicators study is to
determine the physical
boundaries of the study site. A
clear demarcation of these
boundaries must be identified
before the studys commencement,
both for the users of the study and
for those charged with its conduct.
Key considerations are:
Data units. Can the study area
be easily matched to the
boundaries of data units, such as
census areas or municipalities for
which data is likely to exist?
Destination boundaries. Does the
defined destination include all the
areas affected by tourism activity
(e.g., not just the park, but also
the adjacent community) where
the services are located?
Ecosystem boundaries. Does the
study site include the ecosystems
most affected?
Affected communities. Does the
study site include adjacent
communities affected? [e.g., the
place where workers live]
30
and may also vary from season to

season. This is particularly true of
destinations where the use varies
greatly by season, such as skiing
areas or seasonal beach resorts.
2.2
IDENTIFYING SITE
ATTRIBUTES
There are several questions to ask

when undertaking this step: Are
the key attributes sensitive to
tourism impact? Are they fragile?
Do the core and supplemental
indicators adequately capture the
nature of the attributes?
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
he key attributes of the site

from the tourists perspective
(i.e., tourism assets) must be
identified and described at the
studys outset. These attributes form
the basis against which indicators
are measured over time; changes
in the attributes, as measured by
the indicators, provide direct
feedback to managers as to the
sustainability of tourism-related
activities. In addition, experience
in Prince Edward Island and
Argentina suggests that impacted
parts of the destination, as well as
the site as a whole, should be
tested for relevant indicators.
To help in clarifying the relative
importance of different attributes,
a weighting could be assigned to
each attribute. A scale from 1 to
10 could be employed, with the
attributes level of importance to
tourists correlated with ascending
numbers. The valuation by each
type of tourist may differ. As well,
the weighting by locals may be
different from that of vacationers
31
2.3
IDENTIFYING
CURRENT KEY
ISSUES
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
n most tourist destinations,

several key environmental
issues that are pertinent to the
indicators study will be identified.
Tourism managers must understand
these issues and their implications
for tourism because they may
influence both the indicators
chosen and the relative importance
assigned to each. As an example,
let us assume that a beach is an
important attribute at a destination
and that beach erosion is
considered by tourism managers to
be a key environmental issue.
Indicators that measure erosion,
therefore, will be important to both
the tourists and the managers of
the sites. Do the core indicators
capture all of the key issues? If
not, what supplemental or sitespecific measures are needed to
provide the information necessary
for an early warning system
regarding these issues?
32
2.4
SELECTING
INDICATORS FOR
USE
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
fter key issues have been

identified, supplemental
indicators relevant to the
type of destination must also be
determined. These indicators
should correspond directly to the
identified key issues and attributes.
As mentioned, a preliminary list of
indicators suitable for several types
of ecosystems appears as
Appendix I.
Core, supplemental, and sitespecific indicators should be listed
and described in the context of the
attributes against which they will
be measured.
33
the cost of installing and maintaining monitoring equipment

over extended time periods; and
the availability of skilled data
collectors (so that data validity
and reliability can be assured on
an ongoing basis).
2.5
DETERMINING DATA
SOURCES
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
nce all the indicators

have been identified
and described, the next
step is to determine the availability
of data to measure them. For some
indicators, data will be readily
available, while for others, they
will not. Moreover, even if the
information is available, the
resources (time and money)
necessary to obtain the information may not. Ideally, data to
support many indicators can be
obtained directly from sources that
collect the same data for other
purposes.{8} In many instances,
however, the required data will not
have been collected by other
sources. Tourism managers or
administrators, therefore, may
need to establish their own data
monitoring and cataloguing
regimes for key indicators.
Considerations in undertaking this
task include:
the likely overhead cost of
regularly collecting the data;
34
2.6
DATA COLLECTION
AND ANALYSIS
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
n this step, data collection and

analysis are undertaken to
build an information base from
which indicators evaluation can
proceed. It is important to ensure
that data collection and
compilation are conducted in a
consistent and rigorous manner,
according to generally accepted
standards or practices. Similarly,
data must be analyzed so that
results can be objectively
defended as valid and reliable
(and, hence, can be useful in the
subsequent evaluation). Many data
are likely to meet only partially the
needs of the study. It is thus helpful
to review how well the available
data meet the studys needs;
whether adaptation of the data
may be requiredand at what
cost.
35
2.7
EVALUATION OF
THE RESULTS
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
s emphasized in Part
1.6, it is useful to identify
whether benchmarks
(i.e., thresholds of sustainability in
the study area) have been
established against which
indicator measurements can be
compared. Significant changes in
indicator measurements can then
be used to show potential risk and
measurable improvement. Where
clear trends are evident, it is likely
that users of the indicators will
wish to identify measures of
tourism carrying capacity
thresholds and limits.
36
fying this threat in the study for

