Appendix

International standards

Relevant paragraphs from chapter 2 in the international standard Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework are:

“Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited." (para 2.1)

“The persons referred to in the definition of tourism are termed ‘visitors’. A visitor is any person travelling to a place other than that of their usual environment for less than 12 months and whose main purpose of trip is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited." (para 2.4)

“Generally speaking, usual environment corresponds to the geographical boundaries within which an individual displaces himself/herself within their regular routine of life. Usual environment has two dimensions:


1. Frequency: places which are frequently visited by a person (on a routine basis) are considered as part of their usual environment even though these places may be located at a considerable distance from their place of residence;

2. Distance: places located close to the place of residence of a person are also part of their usual environment even if the actual spots are rarely visited."
(para 2.6)

“It is important to observe that if the place visited is not part of the usual environment of a person (the visitor), then that person is not considered one of the usual ‘resident consumers’ in the place. By definition, their visit to the place will generate additional expenditure in this place over and above that generated by the resident consumers. This additional expenditure provides the basis for the economic activity generated by tourism, and hence is at the foundation of the TSA." (para 2.8)

“If an individual has been present in a place for more than one year, this place is considered as part of their usual environment." (excerpt of para 2.12)

“Students travelling abroad, even for more than one year and still depending economically on their families, are considered part of their family’s household. Consequently, they remain residents of the place where their household has its centre of economic interest, but their usual environment includes their university and the place where they live. Sick persons staying in a hospital or similar facility some distance from their original residence for more than one year are still part of the household from which they come if economic ties are maintained with that household, even though their usual environment now includes the hospital where they are staying. The same can be said of persons serving a long-term prison sentence. All these classes of persons are not visitors to the places where they now reside. But if other members of their original households travel to see them, then they are visitors to these places." (para 2.13)

“For a traveller to be considered engaged in a tourism activity in a locality, their stay in this place must last less than one consecutive year. When a visitor stays in a place for longer than one year, this place becomes part of their usual environment and they cease to be considered a visitor to it. On the other hand, those engaged in short-term courses or stays (such as summer courses, summer camps, medical treatment of short duration) are visitors to the location visited.” (para 2.18)

Reference