Official tourism statistics

Mobile positioning data (MPD) is an internationally recognised source for producing
timely official statistics on tourism

When analysing and planning tourism on a national level, having the latest and most accurate data is key. By tapping into our years of research, Positium uses a methodology which:

  • distinguishes tourism from non-tourism noise
  • applies international standards (IMF, UNWTO, OECD, Eurostat) on tourism statistics
  • produces reliable tourism statistics.

Currently, Positium helps two countries – Estonia and Indonesia – measure visitor arrival numbers, and the data is published as official statistics. Positium uses the International Recommendation of Tourism Statistics 2008 as a guideline for its methodology.

Our preferred software for the analysis of MPD is Positium Data Mediator, which is designed to reliably process and filter raw mobile positioning data into trusted tourism statistics. Positium Data Mediator is the result of accumulating the learnings from 10 years of experience of producing official tourism statistics.

%study-1%

Mobile Positioning Data Helping Reach SDGs in Indonesia

In a country with 17,000+ islands and vast land borders, it is difficult to measure immigration at all entry points to the country. Roaming MPD-based indicators was used to measure cross-border tourism, so that the decision-makers of the state would have reliable statistics. With the help of Positium, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism developed a system to count tourists in these excluded border areas and support sustainable development with the help of accurate data. The results guided investments into areas that were previously considered periphery. The data collection continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a continuous source of visitor arrival data, covering official and informal travel into the country.

logo of case study partner