inclusion in subsequent monitoring
is, therefore, a useful step.
2.8
REVISITING KEY
ISSUES
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
ike all economic sectors, the

factors affecting tourism
activities are constantly
changing. During the indicators
study, it is probable that emerging
trends, issues or environmental
threats will become evident to
tourism managers. These should
be noted, as subsequent indicators
studies may reflect these changing
factors both in the type of
indicators chosen and in how the
indicators study is conducted. For
example, there may be a growing
general recognition that broader
and deeper public participation is
necessary in planning tourism
development. As a result, there
may be a requirement that
indicators studies increasingly
reflect public involvement in
identifying appropriate indicators.
Another example is an environmental threat that has not yet
manifested itself but, due to
changing site attributes (e.g.,
pollution caused by rapidly
increasing numbers of tourists), is
expected to be imminent. Identi-
37
evaluation criteria. It is important

to focus on those for which the
highest quality data can be
obtained and which provide the
most useful information. To
determine which indicators are
robust, predictive, reasonably
obtainable and useful to decisionmakers, each must be examined
against several basic evaluation
criteria and ranked by their
apparent utility. The following
paragraphs briefly describe five
general evaluation criteria that
should be applied during the
indicators selection process.
2.9
SITE SPECIFIC INDICATOR SELECTION
CRITERIA
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
n addition to the core and

supplementary indicators of
sustainable tourism, it is
probable that some additional
indicators may be useful at any
given destination. Managers must,
therefore, be able to identify and
test site-specific indicators not
included in this guide. Such
indicators may be highly
applicable at a particular
destination (and perhaps nowhere
else) and, therefore, should be
included in measures of
sustainable tourism. This section
provides criteria necessary to
identify site-specific indicators.
The data is obtainable. One of

the primary determinants of
whether to adopt a specific
indicator is the availability of
data. Obviously, if the data are
difficult to retrieve, more
resources will have to be directed
to calculating the indicator.
However, a potential indicator
should not necessarily be
eliminated from consideration
because of data availability
problems. Consideration should
be given to future use of the
indicator if the data can be
collected through coordinated
efforts and if the extra effort is
justified, given the importance of
the measurement in question. In
this regard, one should ask:
The number of indicators for which

data can be collected to monitor
sustainable tourism management is
potentially very large.
Consequently, the indicators will
vary in relevance according to the
destinations specific attributes. To
develop an evaluation framework
of manageable size, it is useful to
assess potential indicators (over
the core set) against several
38
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
How will the assessment be

affected if this indicator is
excluded?
Is the additional effort involved in
starting to collect this data
justified?
What kind of benefit-cost
relationship exists between
collecting the data and not
publishing information on this
indicator?
concentrations of the toxic

compound 2,3,7,8-TCDD in
herring gull eggs as an indicator
of water quality. Therefore, as
much as possible, the indicator
should be easily understood.
Concurrently, the data must be
supported by a high degree of
scientific and methodological
validity and reliability.
The indicator enables the

The indicator is both credible
detection of trends over time and
and easy to understand. The
enables comparison across
immediate goal of the indicator is
areas. Indicators must be chosen
to provide
based on the
credible
In Peninsula Valdes, Argentina, availability of
information to
data to
site-specific indicators were
tourism
provide trend
required to measure numbers
managers who
analyses. A
of key species (southern right
have varying
useful
whales elephant seals, sea
perspectives,
analytical
lions) to monitor their survival
priorities and
technique for
rates. These measurements
will be critical in assessing
environmental
interpreting
whether the increasing numknowledge. It
trends is
bers of tourists affect these
is, therefore,
charting. If the
survival rates.
preferable to
data can be
ensure that
plotted on a
chosen
line graph, it
indicators are easy to understand
becomes much easier to see what
by a lay audience. As such, they
is happening from a big
should not require a lengthy
picture perspective. When
explanation and/or should not
embarking on data design and
be overly technical or complex.
collection for an indicators
For example, for a non-scientist,
reporting framework,
presumably it would be difficult
consideration also should be
or impossible to understand the
given to whether data going
significance of given
back five or ten years are
39
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
available. If not, the data will

have to be collected for several
more years before trend analyses
can be conducted. In addition,
where possible, use indicators
that allow for comparisons
between sustainability
performance in the study area
and in other jurisdictions. This
comparison, of course, depends
on data availability and on how
consistent the data collection
methodologies are across
jurisdictions. However, assessing
the study area in a wider context
would provide an additional
useful benchmark for analytical
purposes, helping to create a
common baseline set of core
(and ecosystem-specific)
indicators.
Threshold or reference values are

