Project

Tyrolean Sustainable Tourism Observatory (TYSTO)

Tyrolean Observatory for Sustainability in Tourism

As part of the international network INSTO (International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories) of UN Tourism, MCI Tourism, the Province of Tyrol and the Association of Tyrolean Tourism Associations have been working on measuring sustainability in tourism.

Initial situation

Building on the Tyrolean tourism strategy "Tiroler Weg", the success of tourism in Tyrol should no longer be measured solely by economic indicators such as overnight stay statistics. In order to establish a more holistic approach, further fields of action in all dimensions of sustainability will be defined in addition to the existing economic indicators. Building on the reporting by the 34 Tyrolean tourism associations and enriched by secondary data, a multi-dimensional sustainability monitoring system will be established.

Objective

The Observatory for Sustainability in Tourism (TYSTO) systematically analyzes and supports the sustainable development of tourism in the province. As a member of the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) of UN Tourism, TYSTO links the regional sustainability initiatives in Tyrolean tourism with a global knowledge platform and thus supports the orientation towards international sustainability standards as well as the exchange of best practices with other observatories worldwide.

TYSTO collects and analyzes data in the fields of action defined by INSTO as well as in other areas relevant to sustainable tourism development in Tyrol. In close cooperation with regional stakeholders, including the Province of Tyrol, Tirol Werbung, the Tyrolean Tourism Association, the Tyrolean Chamber of Commerce and other partners, TYSTO provides an evidence-based foundation for responsible tourism planning and decision-making tailored to the Alpine context of Tyrol.

TYSTO's monitoring system measures sustainability in thirteen fields of action covering environmental, social, economic and governance dimensions. The observatory thus supports the implementation of the Tyrolean tourism strategy "The Tyrolean Way - Perspectives for Responsible Tourism Development", in which sustainability is one of the central leitmotifs and in which multidimensional performance measurement is already incorporated. By providing transparent and accessible data, TYSTO enables decision-makers to optimize the use of resources, strengthen climate protection measures, preserve biodiversity and improve the quality of life for both residents and visitors. At the same time, it contributes Tyrol's experience and findings to the global INSTO network and thus supports the promotion of sustainable tourism worldwide.

Fields of action

The central fields of action are specified by UN Tourism on the one hand and supplemented by Tyrol-specific topics on the other. The fields of action include accessibility, climate protection, culture, regional value creation, workforce, energy management, governance, local satisfaction, regionality, waste management, seasonality, as well as water and wastewater management. Behind each field of action are different indicators, which can be both quantitative and qualitative in nature and are linked to the 17 global sustainability goals of the United Nations.

Results

Since joining the UN Tourism INSTO network in 2024, TYSTO has been officially involved in the international exchange of knowledge. 2025 saw the scientific development of the data basis, including the development of indicator-based monitoring and the survey system. 2026 marks the transition to the operational phase with the publication of initial results and the launch of the TYSTO platform.