Relevance

The collection consists of tourism data on domestic and outbound trips only in the frame of the Regulation (EU) 692/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning statistics on tourism demand.  Statistics include data on residents’ (aged 15 years and over); tourism demand (participation, trips, nights, and expenditure); participation in tourism for personal purposes; number of tourism trips; number of tourism nights; and expenditure on tourism trips.

Methodological description of survey

The National Tourism Survey is an enquiry which is carried out using a random sample of around 1,800 persons aged 15 years and over residing in private households per quarter.  The selection of participants is conducted on a stratified random basis using sex, age and district as stratification variables.

The collection mode for National Tourism is by means of telephone interviews (CATI).  Quarterly surveys collect the information on trips and on participation in tourism. In the fourth quarter, additional questions are added to collect the annual data on participation in tourism.  The aim is to collect information on the number of overnight outbound and domestic trips.

Accuracy and reliability of data

Raw data is checked for inconsistencies and missing values.  The electronic questionnaire facilitates the inclusion of validation and consistency checks and thus validation of data is possible during the data collection phase. Once the data is collected, further data cleaning and validations are done to ensure quality and consistency of results and assess completeness and item non-response.  Special attention is given to completed fields on expenditures. Missing values ​​for expenditures are imputed using regression models basing on the destination, departure month, type of accommodation and transportation variables.  These rules are mainly based on the definitions provided in the methodological manual prepared by Eurostat.

Timeliness and punctuality of data

On a national level, no statistics related to participation in tourism and trips are released but data is transmitted to Eurostat within six months after the end of the reference period.

Accessibility and clarity of data

A metadata report is submitted annually to Eurostat within nine months after the end of the reference year.

Coherence and comparability/consistency of data

Data is fully comparable with other European countries since all requirements and recommendations laid down by the regulation are met.  

The current methodology for measuring National Tourism in line with Eurostat recommendations in has been in place since 2014.  Up to 2013, data for total outbound trips was collected by means of the ongoing border survey, while information on the last three domestic trips was collected by means of an extra module attached to the Labour Force Survey.  As from reference year 2014, information on the last three trips (outbound and domestic) is collected via the quarterly CATI surveys.  Due to this change in methodology, National Tourism trips for 2014 were marked with a ‘break in series’ flag.

The survey data concerning nights spent by residents in domestic commercial accommodations is coherent with the results from the accommodation statistics.