available. Threshold and
reference values provide a
benchmark against which to
assess the overall trend for a
given indicator. A threshold value
is a theoretical maximum value
that must not be exceeded. A
reference value is simply a type
of benchmark not prescriptive in
terms of identifying specific
performance objectives, but
which establishes a base year
value as 100 percent.
Measurements taken at later
times are then expressed as a
percentage of the base year
value. Threshold and reference
values are useful in simplifying
trend analysis and should be
incorporated wherever possible.
Such analysis, however, is
seldom easy in practice, but may
nonetheless clearly show where
limits or standards may be
desirable.
The indicator is predictive of

sustainability. In assessing an
indicator, it is important to
estimate the extent to which the
indicator provides information on
the sites current and projected
environmental and economic
sustainability. This information, in
turn, helps managers assess the
sites ability to sustain tourism at
differing levels of intensity.
Clearly, the more predictive the
indicator in this regard, the more
useful it will be for decisionmakers.
The following table demonstrates a

ranking approach for evaluating
indicators against the above
criteria. Ranks are high, medium,
and low (H-M-L) in relation to how
well each indicators fulfills the
requirement(s). In applying this
ranking to a potential indicator, its
relative feasibility quickly becomes
apparent to users for a specific
40
study site. The table may be a

useful model for managers in the
consideration and selection of
further indicators. Overall, a
perfect indicator would have a
score of H for each criterion. In
reality, this score is probably
unachievable.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Table 2.
Sample Indicator Valuation
INDICATOR: Fecal coliform count in waters off a resort beach
CRITERION
MEANING OF THE CRITERION
RANKING
(H/M/L)
Obtainability
Data is available for the indicator
The indicator is easy to understand

and is supported by
valid/reliable data
The indicator enables the detection

of trends over time and across regions
within the study area and with other
jurisdictions outside the study area
The indicator provides

early warningdetection
Threshold or reference values

are available
Understandability
and Credibility
Temporality and
Comparability
Predictive of
Sustainability
Threshold Value
41
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Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
APPENDIX 1
Supplementary
Indicators
of Sustainable
Tourism
n some of the following lists core indicators are also occasionally

included. For certain tourism issues, they are especially relevant and,
therefore, deserve mention.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Coastal Zones
ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
ecological destruction
beach degradation
fish stocks depletion
amount degraded
levels of erosion
reduction in catch
% in degraded condition
% of beach eroded
effort to catch fish
fish counts for key species
overcrowding
use intensity*
persons per metre of

accessible beach
disruption of fauna
(e.g., whales)
species counts
number of species
change in species mix
number of key species
sightings
diminished water quality
pollution levels
fecal coliform and heavy

metals counts
lack of safety
crime levels [9]

accident levels
# of crimes reported
(theft, assault)
water related accidents
as a % of tourist population
44
Mountains
ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
loss of flora and fauna
reproductive success
of indicator species
key species counts

changes in mix of species
number of road kills of
specified species
visual inspection and
photographic record**
continuing presence of
wildlife at traditionally
occupied sites
erosion
extent of erosion
caused by tourists
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rate of continuing erosion
% of surface in
eroded state
visual inspection and
photographic record
lack of access to key sites
length of vehicle line-ups
number of hours spent in

vehicle
cost of entry/lowest
average local wage
lack of solitude
consumer satisfaction*
number of people at
peak period (accessible
area only)
questionnaire on whether
solitude objectives met
loss of aesthetic qualities
site attraction*
visibility of human
presence (e.g., litter counts)
diminished water quality
pollution counts
measures of fecal
coliform, heavy metals
**Local wildlife/biodiversity management offices may provide long-term records for some
species.
45
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Managed Wildlife Parks

ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
poor species health
reproductive rate of
key species
species diversity
change in mix of animal
species
monitoring of numbers
for animal groups
species counts
key species population
counts
overcrowding
use intensity*
number of visitors
ratio of people/game
animals (peak period)
human encroachment
human population in park

and surrounding area
number of people within

10 km of boundary
activities of people in park

and surrounding area
% of park area affected

by unauthorized human
activity (squatting, wood
cutting)
% of surrounding land
being used for human
purposes such as agriculture
(10 km radius)
poaching
level of poaching in park
number of incidents of
poaching reported
reduction of affected flora
and fauna assets
lack of safety
human/animal interaction
number of human/animal
contacts reported involving
human injury**
crimes against tourists
**May be a measure of either more contacts or a change in the level of reporting.
46
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Urban Environments
ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
lack of safety
crime levels
types of crime committed
traffic safety
number of crimes
reported (e.g., theft and
assault)**
traffic injuries as a % of
population
uncleanliness
site attraction*
counts of levels of waste

on site
crowding at key urban

attributes
use intensity*
traffic congestion
length of wait
degradation of key urban

attributes
SEE CULTURAL SITES BUILT HERITAGE BELOW
health threats
air pollution measurements
air pollution indices

