REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA ANNUAL QUALITY REPORT FOR THE SURVEY MONTHLY STATISTICAL SURVEY ON TOURIST ARRIVALS AND OVERNIGHT STAYS FOR 2009 Prepared by: Irena Černič Date: July 2010 1/10
Table of Contents 0 Basic Data...3 1 Relevance...4 1.1 Rate of Missing Statistics...4 2 Accuracy...4 2.1 Sampling Errors...4 2.1.1 Sampling Error...4 2.2 Non-sampling Errors...4 2.2.1 Non-response errors...4 2.2.1.1 Unit Non-Response Rate...4 2.2.1.2 Item Non-response Rates...4 2.2.1.3 Imputation Rate...4 2.2.2 Coverage Errors...4 2.2.2.1 Over-coverage Errors...4 2.2.2.2 Misclassification Rates...5 2.2.3 Measurement Errors...5 2.2.3.1 Editing Rate...5 3 Timeliness and Punctuality...5 3.1 Timeliness...5 3.1.1 Timeliness of the First Release...5 Table 3.1: Timeliness of the first statistical release...5 3.1.2 Timeliness of Final Results...5 Table 3.2: Timeliness of publication of final results...5 3.2 Punctuality...5 3.2.1 Punctuality of the First Release...5 Table 3.3: Punctuality of the First Release...5 4 Accessibility and Clarity...6 4.1 Accessibility...6 4.1.1 Channels used for the dissemination of the results...6 4.1.2 Rate of Used Channels...6 4.1.3 Means used for the dissemination of the results...6 4.1.4 Rate of Means Used...7 4.2 Clarity...7 4.2.1 Results Presented...7 4.2.2 Level (Detail) of Presentation...7 5 Comparability...7 5.1 Comparability over Time...7 5.1.1 Length of Comparable Time Series...7 5.1.2 Breaks in Time Series...7 5.2 Geographical Comparability...7 5.2.1 Comparability with Other Members of the European Statistical System...7 5.3 Seasonal Adjustment...8 6 Coherence...8 6.1 Coherence between Provisional and Final Data...8 6.1.1 Coherence between Provisional and Final Data...8 6.2 Coherence with the Results of the Reference Survey...8 6.2.1 Reference Survey...8 6.2.2 Coherence with Reference Data...8 7 Costs and Burdens...9 7.1 Survey Costs of the Office...9 7.2 Costs and Burden of Reporting Units...9 2/10
0 Basic Data Brief Description of the Survey From the results of Monthly statistical survey on tourist arrivals and overnight stays (hereinafter referred to as TU / M) we get most important information about tourism in Slovenia. That information is basic indicator of tourism flows, and therefore enjoys broad public interest. From the results of the survey we get the basic indicators of development of Slovenian tourism, which are the input source for the analysis of tourist activities in Slovenia. Observation Units The survey observes two populations; on the 1 st stage population is defined by business entities and private room givers. On the 2 nd stage survey includes population which combines all tourists who spend the night in accommodation facility within a specified period. From the observed population on the 1 st stage, there are private facilities, which can not be rented, that are excluded from population, such as secondary or vacation residences, as well as accommodation in the residences of relatives and friends. Population on the 2 nd stage (tourists) who stay in those facilities are excluded too. Observation units are business entities and private room givers which offer or provide accommodation to tourists in Slovenia. Coverage The research is based on full coverage. Every month, the survey covers approximately 1643 active businesses. The base is a list of accommodations, which we supplement with different sources: the Business Register of RS (led by AJPES), information from field, tourist accommodation establishment database on the website of Slovenian Tourism Organization and many other sources. Treshold is not applied. Reporting units get three questionnaires in the beginning of each quarter together with information letter (questionnaire for each month). Key variables The survey collects multiple values of variables, namely: number of establishments number of rooms number of beds, arrivals of tourists, overnight stays, number of days a bed was available. Key statistics Key statistics are: the number of arrivals and overnight stays by municipalities the number of arrivals and overnight stays by types of accommodation facilities the number of arrivals and overnight stays by tourist resorts the number of arrivals and overnight stays by country of residence occupancy rate of beds by type of accommodation facilities average length of stay of foreign tourists by country of residence, average length of stay of tourists by type of accommodation facilities Questionnaire The questionnaire is available on the web site: http://www.stat.si/metodologija_vpr_prikaz.asp?vpr_id=1457&pod=21&kon=016&leto=2009 3/10
