6.9. For the analysis of production and production processes, the establishment is the most suitable unit from which to gather data, for tourism statistics as well as the TSA and System of National Accounts. As indicated in Box VI.1, “establishment” is defined as “an enterprise, or part of an enterprise, that is situated in a single location and in which only a single productive activity is carried out, or in which the principal productive activity accounts for most of the value added”.
6.10. Establishments are where visitors are actually served, and in this regard, analysis usually encompasses a geographical dimension: restaurants belonging to a chain, for instance, will receive greater or lesser visitor flows depending on where precisely they are located, even within a city.
Similarly, establishments belonging to the same hotel chain but situated in different parts of a country – in its capital city, at the beach or at other resort locations – will each receive different categories of customer and be subject to different types of seasonality.
6.11. In the case of transport (excluding local transport), however, visitors are served by establishments that are not truly relevant, as they consist mainly of ticket offices. However, management is usually centralized and information can be given, if needed, for all origins and destinations, which is what matters. In this specific case, the relevant unit might be the enterprise.