Agenda 2030 SDGs: an indicator-based toolkit to measure sustainability in tourism

Agenda 2030 provides a comprehensive frame for the analysis of sustainable tourism, adressing issues such as economic inequality, socio-cultural heritage, climate change, and biodiversity, in the perspective of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Agenda 2030 calls for reliable, valid, and tested indicators to measure and monitor the accomplishment of each Goal. The role of the sustainable tourism indicators (STIs) is crucial to measure the impacts of tourism on long-term sustainability. Nevertheless, linking STIs to the framework of the SDGs is still a challenge. In addressing this gap, the present study proposes an innovative classification of a wide array of STIs by each SDG. It offers an indicator-based toolkit to measure and monitor the role of sustainable tourism in achieving each SDG and to assess policies/strategies affecting tourism sustainability. The result is a total of 262 STIs matched to the 17 SDGs and classified through several analytical categories, including: sustainability issue, SDG target, stakeholder perspective, data source, data feature, geographical area, and reference. This study provides decision-makers, researchers, and practitioners with a versatile instrument to support evidence-based policy-making and strategic planning in tourism governance.