TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS

TERMINOLOGY Benefactor: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: A person who gives money or other help to a person or cause. Beneficiary: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: A person who derives advantage from something, especially a trust, will, or life insurance policy. Mentor: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: An experienced and trusted adviser. An experienced person in a company or educational institution who trains and counsels new employees or students. Patron: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: A person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, or cause. Volunteer: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: A person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task. A person who works for an organization without being paid. Salaried employee: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: A person who receives or recompensed by a salary rather than a wage. Waged worker: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: A person having or relating to regular paid employment. Compensation: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: Something, typically money, awarded to someone in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury. Insurance: [By Oxford Dictionaries]: An arrangement by which a company or the state undertakes to provide a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for payment of a specified premium. Service: The action of helping or doing work for someone. Assistance or advice given to customers during and after the sale of goods. A period of employment with a company or organization. Project: An individual or collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim. A piece of research work undertaken by a school or college student. Programme: A planned series of future events or performances. A set of related measures or activities with a particular long-term aim. Travel plan / Tour plan / Itinerary plan: A detailed proposal for doing or achieving travel, tour and/or itinerary. Intership: The position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification. Cooperation: The action or process of working together to the same end. Community: A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. A group of people living together and practising common ownership. A particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants. The people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities; society. The condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. UNWTO GLOSSARY OF TOURISM TERMS Activity/activities: In tourism statistics, the term activities represent the actions and behaviours of people in preparation for and during a trip in their capacity as consumers (IRTS 2008, 1.2). Activity (principal): The principal activity of a producer unit is the activity whose value added exceeds that of any other activity carried out within the same unit (SNA 2008, 5.8). Activity (productive): The (productive) activity carried out by a statistical unit is the type of production in which it engages. It has to be understood as a process, i.e. the combination of actions that result in a certain set of products. The classification of productive activities is determined by their principal output. Administrative data: Administrative data is the set of units and data derived from an administrative source. This is a data holding information collected and maintained for the purpose of implementing one or more administrative regulations. Aggregated data: The result of transforming unit level data into quantitative measures for a set of characteristics of a population. Aggregation: A process that transforms microdata into aggregate-level information by using an aggregation function such as count, sum average, standard deviation, etc. Analytical unit: Entity created by statisticians, by splitting or combining observation units with the help of estimations and imputations. Balance of payments: The balance of payments is a statistical statement that summarizes transactions between residents and non-residents during a period. It consists of the goods and services account, the primary income account, the secondary income account, the capital account, and the financial account (BPM6, 2.12). Bias: An effect which deprives a statistical result of representativeness by systematically distorting it, as distinct from a random error which may distort on any one occasion but balances out on the average. Business and professional purpose (of a tourism trip): The business and professional purpose of a tourism trip includes the activities of the self-employed and employees, as long as they do not correspond to an implicit or explicit employer-employee relationship with a resident producer in the country or place visited, those of investors, businessmen, etc. (IRTS 2008, 3.17.2). Business visitor: A business visitor is a visitor whose main purpose for a tourism trip corresponds to the business and professional category of purpose (IRTS 2008, 3.17.2). Central Product Classification: The Central Product Classification (CPC) constitutes a complete product classification covering goods and services. It is intended to serve as an international standard for assembling and tabulating all kinds of data requiring product detail, including industrial production, national accounts, service industries, domestic and foreign commodity trade, international trade in services, balance of payments, consumption and price statistics. Other basic aims are to provide a framework for international comparison and promote harmonization of various types of statistics dealing with goods and services. Census: A census is the complete enumeration of a population or groups at a point in time with respect to well defined characteristics: for example, Population, Production, Traffic on particular roads. Coherence: Adequacy of statistics to be combined in different ways and for various uses. Consistency: Logical and numerical coherence. Country of reference: The country of reference refers to the country for which the measurement is done. (IRTS 2008, 2.15). Country of residence: The country of residence of a household is determined