Portfolio analysis (pfa) as a strategic tool for tourism policy: an integrated analysis of overnight data

Portfolio Analysis (PFA) as a strategic tool

for tourism policy: an integrated analysis of

overnight data

Peter Laimer and Juergen Weiss

Abstract

Purpose – The present paper aims mainly to target policy makers in the tourism industry. It seeks to give

an overview about using the Portfolio Analysis (PFA) as a tool for analysing tourism flows based on the

official accommodation statistics of Statistics Austria, which is electronically available for a 35-year time

series, for more than 1,600 communes, for 15 kinds of accommodation establishments and for more

than 60 markets.

Design/methodology/approach – Large quantitative data sets deliver a holistic picture of tourism

developments by taking several describing variables into account. Multivariate scatter plots using static

and dynamic indicators are used as graphical illustration of these data sets.

Findings – Based on this comprehensive data set it turns out that the use of portfolio matrices is a useful

tool for doing detailed and multidimensional analysis of the available data. Portfolio matrices may be

focused on specific questions regarding the status quo of a region or the development of selected

markets. In contrast to traditional methods of constituting and publishing tourism statistical data PFA fills

potential information gaps by focusing on different variables considering a respective period of time.

The paper presents example results for Austria, by using tourism flow, positioning and benchmark

analysis.

Research limitations/implications – The results concern data of the official statistics on overnights

and arrivals. However, the approach might be used for similar work concentrating on alternative data

sets.

Practical implications – The main user’s value is receiving information obtained by integrated

statistical data. This information is graphically illustrated and therefore easy to interpret, although it is

based on highly integrated data of high quality and internal consistency. Depending on the field of

interest various combinations of data presentations are feasible.

Originality/value – The paper contributes to the general problem of bringing theoretical models closer

to decision maker’s needs. It fills potential information gaps of what official statistics are capable of

delivering and what is indeed requested by decision makers.

Keywords Data analysis, Portfolio management, Tourism, Tourism management, Austria

Paper type Technical

Introduction

Statistical data on arrivals and overnights have been collected by Statistics Austria for more

than 100 years; these data have been electronically available since the early 1970s and

consist of a rather widespread number of variables. This information on tourism may be

presented in various ways.

In general data are simply presented by tables that provide information related to

development over time (time-series) or show the most recent situation by analyzing various

variables. However, in most cases the information is available in one or two dimensions and

does not show the interlinkages between various variables.

DOI 10.1108/16605370910948830 VOL. 64 NO. 1 2009, pp. 17-31, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1660-5373 j TOURISM REVIEW j PAGE 17

Peter Laimer is Deputy

Director and Juergen Weiss

is Adviser Tourism

Statistics, both at the

Directorate Spatial

Statistics, Statistics Austria,

Vienna, Austria.

Received: 12 October 2007

Revised: 22 July 2008

Accepted: 10 October 2008