OCDE - Workshop on tourism data sharing, governance and integration

Reform REPORT Workshop on tourism data sharing, governance and integrationLuxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2025 © European Union/OECD, 2025 The Commission’s reuse policy is implemented under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2011/833/oj ). Unless otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4.0/). This means that reuse is allowed, provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated.

OECD Identifier: ISSN: 2307-1672

Print ISBN 978-92-68-09396-2 doi:10.2887/703249 HT-02-23-219-EN-C PDF ISBN 978-92-68-09398-6 doi:10.2887/263820 HT-02-23-219-EN-NWorkshop on tourism data sharing, governance and

integration REPORTACKNOWLEDGEMENTS On 27 and 28 September 2023, the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) organised a workshop on “Tourism data sharing, governance and integration” through the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument (TAIEX), with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as the implementing partner of the Technical Support Instrument projects for the 2022 Flagship “Support to the tourism ecosystem: towards a more sustainable, resilient and digital tourism”, and the beneficiary countries Greece, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia. This Report was prepared and edited by a team of DG REFORM Unit B3 Sustainable Growth and Business Environment (Panagiotis

tourism ecosystem: towards a more sustainable, resilient and digital tourism”, and the beneficiary countries Greece, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia. This Report was prepared and edited by a team of DG REFORM Unit B3 Sustainable Growth and Business Environment (Panagiotis Markantonatos, Zinovia Tsikalaki, Milena Raykovska, Marcell Petho, Laura Morano), under the guidance of Kaspar Richter, and the OECD Tourism Team (Peter Haxton, Kristen Corrie, Julie Reimann) under the guidance of Jane Stacey. We would like to thank the moderators, speakers and discussants who helped us shape, facilitate, organise and support this knowledge exchange exercise: Apolonija Oblak Flander (workshop moderator), Jane Stacey, Sérgio Guerreiro, Marieke Politiek, Oliver Csendes, Stavroula Kefala, Eleonora Lorenzini, Amanda Stenström, Rod Battye, Simon Bley, Rebecca Taves, Márta Fazekas, Sandra Carvao, Ana Moniche, Juric Nives, Dolores Ordonez, Misa Labarile, Katarina Wakonen, Pascal Helfer, Marco Minghini, Paola Cianfriglia, Karolis Žemaitis, Filipe Batista, Peter de Rama, Federico Milani, Ana Jemec Špik and Tania Sultana. This report was authorised for publication by Judit Rozsa, Director Technical Support Instrument (TSI), SG REFORM, and Lamia Kamal Chaoui, Director of the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities. For the OECD, this work has been approved and declassified by the OECD Tourism Committee on 24 January 2025. The names of countries and territories and maps used in this joint publication follow the practice of the EU.

Disclaimer for the OECD: This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty

OECD Tourism Committee on 24 January 2025. The names of countries and territories and maps used in this joint publication follow the practice of the EU.

Disclaimer for the OECD: This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.

For the European Union, the opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) only and should not be considered as representative of the official position of the European Union.3 FOREWORD T his report serves as a record of the insightful discussions and valuable contributions made over the course of a two-day Workshop on “Tourism Data Sharing, Governance and Integration”. The workshop was co-organised by the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM), through the TAIEX instrument, and the OECD. Experts from around the world gathered in Brussels and online to explore the opportunities and challenges to strengthen the evidence-base for tourism policy and decision-making. As European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, stated in her opening remarks, “...I applaud the groundbreaking work of those here today, who are blazing new trails in data collection for tourism.” This sentiment encapsulates the spirit of the workshop, where participants from diverse backgrounds and organisations came together to exchange knowledge and experiences, all in pursuit of a common goal – to contribute to the development of a more sustainable and resilient tourism ecosystem. The European Commission, together with the OECD as implementing partner of the seven Technical Support Instrument (TSI) projects (Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain), brought together around 280 participants from 39 countries, giving the TSI a truly global dimension. In addition to representatives from TSI beneficiary