according to the centre of predominant economic interest of its members. If a person resides (or intends to reside) for more than one year in a given country and has there his/her centre of economic interest (for example, where the predominant amount of time is spent), he/she is considered as a resident of this country. Country-specific tourism characteristic products and activities: To be determined by each country by applying the criteria of IRTS 2008, 5.10 in their own context; for these products, the activities producing them will be considered as tourism characteristic, and the industries in which the principal activity is tourism-characteristic will be called tourism industries (IRTS 2008, 5.16). Data checking: Activity whereby the correctness conditions of the data are verified. It also includes the specification of the type of error or of the condition not met, and the qualification of the data and their division into “error-free data” and “erroneous data”. Data collection: Systematic process of gathering data for official statistics. Data compilation: Operations performed on data to derive new information according to a given set of rules. Data confrontation: The process of comparing data that has generally been derived from different surveys or other sources, especially those of different frequencies, in order to assess and possibly improve their coherency, and identify the reasons for any differences. Data processing: Data processing is the operation performed on data by the organization, institute, agency, etc., responsible for undertaking the collection, tabulation, manipulation and preparation of data and metadata output. Data reconciliation: The process of adjusting data derived from two different sources to remove, or at least reduce, the impact of differences identified. Destination (main destination of a trip): The main destination of a tourism trip is defined as the place visited that is central to the decision to take the trip. See also purpose of a tourism trip (IRTS 2008, 2.31). Documentation: Processes and procedures for imputation, weighting, confidentiality and suppression rules, outlier treatment and data capture should be fully documented by the survey provider. Such documentation should be made available to at least the body financing the survey. Domestic tourism: Domestic tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor within the country of reference, either as part of a domestic tourism trip or part of an outbound tourism trip (IRTS 2008, 2.39). Domestic tourism consumption: Domestic tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor within the economy of reference (TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1). Domestic tourism expenditure: Domestic tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor within the economy of reference, (IRTS 2008, 4.15(a)). Domestic tourism trip: A domestic tourism trip is one with a main destination within the country of residence of the visitor (IRTS 2008, 2.32). Domestic visitor: As a visitor travels within his/her country of residence, he/she is a domestic visitor and his/her activities are part of domestic tourism. Durable consumer goods: Durable consumer goods are goods that may be used repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more, assuming a normal or average rate of physical usage. When acquired by producers, these are considered to be capital goods used for production processes, as is the case of vehicles, computers, etc. When acquired by households, they are considered to be consumer durable goods (TSA:RMF 2008, 2.39). This definition is identical to the definition of SNA 2008, 9.42: A consumer durable is a good that may be used for purposes of consumption repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more. Dwellings: Each household has a principal dwelling (sometimes also designated as main or primary home), usually defined with reference to time spent there, whose location defines the country of residence and place of usual residence of this household and of all its members. All other dwellings (owned or leased by the household) are considered secondary dwellings (IRTS 2008, 2.26). Economic analysis: Tourism generates directly and indirectly an increase in economic activity in the places visited (and beyond), mainly due to demand for goods and services that need to be produced and provided. In the economic analysis of tourism, one may distinguish between tourism’s ‘economic contribution’ which refers to the direct effect of tourism and is measurable by means of the TSA, and tourism’s ‘economic impact’ which is a much broader concept encapsulating the direct, indirect and induced effects of tourism and which must be estimated by applying models. Economic impact studies aim to quantify economic benefits, that is, the net increase in the wealth of residents resulting from tourism, measured in monetary terms, over and above the levels that would prevail in its absence. Economic territory: The term “economic territory” is a geographical reference and points to the country for which the measurement is done (country of reference) (IRTS 2008, 2.15). Economically active population: The economically active population or labour force comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for the production of goods and services as defined by the system of national accounts during a specified time-reference period (ILO, Thirteenth ICLS, 6.18). Economy (of reference): “Economy” (or “economy of reference”) is an economic reference defined in the same way as in the balance of payments and in the system of national accounts: it refers to the economic agents that are resident in the country of reference (IRTS 2008, 2.15). Employees: Employees are all those workers who hold the type of job defined as “paid employment” (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22). Employer-employee relationship: An employer-employee relationship exists when there is an agreement, which may be formal or informal, between an entity and an individual, normally entered into voluntarily by both parties, whereby the individual works for the entity in return for remuneration in cash or in kind (BPM6, 11.11). Employers: Employers are those workers who, working on their own account with one or more