Tourism is on course to thwart humanity’s efforts to reach a zero carbon economy because of its high growth rates and carbon intensity. To get out of its carbon predicament, the tourism sector needs professionals with carbon literacy and carbon capability. Providing future professionals in the full spectrum of tourism-related study programmes with the necessary knowledge and skills is essential. This article reports on ten years of experience at a BSc tourism programme with a carbon footprint exercise in which students calculate the carbon footprint of their latest holiday, compare their results with others and reflect on options to reduce emissions. Before they start, the students are provided with a handout with emission factors, a brief introduction and a sample calculation. The carbon footprints usually differ by a factor of 20 to 30 between the highest and lowest. Distance, transport mode and length of stay are almost automatically identified as the main causes, and as the main keys for drastically reducing emissions. The link to the students’ own experience makes the exercise effective, the group comparison makes it fun. As the exercise requires no prior knowledge and is suitable for almost any group size, it can be integrated into almost any tourism-related study programme.
DOCUMENT
This study, part of an R&D project with Dutch tour operators, assessed Dutch consumer preferences towards a carbon label for holiday trips. A general survey (n = 504) assessed the perceived importance of a CO 2 label to consumers. To determine the preferred design, two focus groups (n = 15) followed by a panel study (n = 1246) were performed. Finally, a pilot study (n = 100) assessed potential effects of the label on attitude and booking intention. The general survey's results indicate that a carbon label could impact on the travel choice of some Dutch travellers, when label information is explicit, understandable and simply designed. The focus groups in combination with the panel study showed that Dutch consumers prefer a recognisable carbon label, similar to the EU energy label. The pilot study revealed that consumers' attitudes increased significantly, but that intention to book was not significantly affected for the group that was shown the carbon label. These findings contribute to understanding consumer attitudes towards tourism eco and carbon labels, and their content and design. Implementation of a carbon label for tour packages still requires a number of barriers to be resolved. Sustainability remains a low priority during holiday decision-making.
LINK
PBL is the initiator of the Work Programme Monitoring and Management Circular Economy 2019-2023, a collaboration between CBS, CML, CPB, RIVM, TNO, UU. Holidays and mobility are part of the consumption domains that PBL researches, and this project aims to calculate the environmental gains per person per year of the various circular behavioural options for both holiday behaviour and daily mobility. For both behaviours, a range of typical (default) trips are defined and for each several circular option explored for CO2 emissions, Global warming potential and land use. The holiday part is supplied by the Centre for Sustainability, Tourism and Transport (CSTT) of the BUas Academy of Tourism (AfT). The mobility part is carried out by the Urban Intelligence professorship of the Academy for Built Environment and Logistics (ABEL).The research question is “what is the environmental impact of various circular (behavioural) options around 1) holidays and 2) passenger mobility?” The consumer perspective is demarcated as follows:For holidays, transportation and accommodation are included, but not food, attractions visited and holiday activitiesFor mobility, it concerns only the circular options of passenger transport and private means of transport (i.e. freight transport, business travel and commuting are excluded). Not only some typical trips will be evaluated, but also the possession of a car and its alternatives.For the calculations, we make use of public databases, our own models and the EAP (Environmental Analysis Program) model developed by the University of Groningen. BUAs projectmembers: Centre for Sustainability, Tourism and Transport (AT), Urban Intelligence (ABEL).
This project extends the knowledge and scope of carbon footprinting in tourism. Currently, the carbon footprint of holidaymakers is available as time-series based on the CVO (Continue Vakantie Onderzoek) for the years 2002, 2005 and all between 2008 and 2018. For one year, 2009, a report has also been written about inbound tourism. The carbon footprint of business travel has not been determined, whereas there has been considerable interest throughout the years from businesses to assess and mitigate their travel footprints. There is also increasing policy attention for travel footprints. In 2018, a modified setup of the CVO caused the need to revise our statistical model and correction factors to be developed to counter the potential effects of a trend-breach. The project aimed to check and improve the current syntax for Dutch holidaymakers, adjust the one for inbound tourism, and develop a new one for Dutch business travel. The project output includes a report on the carbon footprint of Dutch holidaymakers for 2018, on inbound tourism for 2014, and on Dutch business travel for 2016, based on the CVO, inbound tourim dataset, and CZO. The project ends with a workshop with stakeholders to identify the way forward in tourism carbon footprinting in the Netherlands (tools, applications, etc.)Project partners: NRIT Research, NBTC-NIPO Research, CBS
A CO2 analysis was made of the CBS Holiday Survey, on the impact of domestic holidays.Societal issueContribution to and impacts from climate change.Benefit to societyCO2-insights can better inform policymakers on how to support more sustainable choices and create climate proof policy in tourism.
