Weitere Informationen unter:
https://www.zhaw.ch/de/lsfm/institute-zentren/iunr/tourismus-und-nachhaltige-entwicklung/
https://www.zhaw.ch/de/lsfm/institute-zentren/iunr/nachhaltigkeits-transformation/geography-of-food

Gantenbein, Basil

Gruber, Simone

Trachsel, Sonja

ZHAW digitalcollection (Zurich Univ.  of Applied Sciences)

Climate protection in tourism and leisure activities : insights from a tourists’ perspective

ZHAW digitalcollection

Climate Protection in Tourism and Leisure Activities Insights from a Tourists’ PerspectiveSonja Trachsela, Simone Grubera, Basil Gantenbeinb, January 2019The tourism sector is estimated to contribute some 5% to global CO2 emissions and is itself  highly sensitive to the impacts of  climate change (UNWTO, UNEP, & WMO, 2008). In order to reduce global warming, action at the policy level and also in the tourism industry itself  are needed (Scott, Gössling, Hall, & Peeters, 2015). The myclimate «Cause We Care» initiative offers the opportunity to offset carbon gas emissions generated by a wide range of  tourism activities (excluding aviation) and fosters at the same time sustainability activities in local tourism businesses. The principal idea is that tourists and tourism businesses act together to reduce greenhouse gases and make tourism more ecologically sustainable (see Figure 1).Research Questions• How do tourists evaluate the use of  their contribution to climate protection as part of  the myclimate «Cause We Care» initiative (see Figure 1)?• Which payment modalities would tourists prefer to use to contribute to the «Cause We Care» initiative?Methodology1. Online survey via newsletters published by tourism enterprises participating in the «Cause We Care» initiative analysed questionnaires 6612. Face-to-face survey at three enterprises (mountain railway, cable car, thermal spa) involved in the «Cause We Care» initiative analysed questionnaires 113Half of the tourists’ contributions to climate protection and sustainability are used in carbon offsetting projects operated by the myclimate foundation. These projects often involve climate protection activities in developing countries. The other half  are used for sustainability activities in tourism enterprises participating in «Cause We Care». This split use of the guests’ contribution is appreciated by the respondents (see Figure 2). The approval of this split use suggests that a higher acceptance for carbon offsetting can be achieved by a dual approach involving combined global and local climate protection measures; this in comparison to the usual offsetting approach comprising mainly international activities.ReferencesScott, D., Gössling, S., Hall, C. M., & Peeters, P. (2015). Can tourism be part of the decarbonized global economy? The costs and risks of alternate carbon reduction policy pathways. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 24(1), 52–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2015.1107080UNWTO, UNEP, & WMO. (2008). Climate Change and Tourism: Responding to Global Challenges. In Climate Change and Tourism. Madrid: UNWTO. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-1718-8Results and DiscussionRespondents could rate different payment modalities for the «Cause We Care»-contribution for climate protection and sustainability. They most preferred the “carbon offsetting by default" option (see Figure 3). The most frequently mentioned reason for this answer was that only if carbon offsetting/«Cause We Care»-contribution is fully integrated into the price of a tourism activity would guests pay it. Nevertheless, they agreed that price transparency of the climate contribution is also important. In the examined cases, the price of the carbon offsetting was relatively low. This presumably contributed to the preference for “carbon offsetting by default”. These low fees probably explained why “carbon offsetting and possibility for withdrawal” was considered a poorer option (see Figure 3).Figure 2 Respondents’ answers on how to use their contribution for climate protection and sustainability (N=626)Figure 1 Basic idea and mechanism of the initiative for climate protection and sustainability myclimate «Cause We Care». Source: myclimateVery good Quite good Neither good nor bad Quite bad Very bad8%26%23%55%12%22%26%15%28%15%22%8%18%16%12%7%35%20%17%16%Carbon offsetting by defaultCarbon offsetting by default and possibility for withdrawalCarbon offsetting by default with verbal indication at the desk and possibility for withdrawalVoluntary carbon offsetting only on requestFigure 3 Respondents’ ratings of different payment modalities for contributions to climate protection and sustainability (N=113)ConclusionAs the respondents accepted the idea of carbon offsetting for tourism activities in general and even for a carbon offsetting by default, it raises the question: Would there be more possibilities for similar carbon offsetting mechanisms when purchasing consumer goods where the emission of greenhouse gases could not otherwise be avoided, e.g. in the nutrition, textiles, furniture industries?Furthermore, the preference for the split use of the «Cause We Care» contribution for myclimate projects and for activities in the local tourism enterprise indicates that sustainability initiatives in the tourism sector may gain further credence if they were operated in cooperation with organisations known for sustainability and climate protection expertise.a) ZHAW Institut für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen; b) myclimate10%8%21%61%How my contribution to climate protection is used does not matter to me – the main thing is that I can enjoy climate-neutral leisure activities and holidays.I think my total contribution should be used for sustainability activities in the local tourism enterpriseI think my total contribution should be used for myclimate projects that protect the environment I approve of the proposed mechanism that means half of my contributions are used for myclimate projects and halffor activities in the local tourism enterprise

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Climate protection in tourism and leisure activities : insights from a tourists’ perspective

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