The importance of tourism statistics

THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM STATISTICS

Definition of tourism statistics

Tourism statistics can be defined as the collection of data about every aspect of tourism,  analyzing the data so collected and coming out with an interpretation of what the data is saying with the view of making some predictions based on findings from the analysis.

IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM STATISTICS

As a monitoring instrument

One of the reasons why tourism statistics is important is that it serves as monitoring tool by which changes in the tourism industry can be tracked over a period of time. There are rapid changes in today’s fast moving world, not excluding the world of tourism; there is the need therefore to track these changes. One of the ways of doing so is through tourism statistics.

Ascertain the effectiveness of tourism policy

Another important thing about tourism statistics is that it can be used to determine whether a policy is effective or not. In order for a country to make maximum gain from tourism, it has to develop certain policies and set goals. In order to check if the policies are working and whether the goals set are being achieved or not, there is the need for tourism statistics.

To design marketing strategies

Tourism statistics is important for business people because it helps them to properly compete with their peers in the industry. Tourism is a multi-million global business now and there are several players competing for a share of the market. Tourism statistics can help them to design strategies to help them better market their products to the world as they gradually increase their share of the market.

Evaluation of management decisions

Tourism statistics also helps a management body to be able to ascertain whether a decision that was taken is achieving the results expected. At the beginning of each year, management sets goals for their company to be achieved by the end of a period. From time to time, management needs to evaluate the success or otherwise of the decision so taken. For companies in the tourism sector, tourism statistics can help to make that determination.

For national policy formulation

Tourism statistics can provide a lot of information to guide the formulation of national policies on tourism. For example, tourism statistics can determine the demographics on domestic tourism, number of tourists coming in or going out of a country. It can also profile visitors, especially foreign tourists, places they visit, kinds of accommodation they lodge in and their expenditure patterns.  All these information can serve as a huge resource in the formulation of national tourism programmes.

Create knowledge about the performance of the sector

Every year in many countries, the presentation of the annual budget contains information about every sector of the economy. The budget is most likely to include information about the tourism sector. The Finance Minister needs tourism statistics to determine how the sector had performed the year before and what the plans are for the ensuing year.

SAMPLE QUESTION(S)

1. a. What is tourism statistics?

     b. in which six ways is tourism statistics important?

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