partners, hold the type of job defined as a “self-employment job” and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference period) have engaged one or more persons to work for them in their business as “employee(s)” (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22). Employment: Persons in employment are all persons above a specified age who, during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in paid employment or self-employment (OECD GST, p. 170). Employment in tourism industries: Employment in tourism industries may be measured as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in any of their jobs, as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in their main job, or as a count of the jobs in tourism industries (IRTS 2008, 7.9). Enterprise: An enterprise is an institutional unit engaged in production of goods and/or services. It may be a corporation, a non-profit institution, or an unincorporated enterprise. Corporate enterprises and non-profit institutions are complete institutional units. An unincorporated enterprise, however, refers to an institutional unit — a household or government unit — only in its capacity as a producer of goods and services (OECD BD4, p. 232). Establishment: An establishment is an enterprise, or part of an enterprise, that is situated in a single location and in which only a single productive activity is carried out or in which the principal productive activity accounts for most of the value added (SNA 2008, 5.14). Estimation: Estimation is concerned with inference about the numerical value of unknown population values from incomplete data such as a sample. If a single figure is calculated for each unknown parameter the process is called “point estimation”. If an interval is calculated within which the parameter is likely, in some sense, to lie, the process is called “interval estimation”. Exports of goods and services: Exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, or gifts or grants, of goods and services from residents to non-residents (OECD GST, p. 194). Frame: A list, map or other specification of the units which define a population to be completely enumerated or sampled. Forms of tourism: There are three basic forms of tourism: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism. These can be combined in various ways to derive the following additional forms of tourism: internal tourism, national tourism and international tourism. Goods: Goods are physical, produced objects for which a demand exists, over which ownership rights can be established and whose ownership can be transferred from one institutional unit to another by engaging in transactions on markets (SNA 2008, p. 623). Gross fixed capital formation: Gross fixed capital formation is defined as the value of institutional units’ acquisitions less disposals of fixed assets. Fixed assets are produced assets (such as machinery, equipment, buildings or other structures) that are used repeatedly or continuously in production over several accounting periods (more than one year) (SNA 2008, 1.52). Gross margin: The gross margin of a provider of reservation services is the difference between the value at which the intermediated service is sold and the value accrued to the provider of reservation services for this intermediated service. Gross value added: Gross value added is the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption (TSA:RMF 2008, 3.32). Gross value added of tourism industries: Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI) is the total gross value added of all establishments belonging to tourism industries, regardless of whether all their output is provided to visitors and the degree of specialization of their production process (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.86). Grossing up: Activity aimed at transforming, based on statistical methodology, micro-data from samples into aggregate-level information representative of the target population. Imputation: Procedure for entering a value for a specific data item where the response is missing or unusable.Inbound tourism: Inbound tourism comprises the activities of a non-resident visitor within the country of reference on an inbound tourism trip (IRTS 2008, 2.39). Inbound tourism consumption: Inbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a nonresident visitor within the economy of reference (TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1). Inbound tourism expenditure: Inbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a nonresident visitor within the economy of reference (IRTS 2008, 4.15(b)). Institutional sector: An aggregation of institutional units on the basis of the type of producer and depending on their principal activity and function, which are considered to be indicative of their economic behaviour. Institutional unit: The elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function. Intermediate consumption: Intermediate consumption consists of the value of the goods and services consumed as inputs by a process of production, excluding fixed assets whose consumption is recorded as consumption of fixed capital (SNA 2008, 6.213). Internal tourism: Internal tourism comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident and non-resident visitors within the country of reference as part of domestic or international tourism trips (IRTS 2008, 2.40(a)). Internal tourism consumption: Internal tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of both resident and non-resident visitors within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and inbound tourism consumption (TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1). Internal tourism expenditure: Internal tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of visitors, both resident and non-resident, within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and inbound tourism expenditure. It includes acquisition of goods and services imported into the country of reference and sold to visitors. This indicator provides the most comprehensive measurement of tourism expenditure in the economy of reference (IRTS 2008, 4.20(a)). International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities: The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) consists of a