Technical Support Instrument (TSI) projects (Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain), brought together around 280 participants from 39 countries, giving the TSI a truly global dimension. In addition to representatives from TSI beneficiary countries, participants included other EU and OECD Member and non-Member States, as well as representatives from the United (1) See Eurostat’s “Tourism: €572 billion gross value added in the EU”. (2) See the Commission staff working document “Annual Single Market Report 2022”. Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism). Tourism was hit hard by the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as the world’s leading tourist destination, Europe was not immune. Before the pandemic, the European tourism market generated a gross value added (GVA) of more than EUR 570 billion [1], and, considering the whole ecosystem, up to EUR 880 billion in GVA, employing almost 21 million people in the EU [2]. Tourism experienced a sharp decline in 2020, followed by a fragile and uneven recovery in 2021. The rapid increase in energy costs and in inflation have added to the already existing challenges posed by high seasonality. The effects of climate change, moreover, have been felt with particular intensity in the tourism sector. In this context, the tourism ecosystem was prioritised when the European Commission launched the transition pathway process in March 2021 as part of its updated Industrial Policy. The process involved all stakeholders and civil society to sketch out the transition path for tourism towards achieving a more resilient, greener, and more digital identity. In response to these challenges, DG REFORM in collaboration with DG GROW, ESTAT, and JRC, presented the TSI 2022 flagship “Support to the tourism ecosystem: towards

path for tourism towards achieving a more resilient, greener, and more digital identity. In response to these challenges, DG REFORM in collaboration with DG GROW, ESTAT, and JRC, presented the TSI 2022 flagship “Support to the tourism ecosystem: towards a more sustainable, resilient and digital tourism”. This initiative aimed to enhance data gathering and sharing frameworks across EU Member States and implement sustainable tourism management and monitoring tools at the destination level. The Workshop on “Tourism Data Sharing, Governance and Integration” provided an opportunity for participating Member and non-Member States to share their experiences and progress in achieving these goals. The collaborative nature of these efforts was highlighted as a key factor in driving positive change within the tourism industry. As readers explore the contents of this report, they will gain valuable insights into the innovative approaches, methodologies, and strategies employed by countries and international organisations to strengthen the evidence-base for a more sustainable and resilient tourism ecosystem in Europe, and beyond. Concentrating efforts on gathering the right information and facilitating access to this data will help foster informed decisionmaking and drive effective strategies to address pressing issues within the tourism sector. Mario Nava Director-General REFORMStructural Reform Support Kerstin Jorna Director-General GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Nadim Ahmad Deputy Director of the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities5

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 2 Foreword 3 Introduction 6 Session 1: What’s the story – sharing data to improve tourism decision making 7 Good practices, experiences and knowledge sharing 8 Key takeaways and conclusions from the discussions 10 Session 2: Ensuring good data governance with increased timeliness and granularity 11 Good practices, experiences and knowledge sharing 12

Good practices, experiences and knowledge sharing 8 Key takeaways and conclusions from the discussions 10 Session 2: Ensuring good data governance with increased timeliness and granularity 11 Good practices, experiences and knowledge sharing 12 Key takeaways and conclusions from the discussions 14 Session 3: Navigating the complexities of integrating diverse tourism data sets 15 Good practices, experiences and knowledge sharing 16 Key takeaways and conclusions from the discussions 18 Session 4: Using data hubs and spaces to fill the gaps in tourism data 19 Good practices, experiences and knowledge sharing 20 Key takeaways and conclusions from the discussions 23 Session 5: ‘Digital infrastructure’ building data sharing platforms from the foundation 24 Good practices, experiences and knowledge sharing 25 Key takeaways and conclusions from the discussions 29 Conclusion 30 ANNEX 1: Tourism Flagship TSI Projects 31 ANNEX 2: Workshop participation and evaluation statistics 36 ANNEX 3: Workshop Agenda 39 Workshop on Tourism Data sharing, governance and integration 396 Report – Workshop on Tourism Data Governance, Sharing and Integration INTRODUCTION T ourism is a complex, servicebased sector built on the movement of people. The rapid succession of crises in recent years has highlighted the importance of having timely, granular and comparable tourism data available to inform policy and business decisions, transitioning towards a more sustainable, resilient, and digital tourism landscape. However, while significant advances have been made to improve tourism data, the timeliness of, and ability to share, available data to meet the needs of decision makers remains a challenge. The workshop on “Data Sharing, Governance and Integration” was held on 27-28 September 2023 and undertaken as part of the EU’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) flagship project – Support to the tourism ecosystem: towards a more sustainable, resilient, and digital tourism. It was co-organised by the

