8602.0 - Tourism Newsletter, Nov 2008  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 05/12/2008   
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Tourism Statistics | news

ABOUT OUR WORK - ABS Tourism Statistics
The role of a national statistics centre (NSC) and tourism statistics
Tourism is considered a service industry and is defined in this way because in broad terms, much of the economic activity associated with the tourism industry is about providing a service to visitors. This differs from agriculture and mining, for example, where economic activity is dominated by the production of goods not services.

The area of tourism falls within the responsibility of the ABS Goods and Services National Statistics Centre (NSC). This role includes:
  • Representing the ABS at meetings and fora where tourism clients and stakeholders come together to discuss their information needs;
  • Undertaking discrete analytical projects, such as developing national economic indicators of tourism;
  • Keeping ABS web materials current and relevant;
  • Contributing to ABS views on international standards and classifications relevant to tourism;
  • Developing ways to improve communication with tourism stakeholders and clients;
  • Assisting with the development of relevant ABS surveys by consulting with tourism stakeholders; and
  • Monitoring developments and emerging issues in the tourism industry.

The work of the Goods and Services NSC complements the activities of the many other parts of the ABS with a key role in tourism statistics. These other areas of the ABS include:
  • The Transport and Tourism Business Statistics Centre (BSC) based in Queensland. This BSC produces Tourist Accommodation, Australia (ABS Catalogue No. 8635.0) and Australian National Accounts: Tourism Satellite Accounts (ABS catalogue No. 5249.0).
  • Demography. This area produces the Overseas Arrivals and Departures statistics.
  • International Services and Investment BSC. This area reports on international trade between Australia and the rest of the world.
Image: The front of ABS House
The Goods and Services NSC also receives information and statistics from other key players in the field of tourism statistics. For example, the surveys run and reported by Tourism Research Australia are of particular importance to tourism stakeholders and the ABS.