coherent and consistent classification structure of economic activities based on a set of internationally agreed concepts, definitions, principles and classification rules. It provides a comprehensive framework within which economic data can be collected and reported in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking. The classification structure represents a standard format to organize detailed information about the state of an economy according to economic principles and perceptions (ISIC, Rev.4, 1). International tourism: International tourism comprises inbound tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips and the activities of non-resident visitors within the country of reference on inbound tourism trips (IRTS 2008, 2.40(c)). International visitor: An international traveller qualifies as an international visitor with respect to the country of reference if: (a) he/she is on a tourism trip and (b) he/she is a non-resident travelling in the country of reference or a resident travelling outside of it (IRTS 2008, 2.42). Job: The agreement between an employee and the employer defines a job and each self-employed person has a job (SNA 2008, 19.30). Measurement error: Error in reading, calculating or recording numerical value. Meetings industry: To highlight purposes relevant to the meetings industry, if a trip’s main purpose is business/professional, it can be further subdivided into “attending meetings, conferences or congresses, trade fairs and exhibitions” and “other business and professional purposes”. The term meetings industry is preferred by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Reed Travel over the acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) which does not recognize the industrial nature of such activities. Metadata: Data that defines and describes other data and processes. MICE: See meetings industry. Microdata: Non-aggregated observations, or measurements of characteristics of individual units. Mirror statistics: Mirror statistics are used to conduct bilateral comparisons of two basic measures of a trade flow and are a traditional tool for detecting the causes of asymmetries in statistics (OECD GST, p. 335). National tourism: National tourism comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors within and outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips (IRTS 2008, 2.40(b)). National tourism consumption: National tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of resident visitors, within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and outbound tourism consumption (TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1). National tourism expenditure: National tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of resident visitors within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and outbound tourism expenditure (IRTS 2008, 4.20(b)). Nationality: The concept of “country of residence” of a traveller is different from that of his/her nationality or citizenship (IRTS 2008, 2.19). Non-monetary indicators: Data measured in physical or other non-monetary units should not be considered a secondary part of a satellite account. They are essential components, both for the information they provide directly and in order to analyse the monetary data adequately (SNA 2008, 29.84). Observation unit: entity on which information is received and statistics are compiled. Outbound tourism: Outbound tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor outside the country of reference, either as part of an outbound tourism trip or as part of a domestic tourism trip (IRTS 2008, 2.39(c)). Outbound tourism consumption: Outbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference (TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1). Outbound tourism expenditure: Outbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference (IRTS 2008, 4.15(c)). Output: Output is defined as the goods and services produced by an establishment, a) excluding the value of any goods and services used in an activity for which the establishment does not assume the risk of using the products in production, and b) excluding the value of goods and services consumed by the same establishment except for goods and services used for capital formation (fixed capital or changes in inventories) or own final consumption (SNA 2008, 6.89). Output (main): The main output of a (productive) activity should be determined by reference to the value added of the goods sold or services rendered (ISIC rev.4, 114). Pilot survey: The aim of a pilot survey is to test the questionnaire (pertinence of the questions, understanding of questions by those being interviewed, duration of the interview) and to check various potential sources for sampling and non- sampling errors: for instance, the place in which the surveys are carried out and the method used, the identification of any omitted answers and the reason for the omission, problems of communicating in various languages, translation, the mechanics of data collection, the organization of field work, etc. Place of usual residence: The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides, and is defined by the location of his/her principal dwelling (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.20 to 2.24). Probability sample: A sample selected by a method based on the theory of probability (random process), that is, by a method involving knowledge of the likelihood of any unit being selected. Production account: The production account records the activity of producing goods and services as defined within the SNA. Its balancing item, gross value added, is defined as the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP made by an individual producer, industry or sector. Gross value added is the source from which the primary incomes of the SNA are generated and is therefore carried forward into the primary distribution of income account. Value added and GDP may also be measured net by deducting consumption of fixed capital, a figure representing the decline in value during the period of the fixed capital used in a production process (SNA 2008, 1.17). Production: Economic production may be defined as an activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses inputs of labour, capital, and