The collection of international tourism expenditure statistics on open area: methodology and applications - the case of the Veneto region

Abstract

It is now generally acknowledged the need of collecting information on the expenditure behaviour of inbound tourists, which is crucial for estimating the macro-economic impact of tourism in an area (open or closed) in terms of GDP, employment and balance of payments. The survey on inbound tourist expenditure in the Veneto region here described represents the first step towards the development of a Regional Tourism Information System, useful not only for researchers but also for all public and private operators involved in tourism management, marketing and planning. The paper describes objectives, methodology and organisation of this survey, by providing the analytical framework for the systematic collection of data on characteristics and consumption behaviour of inbound tourists.