A new instrument and its function

Vienna pulls the lever; for more sustainability: Why the city is setting up a Sustainable Tourism Observatory, what it is and what role UN Tourism plays in it.

Vienna formulates visions for the collective implementation of sustainable development and also measures its success as it continues along this path. No goals – the achievement of which can be monitored using indicators – would mean groping in the dark; without data, commitments are nothing more than words. Since 2024, the EU Green Claims Directive has provided clear and uniform standards for environmental claims. Now, anyone who uses KPIs must have their figures verified by third parties, which promotes greater honesty and transparency. In Vienna, too, the motto regarding sustainability is “no bullsh*t“: data creates transparency both internally and externally, which in turn fosters acceptance and trust.

An Observatory – as a Compass and Platform

For a long time now, 150 key metrics – surveyed both externally and internally – have been a crucial basis for decision-making in strategic destination development. Now, Vienna is establishing a completely new observatory for sustainable tourism to help build an overview of the desired development and ensure that it is able to influence it more effectively. In accordance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, specific goals and indicators are identified for a Sustainable Tourism Observatory like this. The Vienna Observatory is based on 30 baseline indicators in more than 10 issue areas, which are still being expanded. These connect to existing key objectives: visitor satisfaction, resident satisfaction, value creation, certification of businesses in the tourism and leisure industry, and the proportion of visitors arriving by train. Additional priorities from the stakeholder dialog process include energy efficiency, job satisfaction, job attractiveness, accessibility, resource consumption (water, waste), top-quality cultural offerings, seasonality, green meetings, and legacy – i.e. the real impact of meetings and conferences in the destination. After setup, the first step will be to develop measures with partners who are looking to evolve and move towards these new objectives. There will be one or two annual projects to this end. The Sustainable Tourism Observatory is also intended to serve as a platform that will help companies to develop innovative, sustainable models for success that benefit both the destination and their own agendas. The companies compare notes – learning from each other and using these successful examples as benchmarks.

The INSTO Network – For external Coordination

Vienna’s Observatory will also open up access to the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO). Joining will allow it to play an active role and seek out dialog with other cities that are moving towards sustainability. This international UN Tourism network already comprises more than 40 destinations, where members collect and analyze tourism, economic, and environmental data from predefined fields. The aim is to systematically assess both the performance and impacts of tourism on society, the environment, and the economy in the long term – with a view to driving positive change.