Etis european tourism indicator system expert cinzia_de_marzo
1. ,
Cinzia De Marzo,
EU Legal advisor and senior expert on sustainable tourism and indicators
Former Seconded National Expert at the European Commission- DG GROW (2012-2016)
2. In 2010 the European Commission published its Communication ‘Europe the
world’s n.1 tourist destination. A new political framework for tourism in Europe’.
Action 11 of the Communication foreseen to ‘Develop a system of indicators
for the sustainable management of destinations’
The European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS), launched in 2013 by the
European Commission as a tool which any destination can pick up and use on
voluntary basis, without any specific training. Over 100 destinations across
Europe have implemented this EU methodology, during the 2 year pilot phases
(2013-2015);
ETIS provides a monitoring, management, information and self-assessment
system meant to support tourist destinations in improving their management of
sustainable tourism, by gathering data on the environmental, social, cultural and
economic impact of incoming tourism.
The EU eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), a tool developed by the
European Commission allowing actors in the tourism sector to improve their
environmental performance and promote the quality of their services. This
voluntary tool and certification scheme aims to help its users to achieve
enhanced performances
3. 4
A management
tool, which supports the
destinations who want to
take sustainable approach
to destination management,
based on 43 core indicators
and a set of supplementary
indicators, organized in 4
thematic area:destination
management, economic
value, socio an cultural
impact, environmental
impact
A monitoring system
easy to use for
collecting data and
detailed information
and to follow
destination's own
performance from one
year to another
An information tool
not a certification
scheme), useful for
policy makers,
tourism enterprises
and other
stakeholders,
following a step by
step guide for its
implemenation
4. Step 1. Raise Awareness
Step 2. Create a Destination Profile
Step 3. Form a Stakeholder Working
Group (SWG)
Step 4. Establish Roles and
Responsibilities
Step 5. Collect and Record Data
Step 6. Analyse results
Step 7. Enable ongoing
Development and Continuous
improvement
ReturntoSWGtoagreeprioritiesand
developaplanofaction
How ETIS works:
The Seven Step Guide to ETIS
Implementation
5. LESSONS LEARNT DURING ETIS PILOT IMPLEMENTATION
COMMON CHALLENGES AND PENDING ISSUES : NEEDS FOR IMPROVEMENTS
MANAGEMENT/GOVERNANCE
ETIS is recognized by destinations as fundamental and integral part of destination management in
achieving sustainable tourism targets, providing a clear and easy measurement and self-assessement
framework. It has been tested by more then 100 destinations across Europe
RECOGNITION/VISIBILITY
ETIS needs to be promoted widely at European level, with active role of NTO – National Tourism
Organizations, DMOs – Destination Management Organizations, key tourism stakeholders, media and public
authorities. Destination efforts and engagements on ETIS implementation, should be further supported by the
European Commission through Annual Awards, awareness raising campaigns, ETIS Forum.
DATA COLLECTION
The significance of the LDCs – Local Destination Coordinators needs to be fully recognised. In several
occasions SWG - Stakeholder Working Group should be formed by main stakeholders only in order to improve
operational efficiency and increase their committment. The involvement of tourist SMEs remains a weaky issue.
The IT platform to host data collection, instead for the current excel file, provided by the EC, is needed. The
Virtual Tourism Observatory- VTO, could be a useful IT tool, in this regard.
COSTS AND HUMAN RESOURCES
Costs of ETIS implementation should not be neglected especially when taking into account full ETIS
implementation, its use for destination management and decision making, international benchmarking and
further development. Skilled and motivated human resources to be involved in the monitoring process are
necessary.
6. ETIS PILOT IMPLEMENTATION
WITHIN THE CULTURAL ROUTES CERTIFED BY THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Challenge: experiment ETIS methodology through the transnational cultural routes, certified by
the Council of Europe, following a step by step approach.
Pilot implementation from May –December 2016: 7 out of 33 official thematic itineraries, such
as: Santiago de Compostela, Via Francigena, Transromanica, Iter Vitis, Jewish Heritage, Olive Tree
and Saint Olav Ways, have been engaged for ETIS implementation, in order to develop a
measuring and quality control tool, which can ensure the economic, socio-cultural and
environmental sustainability of the cultural routes.
Main objective: understanding to what extent the 43 ETIS core indicators could meet the needs
of the transnational cultural routes and could support them to gather a data collection (using
quantitative indicators) at local level, involving the ‘key destinations’ identified by the managing
organizations of the 7 pilot Cultural Routes, within different countries.
Additional goal: selecting possible additional supplementary indicators with a transnational
dimension, aiming at facilitating benchmarking activity among the Cultural routes, based on a
common and proven methodology.