goods and services to produce outputs of goods or services (SNA 2008, 6.24.). Purpose of a tourism trip (main): The main purpose of a tourism trip is defined as the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place (IRTS 2008, 3.10.). Classification of tourism trips according to the main purpose refers to nine categories: this typology allows the identification of different subsets of visitors (business visitors, transit visitors, etc.) See also destination of a tourism trip (IRTS 2008, 3.14). Questionnaire and Questionnaire design: Questionnaire is a group or sequence of questions designed to elicit information on a subject, or sequence of subjects, from a reporting unit or from another producer of official statistics. Questionnaire design is the design (text, order, and conditions for skipping) of the questions used to obtain the data needed for the survey. Reference period: The period of time or point in time to which the measured observation is intended to refer. Relevance: The degree to which statistics meet current and potential users' needs. Reliability: Closeness of the initial estimated value to the subsequent estimated value. Reporting unit: Unit that supplies the data for a given survey instance, like a questionnaire or interview. Reporting units may, or may not, be the same as the observation unit. Residents/non-residents: The residents of a country are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located in its economic territory. For a country, the non-residents are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located outside its economic territory. Response and non-response: Response and non-response to various elements of a survey entail potential errors. Response error: Response errors may be defined as those arising from the interviewing process. Such errors may be due to a number of circumstances, such as inadequate concepts or questions; inadequate training; interviewer failures; respondent failures. Same-day visitor (or excursionist): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise (IRTS 2008, 2.13). Sample: A subset of a frame where elements are selected based on a process with a known probability of selection.Sample survey: A survey which is carried out using a sampling method. Sampling error: That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated. Satellite accounts: There are two types of satellite accounts, serving two different functions. The first type, sometimes called an internal satellite, takes the full set of accounting rules and conventions of the SNA but focuses on a particular aspect of interest by moving away from the standard classifications and hierarchies. Examples are tourism, coffee production and environmental protection expenditure. The second type, called an external satellite, may add non-economic data or vary some of the accounting conventions or both. It is a particularly suitable way to explore new areas in a research context. An example may be the role of volunteer labour in the economy (SNA 2008, 29.85). SDMX, Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange: Set of technical standards and content-oriented guidelines, together with an IT architecture and tools, to be used for the efficient exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata (SDMX). Seasonal adjustment: Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique to remove the effects of seasonal calendar influences on a series. Seasonal effects usually reflect the influence of the seasons themselves, either directly or through production series related to them, or social conventions. Other types of calendar variation occur as a result of influences such as number of days in the calendar period, the accounting or recording practices adopted or the incidence of moving holidays. Self-employment job: Self-employment jobs are those jobs where remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits (or the potential of profits) derived from the goods or services produced. Self-employed with paid employees: Self-employed with paid employees are classified as employers. Self-employed without employees: Self-employed without employees are classified as own-account workers. Services: Services are the result of a production activity that changes the conditions of the consuming units, or facilitates the exchange of products or financial assets. They cannot be traded separately from their production. By the time their production is completed, they must have been provided to the consumers (SNA 2008, 6.17). Social transfers in kind: A special case of transfers in kind is that of social transfers in kind. These consist of goods and services provided by general government and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISHs) that are delivered to individual households. Health and education services are the prime examples. Rather than provide a specified amount of money to be used to purchase medical and educational services, the services are often provided in kind to make sure that the need for the services is met. (Sometimes the recipient purchases the service and is reimbursed by the insurance or assistance scheme. Such a transaction is still treated as being in kind because the recipient is merely acting as the agent of the insurance scheme) (SNA 2008, 3.83). Standard classification: Classifications that follow prescribed rules and are generally recommended and accepted. Statistical error: The unknown difference between the retained value and the true value. Statistical indicator: A data element that represents statistical data for a specified time, place, and other characteristics, and is corrected for at least one dimension (usually size) to allow for meaningful comparisons. Statistical metadata: Data about statistical data. Statistical unit: Entity about which information is sought and about which statistics are compiled. Statistical units may be identifiable legal or physical entities or statistical constructs. Survey: An investigation about the characteristics of a given population by means of collecting data from a sample of that population and estimating their characteristics through the systematic use of statistical methodology. System of National Accounts: The System of National Accounts (SNA) is the internationally agreed