1 Relevance 1.1 Rate of Missing Statistics The rate of missing statistics is 0. 2 Accuracy 2.1 Sampling Errors 2.1.1 Sampling Error There is no sampling error, because survey is based on total coverage. 2.2 Non-sampling Errors 2.2.1 Non-response errors 2.2.1.1 Unit Non-Response Rate Unit non-response rates differed by month of 2009 and it was approximately 12 %. Reporting units have according to type and categorisation of tourist establishment different capacities. Therefore it is necessary to calculate the unit non-response rate in percentage of all bed-places. Reporting units, who sent us data, represent approximately between 90 92 % of all bed-places in tourist establishments, which are included in our list or reporting units. Of approximately 1643 (August 2009) proper and active units there is a lot of seasonal, that means they do not report all year round. Research does not have systematic records of which units should report in each month and which actually do report. 2.2.1.2 Item Non-response Rates In this survey we do not have non-response rate of item, because we check all questionnaires during the editing phase if all questions are answered. Missing data are filled in with help of logical and numerical control - LK or we contact the reporting unit. Therefore only data units that have reported all required information, enter in phase of statistical processing. 2.2.1.3 Imputation Rate Since the missing variables were eliminated in stage of compilation, this indicator is not necessary to be calculated. 2.2.2 Coverage Errors 2.2.2.1 Over-coverage Errors Over-coverage errors could occur if our observed units were registrated in the activity that we observe but they would be doing some other activity that is not subject of observation. When we find out that the unit no longer offers accommodation to tourists, we exclude it from observation, so that there is no overcoverage error. Over-coverage error occurs only when arrivals and overnight stays include seasonal workers which according to methodology of research are not tourists. 4/10
2.2.2.2 Misclassification Rates Before the start of restaurant business, units - natural persons, such as room letters and farmers, self employed persons and artificial persons, had to obtain a decision on a categorization of facility, from competent administrative unit. On this basis, we classified them among the appropriate types of accommodations. In July 2007 there were some amendments to the Catering Act (OJ RS, No. 93/07). These amendments brought a lot of innovations to the part which refers to the obligation to obtain decisions before opening restaurant business. An amendment set aside the obligation to obtain these decisions, so now the units categorize themselves in accordance with Rules on Categorization of the Accommodation Facilities (OJ RS, No. 62/08); only the highest categorizations are checked later by inspectors. Classification of units by categories (types of accommodation facilities) is therefore at present, according to a statement given by the reporting unit. So far we do not have data to calculate misclassification rate, but it is predicted that in future we will have some misclassified units. 2.2.3 Measurement Errors 2.2.3.1 Editing Rate Editing rate is not calculated, because we do not keep records of corrections. 3 Timeliness and Punctuality 3.1 Timeliness 3.1.1 Timeliness of the First Release Table 3.1: Timeliness of the first statistical release Ref. period Jan.09 Feb.09 Mar.09 Apr.09 May09 Jun.09 Jul.09 Aug.09 Sep.09 Oct.09 Nov.09 Dec.09 Average Date of publication 25.2.09 25.3.09 24.4.09 25.5.09 24.6.09 24.7.09 25.8.09 25.9.09 23.10.09 25.11.09 24.12.09 25.1.10 Timelag T+25 T+25 T+24 T+25 T+24 T+24 T+25 T+25 T+23 T+25 T+24 T+25 T+25 3.1.2 Timeliness of Final Results Table 3.2: Timeliness of publication of final results Ref. period Jan.09 Feb.09 Mar.09 Apr.09 May09 Jun.09 Jul.09 Aug.09 Sep.09 Oct.09 Nov.09 Dec.09 Average Date of publication 31.3.09 29.4.09 29.5.09 30.6.09 31.7.09 31.8.09 30.09.09 30.10.09 30.11.09 30.12.09 29.1.10 1.3.10 Timelag T+59 T+60 T+59 T+61 T+61 T+62 T+61 T+60 T+61 T+60 T+60 T+60 T+60 3.2 Punctuality 3.2.1 Punctuality of the First Release Table 3.3: Punctuality of the First Release Ref. period Jan.09 Feb.09 Mar.09 Apr.09 May09 Jun.09 Jul.09 Aug.09 Sep.09 Oct.09 Nov.09 Dec.09 Average Date of announcement 25.2.09 25.3.09 24.4.09 25.5.09 24.6.09 24.7.09 25..8.09 25.9.09 23.10.09 25.11.09 24.12.09 25.1.10 Date of publication 25.2.09 25.3.09 24.4.09 25.5.09 24.6.09 24.7.09 25..8.09 25.9.09 23.10.09 25.11.09 24.12.09 25.1.10 Timelag 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/10