(e.g., sulphur dioxide,
nitrogen oxide, particulates)
number of days
exceeding specified pollutant
standards
drinking water quality
availability of clean
water (e.g., can tap
water be consumed on site)
type and extent of

communicable diseases
statistics on disease
prevalence
noise levels
records on decibel count

at key locations
**May be a function of change in level of crime or changes in level of reporting.
47
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Cultural Sites - Built Heritage

ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
site degradation
restoration costs
estimated costs to maintain/

restore site per annum
levels of pollutants
affecting site
acidity of precipitation
measures of behaviour
disruptive to site
traffic vibration
(ambient level)
number of incidents of
vandalism reported
determining tourist capacity
use intensity*
lack of safety
crime rate and type
number and type of crimes

against tourists reported**
**May be a function of change in level of crime or changes in level of reporting.
48
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Unique Ecological Sites

(often ecotourism destinations)
ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
ecosystem degradation
number and mix of species

continued presence of key
species in traditionally
occupied areas
reproductive success
of key species
site degradation
changes in flora
mix and concentration
species count
count of members of key
species
number of tourist sightings
of key species
areas of species occupation
(flora and fauna)**
primary flora species as a %
of total plant cover
number of outfitters/guides
using site
number of boats using site
% of area negatively affected
**Local wildlife/biodiversity management offices may provide long-term records for some
species.
49
Cultural Sites (Traditional communities)

ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
violation of social and

cultural norms
languages spoken by
locals
% of community speaking a
non-local language
displacement of members
of local population
social impact*
average net income of

tourists/average net income
of local population
number of retail
establishments/number of
establishments serving local
needs (as opposed to tourists)
% of local establishments
open year-round
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local satisfaction*
number and type of

complaints by locals**
**May be a function of change in number of incidents or changes in level of reporting.
50
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Small Islands
ISSUE
INDICATORS
SUGGESTED MEASURES
currency leakage
measures of capital flight
% of exchange leakage from

total tourism revenues
high levels of foreign

ownership
value of foreign ownership
% of foreign ownership of
tourism establishments
overcrowding
use intensity and social

impact indicators*
may be applied at both local

and island-wide levels
lack of jobs for local

population
local jobs created through

tourism
% of jobs supported by
tourism
% of seasonal jobs
fresh water shortage
fresh water availability
volume of water used by

tourists/volume used by local
population on per capita
basis
cost to supply water
cost to supply water/# of
tourists
estimates of capacity (e.g.,
vol remaining in reservoir/
aquifer)
electricity shortage
electricity availability
# of brown outs
restrictions on use
changes in cost for electricity
use
sewage disposal
sewage treatment facilities
volume of sewage treated/

total volume of sewage
level of treatment
SEE COASTAL ZONE

CATEGORY FOR INDICATORS
ASSOCIATED WITH BEACH
DEGRADATION
51
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Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
APPENDIX 2
Summaries
of
Pilot Studies
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, CANADA

PILOT STUDY ON INDICATORS FOR THE
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF TOURISM
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
he study area in the Cavendish region of Prince Edward Island

(PEI) contains a national park and, with the surrounding area,
includes several cultural and ecological attractions, making it a
prime summer tourism destination in Canada. The pilot study obtained
information primarily from both the PEI government and the Park
Administration office which supported most of the indicators suggested in
the WTO report. The air quality indicator, however, was of little use, as
there is no noticeable air pollution in the region. Water quality data were
not available. The remaining indicators appeared useful, with data
available to support management decisions regarding the park.
Information was, however, much more difficult to obtain for the areas of
tourism activity outside park boundaries due primarily to a lack of
recorded data.
Managers of the park were particularly interested in measures of public
participation in decision-making related to tourism, of reported water
contamination, and of local criminal activity, none of which were covered
by the WTO indicators. All were seen as useful
indicators of tourism sustainability in the region and as a result the
following recommendations were derived.
Recommendations included:
Destination-specific indicators should be tied to managerial or data units
(such as parks or tourism municipalities). Eventually, it may be useful to
establish a regional reporting framework.
Specific assessments of indicator application in pilot studies should be
integrated to produce a range of perspectives on their utility.
WTO should produce a summary document integrating pilot results, with
aggregate findings concerning indicators.
54
WTO should hold an expert workshop to assess results, discuss mode

indicator testing and develop related decision support tools such as
measures of carrying capacity and integrated planning methods.
Without appropriate procedures for taking necessary action, indicators
are of little value.
Canada should expand the pilot program to encompass a broader
range of tourist destinations, including holding a workshop.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
A simple spatial database of key tourism indicators for important tourism