standard set of recommendations on how to compile measures of economic activity in accordance with strict accounting conventions based on economic principles. The recommendations are expressed in terms of a set of concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules that comprise the internationally agreed standard for measuring indicators of economic performance. The accounting framework of the SNA allows economic data to be compiled and presented in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decisiontaking and policymaking (SNA 2008, 1.1). Total tourism internal demand: Total tourism internal demand, is the sum of internal tourism consumption, tourism gross fixed capital formation and tourism collective consumption (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.114). It does not include outbound tourism consumption. Tourism: Tourism refers to the activity of visitors (IRTS 2008, 2.9). Tourism characteristic activities: Tourism characteristic activities are the activities that typically produce tourism characteristic products. As the industrial origin of a product (the ISIC industry that produces it) is not a criterion for the aggregation of products within a similar CPC category, there is no strict one-to-one relationship between products and the industries producing them as their principal outputs (IRTS 2008, 5.11). Tourism characteristic products: Tourism characteristic products are those that satisfy one or both of the following criteria. (a) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share total tourism expenditure (share-of-expenditure/demand condition); (b) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share of the supply of the product in the economy (share-of-supply condition). This criterion implies that the supply of a tourism characteristic product would cease to exist in meaningful quantity in the absence of visitors (IRTS 2008, 5.10). Tourism connected products: Their significance within tourism analysis for the economy of reference is recognized although their link to tourism is very limited worldwide. Consequently, lists of such products will be country-specific (IRTS 2008, 5.12). Tourism consumption: Tourism consumption has the same formal definition as tourism expenditure. Nevertheless, the concept of tourism consumption used in the Tourism Satellite Account goes beyond that of tourism expenditure. Besides the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips, which corresponds to monetary transactions (the focus of tourism expenditure), it also includes services associated with vacation accommodation on own account, tourism social transfers in kind and other imputed consumption. These transactions need to be estimated using sources different from information collected directly from the visitors, such as reports on home exchanges, estimations of rents associated with vacation homes, calculations of financial intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM), etc. (TSA:RMF 2008, 2.25). Tourism direct gross domestic product: Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP) is the sum of the part of gross value added (at basic prices) generated by all industries in response to internal tourism consumption plus the amount of net taxes on products and imports included within the value of this expenditure at purchasers’ prices (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.96). Tourism direct gross value added: Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) is the part of gross value added generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors in response to internal tourism consumption (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.88). Tourism expenditure: Tourism expenditure refers to the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables, for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips. It includes expenditures by visitors themselves, as well as expenses that are paid for or reimbursed by others (IRTS 2008, 4.2). Tourism industries: The tourism industries comprise all establishments for which the principal activity is a tourism characteristic activity. Tourism industries (also referred to as tourism activities) are the activities that typically produce tourism characteristic products. The term tourism industries is equivalent to tourism characteristic activities and the two terms are sometimes used synonymously in the IRTS 2008, 5.10, 5.11 and figure 5.1. Tourism ratio: For each variable of supply in the Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism ratio is the ratio between the total value of tourism share and total value of the corresponding variable in the Tourism Satellite Account expressed in percentage form (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.56). (See also Tourism share). Tourism Satellite Account: The Tourism Satellite Account is the second international standard on tourism statistics (Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework 2008 – TSA:RMF 2008) that has been developed in order to present economic data relative to tourism within a framework of internal and external consistency with the rest of the statistical system through its link to the System of National Accounts. It is the basic reconciliation framework of tourism statistics. As a statistical tool for the economic accounting of tourism, the TSA can be seen as a set of 10 summary tables, each with their underlying data and representing a different aspect of the economic data relative to tourism: inbound, domestic tourism and outbound tourism expenditure, internal tourism expenditure, production accounts of tourism industries, the Gross Value Added (GVA) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) attributable to tourism demand, employment, investment, government consumption, and non-monetary indicators. Tourism Satellite Account aggregates: The compilation of the following aggregates, which represent a set of relevant indicators of the size of tourism in an economy is recommended (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.81): • Internal tourism expenditure; • Internal tourism consumption; • Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI); • Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA); • Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP). Tourism