The primary objective of the consultancy is to develop a Tourism Barometer for the SADC region, enabling the collection, analysis, and dissemination of tourism performance data across Member States. The scope of work covers the following areas:.

4.1 Review of Existing Regional and International Barometers

• Analyse models such as the UNWTO, WTTC, and EAC barometers to identify best practices.
• Review tourism data collection methodologies currently in use in the SADC region.

4.2 Stakeholder Engagement

• Identify key tourism statistics and data collection agencies in Member States (e.g., national tourism boards, central statistical agencies, ministries of finance/central banks, immigration authorities).
• Consult with stakeholders to identify key needs, challenges, and existing data gaps.

4.3 Development of the SADC Tourism Barometer Framework

• Propose a conceptual framework, including governance structures, data sources, and reporting mechanisms.
• Define a set of key indicators to be monitored, such as:
  
  • Tourist arrivals and departures (domestic, regional (SADC/Africa), international}.
  • Tourism revenue {domestic, regional (SADC & Africa) and international}.
  • Employment in the tourism sector.
  • Accommodation occupancy rates.
  • Visitor satisfaction indices.
  • Market source analysis.
  • Tourism’s contribution to GDP.
  • Expenditure incurred by tourists classified according to main tourism consumption categories (e.g., Accommodation, Food and Beverage, Transportation, Entertainment).
  • Sustainable tourism indicators (e.g., carbon footprint, biodiversity impact).
  • Tourism investments

A tourism barometer is a tool used to monitor, analyse, and report on the performance of the tourism sector. It provides stakeholders with timely and reliable data to inform policy, measure growth, assess competitiveness, and identify trends. Tourism barometers are essential instruments for evidence-based decision-making, tracking visitor numbers, economic contributions, job creation, contribution to GDP, and other critical metrics such as investments.