regions in Canada should be established.
55
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INDICATORS FOR
LOS TUXTLAS, MEXICO
T
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he tropical region of Los Tuxtlas, in the Mexican state of Veracruz,

was a site for testing the Sustainable Tourism Indicators
recommended by WTO. An increasing number of national and
international tourists are adding resource pressure to this region, which
has been overexploited for years. Since half the local economy is based
on agriculture and unemployment rates are high, adequately managed
tourism can play an important role in furthering protection of these
resources through promoting sustainable employment.
There was limited reliable information for Los Tuxtlas, so much data had
to be gathered. Data collection, however, was facilitated by general
willingness to cooperate. To enhance local participation, the data
obtained will be used as a bench mark for initiating a regional pilot
project on environmental certificates as an additional planning and
management tool.
Conclusions on the availability and significance of recommended
indicators included:
Partial lack of reliability or availability of related data to travel and use
intensity resulted from the fact that tourism in the area creates a number
of invisible employment sources. Use intensity is difficult to determine,
since the regional tourism potential is only beginning to be exploited
internationally.
Area protection is more successful in privately owned areas. In public
areas, only active involvement of and direct benefits for the local
population make this indicator significant. Endangered species should
form part of it, because their survival depends almost entirely on area
protection.
The cultural protection indicator was substituted by local population and
environment because most of the regions inhabitants can be considered
56
indigenous and own 2/3 of the land. This change proved to be

important, since tourism can become a catalyst to protect rather than
exploit local resources.
EIA-related indicators{10} must be viewed with caution. Given regional
conditions, development control will result primarily from economic
stimulation rather than regulations.
Maintaining ecological productivity can be problematic because tourism
activities are often difficult to control. Developing environmentally
responsible tourism may be a means to handle such problems.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
In addition, a list of special tourist attractions, particularly natural sites

containing peak visitor figures, may be helpful in establishing restrictions
of use.
57
ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR TOURISM AND LEISURE IN
THE NETHERLANDS
n April 1992, the WTO set up a task force to develop a number of

environmental indicators. Further to the work of that task force, this
report proposes setting up a series of indicators and a plan for
implementing them in the Netherlands.
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Any set of environmental indicators should cover two broad subject

areas:
1. Indicators of the level of tourist pressure (i.e., congestion/saturation).
These figures show where long-term strategies for tourism development
need to be produced. These figures exist already and can be easily
assembled.
2. Indicators reflecting the quality of the environment. They can be
subdivided into air quality, water quality, amounts of litter and other
rubbish, soil quality, and pollution from noise as well as odours.
In addition, there should also be an assessment of the tourists perception
of the quality of the environment. This can be done by interviewing a
random selection of recreation park visitors and accommodation
representatives in tourist areas.
Environmental indicators should be developed sector-by-sector, providing
a relevant set of data for each (from property developer to consumer).
Thus, a bottom-up approach is needed. Requirements for environmental
planning, existing information services, education, and availability of
relevant data need to be considered. Starting with a limited number of
indicators, sector-specific refinements in measurement could be made after
consulting with individual sectors. Gradually, a system could be
developed to produce relevant standards and assess the effectiveness of
the criteria.
58
Ultimately, the system of indicators must differentiate between specific

regions. The Netherlands provinces were thus divided into three groups,
based on their attractiveness as tourist destinations. A histogram was then
compiled, including the following:
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
background data (total surface, population, housing stock)

supply factors (natural scenery, recreation resort area, wood, water, bed
capacity)
demand factors (trips total, nights total, day trips)
environmental figures (detailed under point 2 above)
indicators of seasonal spread (peak load, peak season load)
indicators of regional spread (tourism/surface %)
key statistics (e.g., trips/km2, degree of hotel occupancy)
59
FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE

SANCTUARY, U.S.A.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
s part of the WTOs Tourism and the Environment Indicators

Project, the United States Travel and Tourism Administration and
the United States Environmental Protection Agency chose to
examine indicators for an environmentally fragile high-tourism site, the
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The fifteen indicators
recommended by the WTO task force in 1993 have been revised and
expanded to 18 by the American study team. They are:
Site protection, endangered species, cultural protection, travel intensity,
use intensity, public utility infrastructure, population and tourism
demographics, health and social impact status, ownership, development
density, political stability, environmental compliance, employment,
environmental planning, environmental reviews, foreign exchange
leakage, environmental resource use competition and environmental
expenditures.
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a 985,800 hectare (ha)
area containing 32,810 ha of land and 952,980 ha of water, with a
1990 permanent population of 78,000 people. Federal, state, local and
private organizations protect, preserve and set regulations at 121 sites
throughout the Keys, covering approximately 83 % of the Sanctuary.
There are over 14,600 accommodation units for tourists in the Keys,
representing the sum of all hotel rooms, sites for camping and
recreational vehicles. The 18 indicators are applied to the Sanctuary.
The case study also provides information on 53 different measures to
determine if both the environment and tourism can be sustained. Each
measure is examined against five evaluation criteria: predictive of
sustainability, dispositive of sustainability, obtainability, understandability
and political sensitivity. Thus, a minimum set emerged:
Level of environmental protection required, existence and use of
comprehensive master plans, existence and use of comprehensive
60
environmental plans, existence of EIAs, water supply capacity and current