4 Accessibility and Clarity 4.1 Accessibility 4.1.1 Channels used for the dissemination of the results Table 4.1: Dissemination channels No.: Channel Used 1 Web Site 2 Ad hoc prepared data for users according to their specification 3 Digital media (data on diskettes, CD...) 4 Data, available through telephone answering machine NO 5 Data presented at the News Conference 6 General printed publications 7 Thematic printed publications 8 Data bases (e.g. Social Science Data Archives ) 9 Statistically protected micro data NO 4.1.2 Rate of Used Channels The share of used channels was 77. 8%. 4.1.3 Means used for the dissemination of the results Table 4.2: Means of dissemination No.: Mean Used 1.1 SORS Web Site 1.2 Web Sites of the institutions within the Slovene statistical system NO 1.3 Data bases, accessible through internet (SDB, SISTAT PC AXIS) 1.4 Web Sites of international organizations 1.5 Thematic Web Sites (e.g. Census 2002) 2.1 Written requests 2.2 Telephone requests 3.1 CD, diskettes, disks NO 3.2 Mediation of data via the net (e-mail, protocols) 4.1 Data, available from the telephone answering machine NO 5.1 Data, presented at the News Conference 6.1 Yearbook 6.2 Slovenia in Figures 6.3 Some Important Data on the Republic of Slovenia 6.4 Monthly Statistical Review of the Republic of Slovenia 7.1 First Release 7.2 Rapid Reports NO 7.3 Results of Surveys NO Special (e.g. Review on transport movements) and occasional (e.g. 7.4 Censuses in Slovenia 1948-1991) publications 6/10
7.5 Eurostat publications 7.6 Publications of other international organizations (OECD, IMF) 8.1 Data bases, intended for internal use at SORS 8.2 Bases, accessible also to other users than those within SORS 4.1.4 Rate of Means Used The share of used dissemination means amounted to 77.3%. 4.2 Clarity 4.2.1 Results Presented Absolute data and data on the average age of stay of tourists are published in publication Statistical Yearbook; some of key variables are shown graphically. Absolute data are published in SI-STAT data base. 4.2.2 Level (Detail) of Presentation Data are shown together for all business entities and private room letters providing or arranging accommodation facilities in Slovenia. Results are shown separately for: hotels, motels, boarding houses, inns, overnight accommodations, holiday dwellings, mountain huts, company vacation facilities, vacation facilities for youth, campsites, tourist farms with accommodation, private rooms and dwellings, other vacation facilities, other accommodation facilities, temporary accommodation facilities and marinas. Data are also shown by type of location: the capital city of Ljubljana, health resorts, seaside resorts, mountain resorts, the other tourist resorts and other places. We also show data according to country of residence of foreign tourists. 5 Comparability 5.1 Comparability over Time 5.1.1 Length of Comparable Time Series Time series calculated at the current methodology for information on rooms and beds and for arrivals and overnight stays of domestic and foreign tourists, are available since 1960. Monthly data on arrivals and overnight stays are available even from 1949. By the end of 2009, both time series (time series for the availability of rooms and beds, and time series for overnight stays) are 50 years long, so the value of comparability of time series length is 50 x 12 = 600. 5.1.2 Breaks in Time Series There are no major breaks in the time series. 5.2 Geographical Comparability 5.2.1 Comparability with Other Members of the European Statistical System In 1995, the Council of the European Union adopted, on the field of tourism statistics, Council Directive no. 1995/57 (EC) concerning collection of statistical data on tourism which in parts A and B specifies the extent and accuracy of information on the tourist suppy side, part C refers to the tourist demand. In addition, the Commission Decision EC No. 1999/34 complied with the procedures set out for the 7/10
implementation of the directive. In addition, the EC Commission Decision No. 1999/34 takes into account the procedures set out for the implementation of the directive. TU/M survey in whole follows those directives and decisions and methodological guide for the measurement of tourist attractions created by Eurostat and UNWTO. Even the methodology follows the Directive, the rate of harmozation of methodology between countris in not completed, because of some dispersal among countries in adopted definitions (treshold, coverate of private accommodation etc.). 5.3 Seasonal Adjustment There are no seasonal adjustments since 2006. Previously, publication Statistical inforamtions, monthly published seasonally adjusted indexes of overnight stays of tourists. 