Navarre’s Tourism Observatory is the first tourism observatory in Spain to join the UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), bringing the number of network members to 25. The group consists of destinations committed to generating better evidence through the continuous monitoring of the impacts of tourism at the destination level.
The Tourism Observatory of Navarre is led by the directorate of tourism and Trade of the Government of Navarre and will broaden the observation activities already established in the economic area to include the periodic measurement of the social and environmental impacts of the sector.
Navarre’s entry into the network is supported by the Spanish Government, which is committed to further strengthening its destinations by taking advantage of the opportunities deriving from new technological advances to ensure the sustainable development of destinations.
“We welcome the initiative of Navarre, demonstrating the strong commitment at the local level to continuously measure the development of tourism, which will not only generate more evidence on the economic, environmental and social impacts of the sector, but will also facilitate decision-making and policy formulation processes and strengthen sustainable development in Navarre,” said Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO secretary-general.
Isabel Oliver, secretary of state for tourism, expressed her support for this cooperation project between the UNWTO and Navarre on sustainable tourism in Spain. The project will have a multiplier effect by systematically and periodically collecting data and scientific evidence on tourism in all its dimensions of sustainability, in line with the 2030 Agenda. “What is not measured cannot be improved,” said the secretary of state, who also stated that “this initiative is perfectly in line with the Sustainable Tourism Strategy of the Government of Spain and in particular with the Smart Tourism Destinations initiative.”
“With the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), the UNWTO offers an excellent platform to share experiences and strategies for monitoring and development based on exemplary sustainability cases with other tourism destinations,” said Manu Ayerdi, vice-president of Economic Development of the Government of Navarre.
To ensure inclusiveness and stakeholder-guided development, the Observatory will follow a participatory approach by creating a local group of interdisciplinary experts, which is one of the key features of the INSTO Observatories.
The UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) was created in 2004 with the main objective of supporting the continuous improvement of sustainability and resilience in the tourism sector through systematic, timely and regular monitoring of tourism performance and impact at the local level. The network connects committed destinations around the world, helping them to exchange and improve knowledge and understanding of the monitoring activities throughout the destination and the responsible management of tourism.