utilization, wastewater capacity and current utilization, energy
consumption and capacity, transportation capacity and current utilization,
and political stability.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Secondary and poor indicators were also compiled. The report concludes
that the carrying capacity of natural resources for tourism development is
unique to each site. To establish benchmarks for sustainable tourism, it
may therefore be necessary to develop criteria that incorporate the
fragility of these resources.
61
PENINSULA VALDES, ARGENTINA
P
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
eninsula Valdes is a 4000 km2 promontory reaching into the

Atlantic ocean in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. On its southern
coast is Golfo Nuevo, a bay nearly completely enclosed by the
peninsula and the coast of Chubut province. The gulf is a key breeding
and calving area for the Southern Right whale. The shore is the principal
attraction, with colonies of sea lions, elephant seals, and penguins as
well as frequent sightings of orcas. The region is the only known area
where orcas attack sea lions on the beach.
The tourism activity of the peninsula is nearly totally concentrated at
Puerto Piramides, a tiny community of some 104 permanent residents
near the entrance to the peninsula on the Golfo Nuevo. All of the whale
watching boats depart from Puerto Piramides.
The number of tourists visiting the peninsula has risen to 120,000 per
annum, and a further growth of up to 25% per year is estimated. The sea
mammals are the principal attraction. Cruise ships have begun to stop at
Puerto Madryn on their round south America cruises with one or more
major ships visiting annually. The one-day visit (generally in peak season)
can result in up to 50 busloads of tourists visiting the peninsula and
Puerto Piramides in a single day.
The levels of stress on the peninsula - its ecosystems and wildlife - do not
appear to currently be high, although local impacts in the Puerto
Piramides area are high in the January-February peak season, and in
October when whale watching is at its best. There have also been some
concerns expressed regarding the cumulative effects of tourists on the
Southern Right Whales, with some incidents reported of boats
approaching too close to whales or harassing them.
The key issues for the development and management of the Peninsula
Valdes study area are the following:
Assuring protection for the fauna of the peninsula
Maintaining the cleanliness of the water of the gulf
62
Managing the rate of growth of tourism (deciding on how much tourism

is desired)
Controlling the impact of tourists on key ecosystems and species
Broadening the base of the tourism experience in the peninsula
Providing sufficient infrastructure for tourism, particularly in heavily used
sites.
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Based on the results of the first pilot studies, and the testing of both core
and ecosystem- specific indicators at this site, it was possible to assign a
five star valuation to prioritize these indicators in the context of the above
issues. It is recommended that:
1. An indicators program be established, tied to the status of the
peninsula as an ecological reserve, based on the core indicators.
2. Steps be taken to obtain international recognition (possibly UNESCO
world heritage status) for the peninsula, the adjacent Golfo Nuevo, and
its unique fauna.
3. An investigation be undertaken regarding the possibility of establishing
higher fees for entry to the peninsula and/or to highly used sites, as a
means to raise funds.
63
VILLA GESELL, ARGENTINA
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illa Gesell is a seaside community in an area of extensive sand