6 Coherence 6.1 Coherence between Provisional and Final Data 6.1.1 Coherence between Provisional and Final Data Table 6.1(a) Coherence between Provisional and Final Data for data: tourist arrivals Ref. period Jan.09 Feb.09 Mar.09 Apr.09 May09 Jun.09 Jul.09 Aug.09 Sep.09 Oct.09 Nov.09 Dec.09 Average Provisional data 143.200 134.335 155.194 189.197 217.053 243.127 344.537 416.259 241.318 203.714 140.895 160.113 Final data 146.736 157.019 160.084 196.342 231.558 253.836 358.877 435.384 257.552 211.868 147.013 165.733 Accordance 1,0247 1,1689 1,0315 1,0378 1,0668 1,0440 1,0416 1,0459 1,0673 1,0400 1,0434 1,0351 1,0539 Table 6.1(b) Coherence between Provisional and Final Data for data: overnight stays Ref. period Jan.09 Feb.09 Mar.09 Apr.09 May09 Jun.09 Jul.09 Aug.09 Sep.09 Oct.09 Nov.09 Dec.09 Average Provisional data 490.176 449.013 456.241 523.356 586.941 759.397 1.210.264 1.363.059 715.242 559.758 388.001 436.772 Final data 503.349 509.065 470.263 537.965 625.154 777.636 1.259.273 1.433.779 752.549 578.948 404.659 449.591 Accordance 1,0269 1,1337 1,0307 1,0279 1,0651 1,0240 1,0405 1,0519 1,0522 1,0343 1,0429 1,0293 1,0466 Comments: Final results are published on the websites of the Office in its publication Accommodation facilities, tourist arrivals and overnight stays, Slovenia - detailed information (SI-STAT). By the end of 2005, the final results were published in the monthly publication of statistical information too. 6.2 Coherence with the Results of the Reference Survey 6.2.1 Reference Survey Source for comparison: compliance of results with the reference survey, which are send to Eurostat by neighboring countries: Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Compared variables: Overnight stays of foreign tourists 6.2.2 Coherence with Reference Data Table 6.2(a): Overnight stays of foreign tourists from selected countries, 2009 (according to Eurostat data on the travels of the survey population) 8/10
Countries Private and business trips ( minimum of 1 night) Austria 631.714 Hungary 61.200 * Italia 378.397 * Croatia 617.052 * Last available data are for year 2008. Source: Eurostat. Table 6.2 (b): Arrivals of foreign tourists from selected countries, 2009 (according to the tourist accommodation statistics, TU / M) Countries Private and business trips ( minimum of 1 night) Austria 613.069 Hungary 141.333 * Italia 906.369 * Croatia 250.516 * Data for 2008 because of comparison with the Table 6.2 (a). Source: SORS, TU/M. Comments: methodology of tourist accommodation statistics and of survey on travels of domestic population, are not comparable, thus not between themselves and not between countries. The first is survey, which covers all tourist accommodations, and in which informations on arrivals and overnight stays are reported by reception report on their own records. Research on travels of domestic population is sample survey (of households) whit one of the research result - number of trips by target country. In the second survey we monitor overnight stays in free (private) accommodation facilities such as their own vacation homes, their friends of family s homes which are excluded in survey of the tourist accommodation statistics. Despite large, previously mentioned, methodological differences (listed are only the most immediate) comparison in table 6.2 is reasonable. 7 Costs and Burdens 7.1 Survey Costs of the Office Table 7.1: Survey costs TU/M for SORS, 2009 Number of working hours spent 5.429 h Number of reporting units 1.643 Frequency monthly Number of questionnaries per year 21.000 7.2 Costs and Burden of Reporting Units Table 7.2: Time spent by reporting units to report their data to SORS, 2009 9/10
Number of reporting units Average time spent by a reporting unit per year Total time spent (hour) 1.643 11 h 18.073 h Comments: As indicator of burden of reporting units we estimated time spent by reporting units to complete questionnaires in one year. Time spend by reporting unit for data preparation, completing questionnaires, verifying accuracy of the data etc. is dependent on the type of research object, (hotels, motels, boarding houses, private accommodations, etc..) further depends on seasonality in summer and winter season each RU consumes considerably more time, because there is more data on arrivals and overnight stays to report, on the other hand, in addition to the seasonal nature of RU activity, some RU provide information only 3 times a year, since the remaining months their facilities are closed. The average rating is a weighted amount of time spent on the type of tourist accommodation, where the weight is number of establishments. That fact that some units report only a few times a year, is taken into account so that we reduce the overall estimate by 10%. 10/10