Maj Eriksson, Statistics Sweden

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Border surveys how to do and how not to
or to do or not to do

• Maj Eriksson, Statistics Sweden
• maj.eriksson_at_scb.se
• Peter Terpstra, Swedish Tourist Authority
• peter.terpstra_at_tourist.se

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Agenda

• Incoming Visitors to Sweden background
• Method
• Our experiences
• Methodological
• User value
• Major results

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Background

• Accommodation statistics since 1978
• 1999 - Swedish Tourist Authority decides to
  finance boarder survey

• For better estimations and analysis on incoming
  tourism
• Better basis for decision-making
• To calculate the economic impact
• Economic comparisons between categories of
  tourists

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The IBIS study - Incoming Visitors to Sweden

• July 2000 to June 2003
• Over 45 000 interviews

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Method

• Interviews at 11 boarder crossing points
• Only foreign visitors
• At departure
• Overnight- and day visitors

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• Sample in several steps
• Interviewing shifts
• One of two sampling methods was chosen
• Questionnaire in twelve languages
• Filled out by interviewer
• Could be handed over to the visitor
• Database to users

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Experiences - methodological

• Length of interview
• Language difficulties
• Practical circumstances
• The long land borders

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Experiences - methodological

• Length of interview
• Language difficulties
• Practical circumstances
• The long land borders
• Costly process

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User Value

• Major users/owners
• Distribution of results
• Reports/publications
• Significant value for The Swedish Tourist
  Authority
• Need for regional data
• Need for additional data

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Major results
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Major results
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Major results
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Major results
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Major results
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Finally

• Is it possible to get a complete picture of the
  incoming tourism?
• Does it exist more effective and efficient
  methods to conduct these kind of surveys to lower
  costs and with the same high quality and user
  value?