dunes on the Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires province, Argentina.
The community, was founded in 1931 with the intention of
establishing a forested resort among the dunes. Initial efforts to stabilize
the migrating dunes (some of which reach 10 metres in height) failed; it
was only when it was discovered that tamarisk and acacia plantations on
the seaside dunes would provide stability that other types of trees could
be planted. The first hotels were built in 1944.
By 1994, the number of permanent inhabitants reached 17,000, and it is
estimated that a peak of 120,000 inhabit the community during the
months of January and February. Villa Gesell is now a large area of
apartments, condominiums, hotels and summer residences, stretching
some 14 km along the beach, with most of the activity concentrated in
the central area.
Beach erosion is generally considered to be a problem, but little detailed
information exists to monitor the changes. It is generally accepted that the
distance between the water and the coastal road (and the 74 bathing
houses, each of which is a substantial built structure) has diminished significantly in recent years, providing a more limited strand of sand for beach
use. While the advance of the waterline does not yet appear to threaten any
built structures, the possibility does exist and needs to be monitored.
The study identified the following potentially important issues for
sustainable tourism in Villa Gesell. Some of the more salient issues
concern:
Loss of beach area due to erosion
Overcrowding, particularly in the central beach area
Level of intense development in the beachfront area
Garbage on the beach area
Change in the social environment due to demographics
Preservation of special natural/historical areas
64
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
During the study, data were collected or sources of data identified for all
of the specific indicators, most of which centre on the planning and
management of the environment on and close to the beach. It was
confirmed that data in some form exist for nearly all of the core
indicators. Most data could be readily calculated or assessed. However,
some data required to calculate ecosystem-specific indicators, particularly
biophysical data, were not readily obtainable. Based on the results of the
first pilot studies, it was possible to assign a five star valuation to
prioritize the application of different indicators at this site in the context of
the above issues. It is recommended that:
1. A regular program to support the recommended indicators set be put
in place using data from a variety of sources, likely coordinated by the
Provincial tourism authorities.
2. Steps be taken to provide some level of protection for parts of the
dune and adjacent natural beach areas.
3. A greater level of site protection be afforded the Gesell estate and its
unique mix of introduced vegetation.
4. The Blue Flag program, or equivalent be considered for this important
beach resort.
65
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
APPENDIX 3
Key Barriers
to Sustainable
Tourism
he following highlight a number of the possible barriers to

sustainable tourism along with the types of questions one would
ask in assessing the existence and extent of these barriers. The list
has been developed through a recent project to address key problems co
fronting sustainable tourism in countries bordering the Black Sea and was
produced in collaboration with tourism consultants from each of the Black
Sea countries examined. These barriers suggest areas which may be
critical to tourism management - and which may benefit from monitoring
as part of indicators programs.
Tourist Barriers
Sample Questions to Ask
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Access
Entry documents
Is a passport /visa required?

If so, from which countries?
How easily can a visa be obtained?
How expensive is a visa ?
Border procedures
How difficult is it to pass through border?

(i.e., time, cost, burdensome formalities)?
How strict are regulations on carrying out
money/valuables?
Language/ communication
To what extent can tourists communicate

in their own languages?
Linkage to travel agents abroad
To what extent are direct linkages to

foreign organizations in place for
marketing of tourism products?
Image abroad (or lack of image)
What do prospective tourists think of the

destination?
Has the image changed recently?
Transportation access
How accessible is the destination from

major tourism markets?
Are modes of transport likely to be
satisfactory for the main tourism market?
Tourist information available
Does the embassy have travel

information, brochures?
Is there representation abroad for the
destination and/or its country?
68
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Conditions
Security
How safe is the destination for tourists?
Banking/$$
Can money be easily changed?

Are Visa and travellers cheques accepted
in major hotels?
How useful is banking system for foreign
tourists?
Harassment
Are there frequent news reports of

harassment of tourists?
Are there frequent police checks?
Public and environmental health concerns
What is the state of the water and

sewage system?
Is bottled water readily available?
Are medical facilities accessible to
tourists and are they satisfactory?
Public facilities (washrooms/terminals)
What levels of cleanliness and

maintenance are evident at public
facilities?
How available are facilities?
Regional access/travel
What is the state of public transport?

Would adequate public transport be a
major factor in achieving tourism
satisfaction?
Availability of range of organized tours
Are day tours offered from larger hotels?

If so, are they meeting demand?
Accommodation
Condition of hotels
Level of service
Food
Access, quality
In what condition are the hotels?

Are the hotels considered to be
expensive according to most tourists?
Is the level of service considered to be
generally acceptable in larger hotels?
Are restaurants of an internationally

recognized good quality?
Do most tourists enjoy eating out?
Are there an adequate number of
restaurants to meet demand?
69
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
Attractions
Variety
Are there many natural assets which

attract tourists?
Are there a variety of cultural and social
activities?
Maintenance
Are assets managed in ways which

suggest they are being
maintained/preserved?
Is there erosion or degradation of natural
assets?
Cultural impacts/local hostility
Are locals content with the number of

tourists and their behaviour and
activities?
Accessibility
Are tourism attractions accessible and

affordable?
Accountability
Is there clear authority and accountability

for maintaining the destination?
Management Barriers
Finance
Are there laws which clarify property

rights?
To what extent is foreign investment
permitted?
Economic stability
Is currency relatively stable?

