SESRIC - Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries

Tourism Statistics Workshop

Date: 16-18 June 2008

Venue: Ankara - Türkiye

The Tourism Statistics Workshop was held on 16-18 June 2008 in Ankara, Turkey at Gazi Park Hotel. It was jointly organized by SESRIC, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, Turkish Statistical Institute and World Tourism Organization. 36 participants from ten OIC countries, namely Azerbaijan, Brunei, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey attended the workshop.

The workshop started with the opening speech of Dr. Savas Alpay, the Director General of SESRIC. The workshop adopted the proposed agenda and proceeded in 10 Sessions:

Mr. Nabil Dabour, Acting Director of Research Department, gave an overall picture about the current situation of international tourism in OIC countries. Following this presentation by the SESRIC; Mr. Erdem Acir, the representative from Ministry of Culture and Tourism, informed the participants about the accommodation and border statistics while the experts from Turkish Statistical Institute (Arzu Semati, Cenker Burak Metin, Gulser Yilmaz, Hidir Altinbulak, Imran Kotan) summarized the methodology and contents of the tourism related surveys they have been conducting. Juan Falconi, consultant and coordinator at World Tourism Organization, focused mainly on the Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSAs) and the Accommodation Kit developed by UNWTO as a preliminary attempt to solve the data problems about tourism.

Within this framework, the participants exchanged their views and emphasized the need and importance of sharing country wise experiences about the tourism statistics field, especially about the transition and implementation process of TSAs in various OIC countries.

Throughout the talks, a deep interest was expressed on the continuation of these workshops for the benefit of concerned staff in member countries. In this context, a Tourism Statistics Workshop email group (tsw@sesric.org) was formed as a basic platform of coordination in the future.

After the last session on 18 June 2008, the participants were invited to the SESRIC headquarters and briefed about the activities and future plans of the Centre.

Draft Agenda

List of Participants

Final Report by World Tourism Organization

Compendium

2008 International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics

International Tourism in the OIC Countries: Prospects and Challenges

Border Statistics

Accomodation Statistics

Presentations

Presentation on "Software for Measuring Accommodation Services" (UNWTO)

Presentation on "The TSA as Response to User Needs: concepts and definitions" (UNWTO)

Presentation on "Measuring Tourism Expenditure: a UNWTO Proposal" (UNWTO)