sector: The tourism sector, as contemplated in the TSA, is the cluster of production units in different industries that provide consumption goods and services demanded by visitors. Such industries are called tourism industries because visitor acquisition represents such a significant share of their supply that, in the absence of visitors, their production of these would cease to exist in meaningful quantity. Tourism share: Tourism share is the share of the corresponding fraction of internal tourism consumption in each component of supply (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.51). For each industry, the tourism share of output (in value), is the sum of the tourism share corresponding to each product component of its output (TSA:RMF 2008, 4.55). (See also Tourism ratio). Tourism single-purpose consumer durable goods: Tourism single-purpose consumer durables is a specific category of consumer durable goods that include durable goods that are used exclusively, or almost exclusively, by individuals while on tourism trips (TSA:RMF 2008, 2.41 and Annex 5). Tourism trip: Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips (IRTS 2008, 2.29). Tourist (or overnight visitor): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise (IRTS 2008, 2.13). Travel / traveller: Travel refers to the activity of travellers. A traveller is someone who moves between different geographic locations, for any purpose and any duration (IRTS 2008, 2.4). The visitor is a particular type of traveller and consequently tourism is a subset of travel. Travel group: A travel group is made up of individuals or travel parties travelling together: examples are people travelling on the same package tour or youngsters attending a summer camp (IRTS 2008, 3.5). Travel item (in balance of payments): Travel is an item of the goods and services account of the balance of payments: travel credits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from an economy by non-residents during visits to that economy. Travel debits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from other economies by residents during visits to other economies (BPM6, 10.86). Travel party: A travel party is defined as visitors travelling together on a trip and whose expenditures are pooled (IRTS 2008, 3.2). Trip: A trip refers to the travel by a person from the time of departure from his/her usual residence until he/she returns: it thus refers to a round trip. Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips. Usual environment: The usual environment of an individual, a key concept in tourism, is defined as the geographical area (though not necessarily a contiguous one) within which an individual conducts his/her regular life routines (IRTS 2008, 2.21). Usual residence: The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.16 to 2.18). Vacation home: A vacation home (sometimes also designated as a holiday home) is a secondary dwelling that is visited by the members of the household mostly for purposes of recreation, vacation or any other form of leisure (IRTS 2008, 2.27). Valuables: Valuables are produced goods of considerable value that are not used primarily for purposes of production or consumption but are held as stores of value over time (SNA 2008, 10.13). Visit: A trip is made up of visits to different places. The term “tourism visit” refers to a stay in a place visited during a tourism trip (IRTS 2008, 2.7 and 2.33). Visitor: A visitor is a traveller taking a trip to a main destination outside his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the country or place visited (IRTS 2008, 2.9). A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise (IRTS 2008, 2.13). UNESCO FAQ – Biosphere Reserves? What is a biosphere reserve? Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. They are internationally recognized, nominated by national governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Biosphere reserves serve in some ways as 'living laboratories' for testing out and demonstrating integrated management of land, water and biodiversity. Collectively, biosphere reserves form a world network: the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). Within this network, exchanges of information, experience and personnel are facilitated. There are over 500 biosphere reserves in over 100 countries. How did the biosphere reserve concept start? The origin of Biosphere Reserves goes back to the "Biosphere Conference" organized by UNESCO in 1968. This was the 1st intergovernmental conference examining how to reconcile the conservation and use of natural resources, thereby foreshadowing the presentday notion of sustainable development. This Conference resulted in the launching of the UNESCO "Man and the Biosphere" (MAB) Programme in 1970. One of the original MAB projects consisted in establishing a coordinated World Network of sites representing the main ecosystems of the planet in which genetic resources would be protected, and where research on ecosystems as well as monitoring and training work could be carried out. These sites were named as "Biosphere Reserves", in reference to the MAB programme itself. What are the functions of biosphere reserves? Each biosphere reserve is intended to fulfil 3 basic functions, which are complementary and mutually reinforcing: - a conservation function - to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation; - a development function - to foster economic and human development which is socioculturally and ecologically sustainable; - a logistic function - to provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local, national and global issues of conservation and development. What are the biosphere reserve zones? Biosphere reserves are organized into 3 interrelated zones: - the core area - the buffer zone - the transition area Only the core area requires legal protection and hence can correspond to an existing protected area such as a nature reserve or a national park. This zonation scheme is applied in many different ways in the real world to accommodate geographical conditions, sociocultural settings, available legal protection measures and local constraints. This flexibility can be used creatively and is one of the strongest points of the biosphere