Buenos Aires has become the latest city to join the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), a pioneering initiative of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) aimed at helping destinations manage tourism in a smart and sustainable manner.
This latest INSTO member – the first in Argentina – brings the total number of observatories in the global network to 30. Joining INSTO will help the Tourism Observatory of Buenos Aires better monitor the environmental and social impacts of tourism at the local level. Data collected by the observatory will be used to strengthen the sustainability of the city’s tourism sector and help guide policy and decision making.
The Observatory has led the way in developing a destination-wide Tourism Intelligence System which consists of a digital and interactive platform for compiling and visualizing data from a huge range of sources. Through this dynamic tool, which is based on a Big Data Infrastructure, the Observatory is transforming information into useful knowledge for both the public and private sector, generating essential evidence for tourism planning and management.
“By becoming the latest member of our dynamic INSTO network, the city of Buenos Aires once again demonstrates its commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “Thanks to the pioneering work of the Observatory, Buenos Aires is benefitting from an evidence-based approach to tourism policies and I am confident that our newest member will make a positive contribution to our growing INSTO network.”
Mr. Gonzalo Robredo, President of the Buenos Aires Tourism Board, adds: “By joining the INSTO Network, we reinforce our commitment to maximising the benefits of the tourism activity in the city of Buenos Aires, not only from an economic perspective, but with a focus on the cultural, social and environmental dimensions of tourism. We believe that sustainability is a key to guaranteeing that tourism has a positive impact on local communities while also providing visitors with an authentic tourist experience. ”
The new INSTO member will join the global INSTO Meeting on the 22 and 23 October 2019 at UNWTO Headquarters in Madrid, where monitoring experiences are shared annually to further strengthen the collective commitment to generate regular and timely evidence about tourism impacts around the world.