What are rates of inflation/
unemployment?
Training
Do tourism managers and employees

require environmental training?
Information
Is there a systematic tourism information

system in place
Is there adequate information on the state
of the environment in and around the
destination?
Standards
Is there current and comprehensive

tourism legislation?
Are there known and accepted
environmental standards?
70
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
APPENDIX 4
Glossary Types of Indicators
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
here are various kinds of indicators that managers can use to help
them decide how to allocate their efforts and resources. These are
as follows:
leading indicatorssignals known to relate to future events or issues

(e.g., increasing numbers of visitors to a tourist destination)
current indicatorssigns of important attributes of the current state of
affairs (e.g., beach erosion measures)
trailing indicatorskey measures of the effects of past actions or
inactions (e.g., endangered species)
descriptorsmeasures of stocks or flows
ratioslinks between two factors (e.g., harvesting to replanting)
indicesaggregations of values for several different factors
driving force indicatorsunderlying variables that directly affect the
state of the issue to be measured
state indicatorsdescription of the current state of the issue under
review
response indicatorsmeasure that has arisen as a direct result of the
variables measured by the driving force indicators.
economic indicators (from traditional economics)
income/expenditure
earnings and employment
sectoral revenues
social indicators (developed over last 20 years by the United Nations)
population demographics
societal state
community
institutions
environmental indicators
water
air
wildlife
land
habitat
energy and resource use
waste
72
ENDNOTES
{1} WTO, 1993. Indicators for the Sustainable Management of Tourism. Report of the International
Working Group on Indicators of Sustainable Tourism to the Environment Committee of the World
Tourism Organization. Copublished by the World Tourism Organization and Industry, Science and
Technology Canada. Report available from the International Institute for Sustainable Development,
Winnipeg, MN, Canada.
{2} WTO, 1993. Recommendations on Tourism Statistics. World Tourism Organization, Madrid, Spain.
{3} For perspective, the global economic GDP in 1992 was approximately US $18.5 trillion.
{4} For example, an indicator is currently being developed in the Netherlands by the Netherlands
Bureau of Statistics, which attempts to express environmental problems in numeric form. It takes as a
starting point the cost of eliminating environmental pollution. There are still many methodological
problems to be resolved, so it will be some time before this indicator can be widely applied.
[5] International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
{6} IUCN, 1992. Guidelines for Protected Areas Management Categories. International Union for the
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland, Switzerland.
{7} Manning, E.W., 1993. Carrying Capacity and Sustainable Tourism. Paper presented at the World
Tourism Organization International Seminar on Planning for Sustainable Tourism Development in
South Asian Countries, Maldives, April 1993.
{8} Key data sources may include: local municipalities, census data, management data collected by site,
scientific data collected by resource agencies, specific studies that can provide baseline data for
future monitoring, industry statistics (e.g., hotel occupancy rates).
{9} Crime may have a direct affect on public health and safety, particularly in crowded and/or high
transit tourism destinations. As such, crime may be regarded as a key indicator for measuring
changes in the human environment of a destination.
{10} EIA means environmental impact assessment.
73
Friday, March 04, 2011 2:07:43 AM
T H E W O R L D T O U R I S M O R G A N I Z AT I O N
is the only intergovernmental organization that
serves as a global forum for tourism policy
and issues.Its Members include 134 countries and
territories as well as over 300 Affiliate Members
from the public and private sectors. WTO's
mission is to promote and develop tourism as
a significant means of fostering international
peace and understanding, economic
development and international trade.

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Copyright 1996 World Tourism Organization

What Tourism Managers Need to Know:

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PART ONE: OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Purpose of This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART TWO: HOW TO CONDUCT INDICATORS

Setting the Boundaries of the Study Site

Supplementary Indicators of Sustainable Tourism

tourism industry. The aim of the research is to identify indicators to serve

managers and administrators of

The guide has two

ourism management must

to facilitate the development of

Indicators of sustainable tourism

This guide addresses two sets of

core indicators of sustainable

The indicators focus on what

These indicators fall into two

knowledge of tourisms environmental effects allows tourism

Key Reasons for

barriers to sustainable tourism

his guide is presented in

Part One addresses the rationale

Tourism activities often stress the

ourism has been defined as

The following categories of

upon tourism from the activities of

removing land from its potential

continue to be enjoyed, key

those which measure the size of

ndicators measure information

If the objective is to reduce the risk

Which indicators will be relevant

tive measures (i.e., counts or sizes

economic valuation. While

This guide is among the first efforts

and use indicators for sustainable

The composite indices are largely

future, based on the experiences

A brief summary of each of the

seascape conservation and

This is a simple categorization of

Even within these categories, the

under direct management, other

indicator used to measure potential

To measure the impact on a

in accordance with existing

large numbers of people, this

the more vulnerable it is likely to

The supplementary question which

This indicator is obtained through

In your last (current) visit to

(a) more tourism?

This indicator measures the level of

dependency) , if tourism at the

created reflects pressure on the

sites because of the unique mix of

Supplementary (DestinationSpecific) Indicators

pilot studies by member States, it

guide provides the framework

supporting sustainable tourism

1) Planning Framework for