reserve concept, facilitating the integration of protected areas into the wider landscape. What are the benefits of biosphere reserves? The biosphere reserve concept can be used as a framework to guide and reinforce projects to enhance people's livelihoods and ensure environmental sustainability. UNESCO’s recognition can serve to highlight and reward such individual efforts. The designation of a site as a biosphere reserve can raise awareness among local people, citizens and government authorities on environmental and development issues. It can help to attract additional funding from different sources. At the national level, biosphere reserves can serve as pilot sites or ‘learning places’ to explore and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development, providing lessons which can be applied elsewhere. In addition, they are a concrete means for countries to implement Agenda 21, the Convention on Biological Diversity (for example the Ecosystem Approach), many Millennium Development Goals (for example on environmental sustainability), and the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. In the case of large natural areas which straddle national boundaries, transboundary biosphere reserves can be established jointly by the countries concerned, testifying to long-term cooperative efforts. Who is in charge? UNESCO does not require any change in law or ownership: each biosphere reserve has its own system of governance to ensure it meets its functions and objectives. The management system of a biosphere reserve needs to be open, evolving and adaptive in order for the local community to better respond to external political, economic and social pressures, which would affect the ecological and cultural values of the area. Hence it is necessary to set up an appropriate governance mechanism, for instance a committee or board, to plan and coordinate all the activities of all the actors concerned, each within their own mandate and competence. Usually a biosphere reserve coordinator is named as the contact person for all matters dealing with the biosphere reserve. Who pays? Everyone. The level of funding depends on the nature and extent of the projects and activities undertaken. Often, additional funding is not needed: existing budgets can be aligned to meet shared goals. Industry, tour operators, charitable foundations, research funding agencies, governments, local municipalities can all help. Continual support from government - even if only moral and technical - ensures good connections with national policy and international efforts related to sustainable development. UNESCO can provide advice and occasionally seed funds to initiate local efforts; these can help broker projects or to set up durable financial mechanisms. What is the difference between a biosphere reserve and a natural World Heritage site? A biosphere reserve is a representative ecological area with 3 mutually reinforcing functions: conservation, sustainable development and logistic support for scientific research and education. Collectively, all biosphere reserves form a World Network linked by exchanges of experience and knowledge. They are part of a UNESCO scientific programme, governed by a "soft law", the Statutory Framework. Natural World Heritage sites must be of outstanding universal value in accordance with the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972). Efforts to enhance local development and to promote scientific understanding are means to ensure the protection of the natural World Heritage values. In some instances, a core area of a biosphere reserve can meet World Heritage criteria: the usually larger biosphere reserve can therefore serve as a complementary means to protect the integrity of the World Heritage site. Can a biosphere reserve be "de-designated"? The Statutory Framework makes provision for a periodic review every 10 years. The periodic review reports are prepared by the concerned authority, and forwarded to the UNESCO Secretariat. The reports are examined according to a set procedure. In the event that a site designated as a biosphere reserve does not satisfy the criteria, after a reasonable period of time the area will no longer be referred to as a biosphere reserve of the World Network. To date, this procedure has never reached this conclusion: however several counties have voluntarily withdrawn "non-functional" sites and this has been commended by the MAB International Coordination Council. How does UNESCO ensure that biosphere reserves function properly? Biosphere reserves are not the object of a binding international convention or treaty but are governed by a "soft law" -- the Statutory Framework for Biosphere Reserves -- adopted by the UNESCO General Conference and which all countries are committed to apply. In consequence, the UNESCO Secretariat does not have a ‘police function’ and it is the responsibility of each country, through its MAB National Committee or Focal Point, to ensure that the biosphere reserves respond to the criteria and function properly. For this, in most countries it is not necessary to enact special national legislation for biosphere reserves but rather to use the existing legal frameworks for nature protection and land/water management. This being said, an increasing number of countries are now giving biosphere reserves a special legal status in order to reinforce their application. In the case of a perceived problem, e.g. plans to construct an oil refinery within the site, the biosphere reserve status should be used as a platform for dialogue to arrive at an optimal solution. The MAB Secretariat will remind the concerned MAB National Committee/Focal Point of its responsibility in such cases. How do I get involved? Visit the UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve Directory to read details on all biosphere reserves, including contact information. Contact also the National MAB Committees and focal points for information on national action on biosphere reserves, including on plans for new biosphere reserves. The UNESCO-MAB Secretariat would be interested to receive donations of high quality photographs of biosphere reserves for its own publications, for which all photo credits would of course be acknowledged. Contact mab@unesco.org