held on 27-28 September 2023 and undertaken as part of the EU’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) flagship project – Support to the tourism ecosystem: towards a more sustainable, resilient, and digital tourism. It was co-organised by the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM), through the TAIEX instrument, and the OECD, as the implementing partner. Timely and accurate data plays a crucial role in making tourism sustainable and resilient. The purpose of the workshop was to facilitate and support the exchange of knowledge and good practices on data sharing and integration to enhance evidence-based policy and business decision-making. The workshop provided a platform for diverse stakeholders from the participating TSI EU Member States and beyond to collectively address the complexities inherent in managing tourism data. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the workshop aimed to propel the tourism sector towards a future characterised by informed decision-making, sustainable practices, and digital resilience. Presentations provided examples of opportunities to measure tourism with new data sources, how to integrate tourism data sets to strengthen understanding of the sector, and along with key data sharing issues including data governance, digital infrastructure and how to meet the needs of the end user. This report summarises the insights and discussions that took place in each of the five sessions of the workshop, providing an introduction, presentations and discussants’ highlights, along with key takeaways and conclusions. The five sessions were: • Session 1: What’s the story – sharing data to improve tourism decision making • Session 2: Ensuring good data governance with increased timeliness and granularity • Session 3: Navigating the complexities of integrating diverse tourism data sets • Session 4: Using data hubs and spaces to fill the gaps in tourism

decision making • Session 2: Ensuring good data governance with increased timeliness and granularity • Session 3: Navigating the complexities of integrating diverse tourism data sets • Session 4: Using data hubs and spaces to fill the gaps in tourism data • Session 5: ‘Digital infrastructure’ – building data sharing platforms from the foundation The full agenda, recordings and presentations from the workshop are available here.7

SESSION 1:

WHAT’S THE STORY –

SHARING DATA TO IMPROVE

TOURISM DECISION MAKING T he demand for tourism data is at an alltime high. Providing access to tourism data has become a key priority in many countries to enable better decision making for the government, businesses and the local communities. As resource and capacity constraints continue to play a role in the sector, there is a need to consider what data is meaningful to accurately reflect the tourism context and enable decision making. The presentations and subsequent discussions in Session 1 explored three key topics: The first topic was on what drives the need to share data. Participants explored the driving forces behind the imperative to share data, differentiating between the needs of various types of decision-makers, including governments, businesses, and local communities. The second topic concerned end-user needs and how to display data. The discussion extended to the essential requirements of end-users and how data should be presented to effectively convey the narrative for decision-making purposes. The third topic explored the prioritisation of and constraints on the timely provision of data. Given constraints on resources and capacity, participants engaged in discussions on whether all data should be shared, or if a strategic selection of data is more prudent, considering the pressing constraints. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Jane Stacey, Head of Tourism – OECD and the lead interventions were made by: • Mr. Sérgio Guerreiro, Senior Directorshould be shared, or if a strategic selection of data is more prudent, considering the pressing constraints. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Jane Stacey, Head of Tourism – OECD and the lead interventions were made by: • Mr. Sérgio Guerreiro, Senior DirectorTurismo de Portugal, Creating Tourism Data Hubs. Lessons from the Portuguese Experience.

• Ms. Marieke Politiek, Manager Intel &

Insights - NBTC Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, Building alliances for more data-driven policy making.

• Mr. Oliver Csendes, Chief Digital

and Innovation Officer - Austrian National Tourist Office, From Data to Destiny: Navigating Europe’s Tourism Data Landscape with the Data Space Framework. Sérgio Guerreiro,Jane Stacey Marieke Politiek Oliver Csendes8 Session 1: What’s the story – sharing data to improve tourism decision making GOOD PRACTICES, EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING Portugal – the journey to a global hub of tourism data and intelligence P ortugal shared its experience in developing a data hub for the entire tourism industry – TravelBI by Turismo de Portugal. The ambition to become a global hub for tourism data and intelligence to support the Portuguese tourism industry was the basis of the project developed by Turismo de Portugal, positioning the NTA (National Tourism Authority) as the entity responsible for collecting and consolidating all relevant industry information on a single public platform. The challenges are numerous and can be summarised by the phrase “providing the right data at the right time to the right people so that they can make the right decisions,” with each aspect presenting its own challenges. The platform was developed in 2016 and integrates official data from statistical authorities (Statistics Portugal and the Bank of Portugal), research from Turismo de Portugal, and various alternative data

they can make the right decisions,” with each aspect presenting its own challenges. The platform was developed in 2016 and integrates official data from statistical authorities (Statistics Portugal and the Bank of Portugal), research from Turismo de Portugal, and various alternative data sources that have been tested and incorporated into the system. The platform, currently offers statistical data, reports, interactive dashboards, and a geodata portal to support the development of new projects. Last year, the platform had 56 000 unique users and over 300 000 pageviews, demonstrating its relevance in the ecosystem. The process has evolved from data collection and descriptive analysis to generating insights for businesses. The next phases include predictive analysis and forecasting, which will be developed as part of the TSI project, and prescriptive analytics tools, which are also under development as part of a project financed by the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (Next Generation EU). The presentation also emphasised the need to develop skills to support the project’s various stages, and the importance of focusing on people, including the project team and users, who must actively participate and be highly engaged as the final recipients of all project outcomes. Sérgio Guerreiro Senior Director, Strategy & Knowledge Management / Turismo de Portugal9Session 1: What’s the story – sharing data to improve tourism decision making Greece – challenges in the Greek tourism statistical framework and TSI support G reece confronts numerous obstacles in collecting and sharing tourism data to inform planning and strategic decisions. One significant challenge is data fragmentation, where tourism data is dispersed across various government agencies, tourism boards, and private entities, making coordination and integration difficult. Ensuring data quality is paramount, given the risk of inaccuracies stemming from

