UN Tourism was in Sligo (Ireland) for the official launch of the Atlantic Sustainable Tourism Observatory – Ireland (ASTOI).

Accredited to the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), the opening of the observatory demonstrates Ireland's commitment to sustainability in the tourism sector. On this occasion, the UN Tourism delegation met with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaelic Affairs, Sports and Media Ms Catherine Martin to discuss the latest developments in tourism sustainability and resilience and the importance of collective action. To face the planetary crisis together.

The observatory will work closely with destinations in the Atlantic Coast, Islands and Heartlands region to ensure environmental protection, socio-economic development and cultural preservation, as well as monitoring, evaluation and promotion of sustainable tourism initiatives. It demonstrates a commitment to evidence-based, participatory and transparent decision-making.

The observatory will monitor 11 central issues covering all three dimensions of sustainability, including climate change, water, wastewater and energy management, satisfaction and accessibility of local populations.

About INSTO

The UN Tourism Sustainable Tourism Observatories Network (INSTO) is a network of tourism observatories that monitor the economic, environmental and social impact of tourism at the destination level. It is an initiative rooted in UN Tourism's long-standing commitment to sustainable and sustainable growth of the sector through measurement and monitoring activities to support evidence-based tourism management. ASTOI joined the INSTO network at the annual meeting of network members in November 2023 in Madrid.