Measuring the impact of tourism on society and the planet from a head office in Sligo

The initiative comes as Ireland sets ambitious targets, as set out in Vision 2030, set out by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC). The vision expects tourism revenues to increase from €10 billion to €15 billion, while employing 350,000 people and generating €2.3 billion in treasury revenues in Ireland.

To achieve these ambitions, the Atlantic Sustainable Tourism Observatory will work with destinations to measure and monitor sustainable tourism indicators to support evidence-based planning. This will help transition destinations in support of Ireland’s overall sustainability commitments for 2030 and 2050.

The Atlantic Sustainable Tourism Observatory Ireland achieved the honor of becoming Northern Europe’s first member of the UN Tourism International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) in November 2023, marking a significant milestone in Ireland’s commitment to sustainable tourism practices.

Speaking at the launch at ATU Sligo, Minister Catherine Martin TD said: “The Atlantic Sustainable Tourism Observatory is a welcome addition to Irish tourism and will help support the sustainable and resilient growth of the sector through measurement and monitoring, supporting the evidence-based management of tourism. I commend the team at Atlantic Technological University for their efforts to secure this title from UN Tourism and for their acceptance as a member of the UN Tourism International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO).

Minister Martin added: “This establishment underlines Ireland’s commitment to the development of sustainable tourism, and is closely aligned with global efforts led by INSTO and United Nations Tourism commitments. Through robust measurement and monitoring practices, the observatory will play a critical role in monitoring the economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism at the destination level. This can help us promote sustainable and resilient growth in our tourism sector.”

The Observatory will play a central role in promoting cooperation between tourism destinations along the Atlantic coast, the Irish Islands and inland. This joint effort will support Ireland’s commitment to monitoring the economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism at the destination level, in line with the principles advocated by UN Tourism.

Dr. Orla Flynn, President of ATU, welcomed the Minister’s visit and said: “With its commitment to measuring and monitoring the impact of tourism on society and the planet, the Atlantic Sustainable Observatory marks a new era of sustainable tourism practices in Ireland. Equipped with comprehensive data and a shared vision for change, Ireland’s first INSTO Observatory is poised to make tangible progress towards a more sustainable future for the tourism industry.”

INSTO, a global network of tourism observatories, is committed to promoting robust measurement and monitoring practices to drive sustainable and resilient growth in the tourism sector. Ireland’s inclusion in this network highlights a collective commitment to meeting the urgent need for data to drive sustainable change, and underlines the importance of evidence-based practice in shaping the future of tourism.

The Observatory’s mission extends beyond data collection, with the goal of providing destinations with actionable insights to facilitate evidence-based planning and management. By collecting data on issues impacting local economies, communities and environments, the Observatory aims to support destinations in the transition to sustainability.

The observatory will measure and monitor more than 40 indicators, including: energy, waste and water consumption; the percentage of residents satisfied with tourism at the destination; the average carbon footprint of tourists and visitors on the same day.

With its commitment to measuring and monitoring the impact of tourism on society and the planet, the Observatory marks a new era of sustainable tourism practices in Ireland. Equipped with comprehensive data and a shared vision for change, Ireland’s first INSTO Observatory is poised to make tangible progress towards a more sustainable future for the tourism industry.