planning and strategic decisions. One significant challenge is data fragmentation, where tourism data is dispersed across various government agencies, tourism boards, and private entities, making coordination and integration difficult. Ensuring data quality is paramount, given the risk of inaccuracies stemming from inconsistent collection methods and standards. The Ministry of Tourism actively engages in methodological framework developments, supporting initiatives aimed at achieving a harmonised national framework. Protecting sensitive tourist information while facilitating data sharing necessitates robust data security measures and compliance with privacy regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Adequate technology and infrastructure are essential for efficient data collection, storage, and processing, with interoperability being a major issue. Stakeholder collaboration is vital for successful data sharing, necessitating consent among government bodies, businesses, and tourism organisations. An info-Hub for tourism data has been established by the Ministry to tackle data fragmentation and promote an evidence-based policy. Adapting to rapidly changing tourism trends and consumer preferences requires staying updated, particularly considering Greece’s seasonal tourism patterns and the need to balance infrastructure investments throughout the year. Balancing tourism growth with environmental and cultural preservation presents a key challenge. To address these challenges, the Ministry invests in data management, methodological training, and infrastructure while prioritising data privacy and security. Initiatives such as the National Observatory for Sustainable Tourism Development aim to highlight the comparative advantages of tourism destinations while respecting natural and cultural heritage. Collaboration with the United National World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) involves establishing a Research and Monitoring Centre for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Mediterranean, inviting Mediterranean countries to contribute to a methodological framework and share data. Participation in the European data space project aims to harmonise

(UNWTO) involves establishing a Research and Monitoring Centre for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Mediterranean, inviting Mediterranean countries to contribute to a methodological framework and share data. Participation in the European data space project aims to harmonise data sharing by fostering trust relations between data providers. To address data deficiencies highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation with DG REFORM and the OECD, with the support of the TSI, encompasses strengthening tourism statistics, developing sustainability indicators, enhancing the tourism environment for small and mediumsized enterprises, and promoting local destinations, aligning with Greece’s efforts towards sustainable economic and social convergence, resilience, and recovery. Through these collaborative endeavours, Greece aims to foster evidence-based policymaking, monitor tourism policies effectively, and promote sustainable tourism practices. Dr. Stavroula Kefala Head, Directorate of Research / Ministry of Tourism10 Session 1: What’s the story – sharing data to improve tourism decision making KEY

TAKEAWAYS

AND

CONCLUSIONS

FROM THE

DISCUSSIONS I n adopting a user-centric approach, the importance of understanding users and their specific needs was emphasised. Access to raw data alone is not enough, as users require meaningful insights. Capacity building within teams is essential, particularly focusing on skills development to pick the right data, standardise it, and cultivate curiosity to go beyond raw numbers. The session underscored the shift from data to insights, emphasising the importance of not just possessing data but deriving actionable insights. This involves moving beyond the quantitative realm into predictive and prescriptive analysis, where critical thinking plays a pivotal role. For insights to be valuable, users must know the data source, how to access the insights, and how to use and understand the insights. Effective communication, coupled with

beyond the quantitative realm into predictive and prescriptive analysis, where critical thinking plays a pivotal role. For insights to be valuable, users must know the data source, how to access the insights, and how to use and understand the insights. Effective communication, coupled with ongoing education and upskilling initiatives, is vital to empower users to make informed decisions. A strategic focus was recommended, prioritising the right tasks and executing them well rather than attempting to cover every aspect with less rigour. Understanding the feasibility of actions within the available resources is crucial. Focusing on use cases provides a structured approach to identifying, clarifying, and organising requirements, enabling an investigation into how these use cases can be scaled for broader impact. The session and discussions stressed the importance of ‘trying new approaches’, acknowledging that nothing will be perfect on the first attempt, and lessons will be learned even through failure. Embracing a mindset of continual improvement is vital, recognising that data, technology, and users’ needs will evolve over time. Recognising disparities between national and regional needs and resources is crucial. Some analyses and dashboards may be better suited for local actors rather than national entities. Ease of data accessibility, such as through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), is highlighted as a key enabler, ensuring that local actors can readily perform necessary analyses. To summarise, the session underscored the significance of aligning data sharing practices with user needs, fostering a culture of continual improvement and navigating the nuanced balance between national and regional requirements. These takeaways provide a foundational understanding for shaping effective strategies in an evolving tourism data management landscape.11