Preliminary assessment : governance model of the cultural routes, has been done using tailored
made surveys, fulfilled by each of the managing organizations of the 7 routes
7. 0
2
4
6
8
10
Self-financing
and/or member fees
sources
Capacity to generate
economic growth
Local communty's
involvement
(occasionally 5-7 or
continously 7-9
Members interaction
and cooperation
Promotional
activities
SOCIO ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL IMPACT
Santiago de Compostela Via Francigena Transromanica
Iter Vitis Jewish Heritage Saint Olav
Olive Tree
8. In 2004 the UWTO produced a detailed Guidebook on Indicators of Sustainable development for
Tourism destination, providing a recommended methodology based on a participatory process
which produces beneftis for the destinations and for the participants
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (known as the GSTC or the Council) was formally
constituted in 2010 as a body for establishing and managing standards for sustainable tourism
and since 2013 is working on a set of criteria for destinations, providing also a destination
assessment and training programme.
In 2015 the United Nations have adopted the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development,
along with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is people-centred,
transformative, universal and integrated.
Tourism has the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly to all of the goals. In particular, it has
been included as targets in Goal 4 –’Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and
promote lifelong learning opportunities for all; Goal 8 – ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and
sustainable economic growth, full and productive employement and decent work for all’; Goal 11
‘Advance urban infrastructure and universal accessibility, promote regeneration of areas in decay
and preserve cultural and natural heritage’; Goal 12 ‘Develop and implement tools to monitor
sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism which creates jobs, promote local
culture and products’.
Sustainable tourism is firmly positioned in the Agenda 2030. Achieving this agenda, requires a
clear implementation framework, adeguate financing and investment in technology, infrastructure
and human resources.
9. DESTINATION LEVEL CRITERIA AND INDICATORS:
GSTC Early Adopters Program
ETIS
EUROPEAN TOURISM INDICATOR SYSTEM
For the Sustainable Management of Destinations
Sustainability as a Journey:
FROM GSTC TO ETIS
EU AWARD 2016 as sustainable tourism destination achiever:
“Visit South Sardinia took home the top prize for combining
UN and EU indicators”
10. Governance and local
identity
Problem of connectivity and capacity building
(governance issue),
identification of positive messages, to
motivate, especially mountain destinations,
to added value to day to day reporting
activity
capitalize the best story-telling (genius loci,
local identity and eco-experiences) and
provide more visibility to the excellences,
national and transnational level
Improving destination sustainable
management (e.g. by establishing
Destination Management Organizations-
DMOs), following an holistic approach on the
territory
use of non-traditional data and their
relevance at destination level (e.g. by
gathering information from the IT
application)
Transnationality and
cooperation
Developing transnational projects by
using the EU financial resources and
other financial opportunities/technical
support, such as smart specialization
strategies,
Bring the industry and the SMEs into
the loop, fostering
internationalization, cooperation,
innovation and ICT)
Enhance the role of transnational and
European thematic networks
(sustainable tourism, cultural routes,
protected areas and parks, creative
and cultural industries clusters
Balance between
/investments/additional costs and
benefits
11. Political commitments
The engagement of the public
institutions/administrations, in terms of
political commitment, is fundamental to
support the entire process;
The establishment of, under the umbrella of
International Sustainable Tourism
Observatories INSTO, and with the
endorsement of the UNWTO, can be
considered as desired milestone in the next
years.
Implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for
sustainable development Goals (SDGs),
focusing Goal 12 ‘Develop and implement
tools to monitor sustainable development
impacts for sustainable tourism which creates
jobs, promote local culture and products’
Development of collaborative new business
and eco-friendly model, in order to establish
a respectful and sustainable public and
private partnership, with the involvement of
the local communities;
Operational engagements
The role of coordination team (and or the
local coordinator manager at destination
level) is necessary to ensure the efficient
management and coordination, engaging the
wider expert community,
investing on educational and knowledge
skills set, to be able to gathering
information, analysing, interpreting data
and organizing peer review.
The selection of qualified technical partners
is crucial for the evaluation and assessment
process, in order to plan effectively
sustainable measures (quality standards and
indicators, accessibility) maximizing the
benefits and minimizing the costs,
12. ‘Commission Communication (2016) 769 final
‘ European action for sustainability
EU’s commitment to sustainable development
The EU is fully committed to be a frontrunner in implementing the 2030 Agenda and
the SDGs, together with its Member States, in line with the principle of subsidiarity
How the EU will take forward the implementation of the Agenda 2030
Sustainable development is an issue of governance and requires the right instruments
to ensure policy coherence, across thematic areas as well as between the EU's external
action and its other policies. Looking ahead at the Multiannual Financial Framework
beyond 2020, the Commission will explore how EU budgets and future financial
programmes can best continue to adequately contribute to the delivery of the 2030
Agenda and support Member States in their efforts.
Key actions and governance elements
The Commission will launch a multi-stakeholder Platform with a role in the follow-up
and exchange of best practices on SDG implementation
across sectors, at Member State and EU level. The
Commission will launch reflection work on developing further
a longer term vision in a post 2020 perspective.
13. It is important to establish a different way to enhance the value of the
territory, more dynamic, open to synergies, interactions and
collaborations at different level, also providing some practical
examples of networking with a ‘glocal’ approach, to support
sustainable and well balanced development of tourism and culture.
It is challenging to provide locally placed based and intelligent
answers to global problems!
The trip not only opens the mind: forms it
Bruce Chatwin
World is a book and those who do not travel,
read only one page
SANT'AGOSTINO