Department for Culture Media and Sport
guidance and methods
For credibility and in order to be useful, statistics need to be produced to common standards and to consistent definitions. This is to ensure that data are comparable between areas or subjects, as well as over time.
Some of our statistics are designated “national statistics”, which means they must meet the “Framework for National Statistics” (PDF 168kb), the “National Statistics code of practice” (PDF 220kb) and its 12 supporting protocols.
We work to ensure that all our work meets these high standards, which ensure relevance, quality, integrity and freedom from political interference.
In addition, a key part of DCMS's role in the development and coordination of statistics is to ensure that workable common frameworks exist.
The DCMS evidence toolkit (DET)
The DCMS evidence toolkit (DET) is an interactive web-based guide to accessing and using information about the cultural sector (including sport and tourism).
It does not impose a "one size fits all" model for the development and use of statistics. Rather, it:
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Establishes a blue print for the analysis of the cultural sector by outlining standard conceptual and technical definitions
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Provides a reference point on how to use key data sources for a range of purposes
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Outlines best practice measures for researching in this sector
The DET has grown out of a consultation process, engaging representatives from a range of bodies such as regional cultural consortia (RCCs), public bodies, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and regional development agencies (RDAs).
detresponse@culture.gov.uk is a dedicated email address for comments and feedback on the framework.
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Tourism Satellite Accounts
Tourism is a challenging sector on which to derive statistics since businesses serving tourists also serve local people. Therefore it is not straight forward to estimate how much of business sectors' revenue and how many jobs are due to tourist expenditure.
In response to this fundamental issue, a methodology called a Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) was developed. This has the backing of the relevant international organisations, namely the UN, Eurostat, OECD and the World Tourism Organisation.
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Local Area Tourism Model guidance
In 1998 DCMS issued guidance for local authorities regarding selection of Local Area Tourism Models and the advice remains pertinent:
Further advice was issued jointly by the Tourism Management Institute and English Tourism Council in the Destination Management Handbook. This can be accessed via the icon at the foot of the Tourism Management Institute homepage.
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Tourism Statistics European methodology
All member states of the European Union are required to produce a minimum set of data according to a common set of standards. This is detailed in this document summarising the European Union tourism statistics requirement (PDF 67kb).
This methodological guide according to which the data must be produced, as well as reports based on this data can be accessed via the Europa website's tourism publications page.
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