SESSION 2:

ENSURING GOOD DATA

GOVERNANCE WITH

INCREASED TIMELINESS

AND GRANULARITY E vidence-based decision making relies on the availability of timely and granular data. To fill existing gaps, new data sources

management landscape.11

SESSION 2:

ENSURING GOOD DATA

GOVERNANCE WITH

INCREASED TIMELINESS

AND GRANULARITY E vidence-based decision making relies on the availability of timely and granular data. To fill existing gaps, new data sources and methodologies are being explored to complement traditional methods, but this comes with new complexities. Ensuring good data governance is essential to the integration of the new data sources for tourism measurement. The presentations and subsequent discussions in Session 2 explored the key topic of how to ensure data governance and privacy when providing data at a more granular level. Workshop participants discussed how to adhere to regulatory requirements, ensuring ethically sound and legally compliant sharing of data, while still meeting the demand for the sharing of timely and granular data. Specificities regarding the sharing of aggregated personal data in real time, government data, and the linking of new approaches with existing tourism data were discussed. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Eleonora Lorenzini, the Director of the Travel Innovation and the Digital Innovation in Heritage & Culture Observatories at the Politecnico di Milano, and the lead interventions were made by:

• Ms. Amanda Stenström, Project Manager Nordic RTSA - Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, A new model in measuring Regional Tourism and Tourism’s Environmental Impact in the

Nordics.

• Mr. Rod Battye, Manager Data Innovation and Partnerships - Tourism Research Australia, Integrating mobile phone and other new data sources to increase the timeliness and granularity of the Domestic Visitor Survey. • Mr. Simon Bley, Statistical OfficerEurostat, Closing data gaps with privately held data – The Eurostat Short-term rentals project.

Amanda StenströmEleonora Lorenzini Rod Battye Simon BleyMONTHLY GUEST NIGHTS IN THE EU, 2019/Hyphen2023, (million nights)

Eurostat, Closing data gaps with privately held data – The Eurostat Short-term rentals project. Amanda StenströmEleonora Lorenzini Rod Battye Simon BleyMONTHLY GUEST NIGHTS IN THE EU, 2019/Hyphen2023, (million nights) Nights spent in short-stay accommodation offered via online collaborative economy platforms (Airbnb, Booking, Expedia Group, Trip adviser) 2023202320222022202120212020202020192019 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 12 Session 2: Ensuring good data governance with increased timeliness and granularity

GOOD PRACTICES, EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING

ESTAT – Closing data gaps with privately held data O fficial statisticians are increasingly facing the limitations of traditional surveys in responding to users needing faster and more granular data. At the same time, the continued digitalisation of the economy opens perspectives to better exploit previously unavailable data sources. The future will no longer link one data source to one statistical product; it will combine several data sources into one or more statistical products. The European Statistical System (ESS) achieved a milestone in June 2021 by publishing, for the first time, statistics on tourist accommodation booked via online collaborative economy platforms, using privately held data. The underlying data was made available to Eurostat by four major international platforms following the conclusion of non-disclosure agreements. The goal of the project was to explore the possibilities of measuring the collaborative economy by focusing on one case, namely the accommodation platforms. On a more specific level, the project filled an existing data gap in tourism statistics, namely the segment of holiday rentals. Traditionally, this segment was treated as a lower priority in tourism

measuring the collaborative economy by focusing on one case, namely the accommodation platforms. On a more specific level, the project filled an existing data gap in tourism statistics, namely the segment of holiday rentals. Traditionally, this segment was treated as a lower priority in tourism statistics, characterised by many small enterprises and individual households offering only a small number of bed places each. However, the rise of the platform economy meant that these previously hard to trace service providers now leave a digital footprint that can be used as a source for statistics. Under the terms of the agreements, the four platforms provide occupancy13Session 2: Ensuring good data governance with increased timeliness and granularity and capacity data on bookings and nights spent in short-term rental facilities that fall under NACE category 55.2 “Holiday and other short-stay accommodation”. Eurostat aggregates and validates the data and disseminates statistics derived from it. Additionally, the aggregated data is transmitted to National Statistical Institutes (NSIs) for additional validation and national dissemination programmes. Currently, Eurostat disseminates occupancy