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GUIDE TO CSO
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Choose an option to navigate: TOURISM 29.1 Historical background In the late seventies, the CSO set
up a Unit at the Mauritius Government Tourist Office (MGTO) to produce
relevant indicators to assist in monitoring the industry and in
formulating policy. When the MGTO became a parastatal body under the name
of Mauritius Tourism Development Authority in 1996, the Statistics Unit
was transferred to the Ministry of Tourism. Before the creation of that unit,
tourism statistics were compiled by the Demography Unit of the CSO as part
of statistics on international travel. 29.2 Activities The main task of the Unit is to
process information gathered from embarkation and disembarkation cards
filled in by all incoming and outgoing passengers. The staff is
particularly engaged in the following activities:
29.3 Sources of data The main source of data for the
compilation of passenger traffic statistics is the Passport and
Immigration Office which maintains a database of all passengers entering
and leaving the country. The data are extracted from the
embarkation/disembarkation cards filled in by all passengers. At the end
of every month, passenger traffic for that particular month is downloaded
on diskette from the computer system and supplied to the Statistics Unit. Hotels provide data on
accommodation capacity (rooms and beds), and occupancy rates on a monthly
basis. A survey of Outgoing Tourists is conducted every two years since 1984. 29.4 Scope and coverage Prior to 1994, data on passenger
traffic were compiled from a 10% sample of embarkation and disembarkation
cards. As from January 1994, they are based on movements of all
passengers, including those of cruise ships. Tourism statistics cover all
non-residents staying for more than 24 hours but less than a year, and not
involved in any gainful occupation during their stay. However, data on
excursionists, that is those who stay less than 24 hours in the country,
are compiled and published separately. The Survey of Outgoing Tourists
covers a representative sample of tourists at the time of their departure.
The objective of this survey is to obtain qualitative and quantitative
information on tourists to supplement the recurrent statistics. 29.5 Data processing and analysis Monthly tourism statistics are
processed at the Unit on microcomputers using IMPS software. The
processing involves several steps, namely editing, imputation of missing
values and recoding. The survey of outgoing tourists is
also processed in-house with the support of the CISD, using IMPS. 29.6 Topics and data items (a)
Embarkation/disembarkation cards
The following information is
gathered from the embarkation/disembarkation card: Date of travel, country
of residence, nationality, age, sex, usual address, purpose of visit. (b) Survey of Outgoing Tourists The data collected relate mainly to
expenditure pattern, purpose and frequency of visits, accommodation and
rating of facilities. 29.7
Outputs 29.7.1
Publications
29.7.2 Other Monthly tourist arrivals by country
of residence are circulated to hotels and other stakeholders, three weeks
after the reference month. 29.8 Guidelines followed Tourism statistics are compiled
according to the concepts and definitions laid down by the World Tourism
Organisation. 29.9 Data availability
29.10 Future plans
Contact
Person Ms. R. Moraby Statistician Ken Lee Tower, 7th Floor Barracks Street Port Louis MAURITIUS |
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