Can tourism be part of the decarbonized global economy? The costs and risks of alternate carbon reduction policy pathways

Global leaders agree on the need to substantially decarbonize the global economy by 2050. This paper compares potential costs associated with different policy pathways to achieve tourism sector emission reduction ambitions (?50% by 2035) and transform the sector to be part of the mid-century decarbonized economy (?70% by 2050). Investment in emissions abatement within the tourism sector, combined with strategic external carbon offsets, was found to be approximately 5% more cost effective over the period 2015–2050 than exclusive reliance on offsetting. The cost to achieve the ?50% target through abatement and strategic offsetting, while significant, represents less than 0.1% of the estimated global tourism economy in 2020 and 3.6% in 2050. Distributed equally among all tourists (international and domestic), the cost of a low-carbon tourism sector is estimated at US$11 per trip, equivalent to many current travel fees or taxes. Exclusive reliance on offsetting would expose the sector to extensive and continued carbon liability costs beyond mid-century and could be perceived as climate inaction, increasing reputational risks and the potential for less efficient regulatory interventions that could hinder sustainable tourism development. Effective tourism sector leadership is needed to develop a strategic tourism policy framework and emission measurement and reporting system.     

Policy Environment for the Tourism Sector's Adaptation to Climate Change in the South Pacific – The Case of Samoa

Samoa and its neighbouring Pacific Island Countries are highly vulnerable to climate change risks because their population and infrastructure are mostly located on low-lying coastal areas. Impacts of climate change are potentially disastrous to tourism, the major economic sector in the region. This research examines the conduciveness of the policy environment in Samoa for the tourism sector to adapt to climate change along three dimensions: stakeholders’ will and commitment, resources available, and policy-making mechanisms [Wong, E.P.Y., Mistilis, N., & Dwyer, L. (2011). A framework for analyzing intergovernmental collaboration – the case of ASEAN tourism. Tourism Management, 32, 367–376]. Samoa is used as an exemplar case study to understand how the Pacific island tourism sector can best adapt to climate change. It was found that the policy environment in Samoa is generally conducive. However, there is a strong need for closer public–private cooperation.     

The decarbonisation impasse: global tourism leaders’ views on climate change mitigation

Abstract

The Paris Climate Agreement is based on pledges from 195 countries to substantially reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) to prevent dangerous climate change. The tourism sector has likewise pledged to reduce its GHG emissions (?70% by 2050); however, current emission trends would result in a tripling in the same timeframe. In order to understand how the sector understands the decarbonisation challenge, 17 senior tourism leaders were interviewed with regard to their perspectives on the risks and opportunities associated with climate change impacts and action. Respondents affirmed that the climate is already changing, fuelled by human activities, including tourism, and that its impacts on society and tourism will be largely negative and devastating in some regions. Opinion was divided regarding mitigation timelines, the compatibility of continued tourism growth with Paris Climate Agreement decarbonisation goals, and the role of technology and governance in reducing emissions. The paper examines leaders’ perspectives in terms of “belief systems” that interpret information in decision-making, as well as forms of agnogenesis; this is, the fabrication of uncertainty to justify non-action. Belief systems and agnogenesis are thought to represent important barriers to progress on the decarbonisation of tourism, as they are for the global low-carbon transition.     

Can the North American ski industry attain climate resiliency? A modified Delphi survey on transformations towards sustainable tourism

As global temperatures increase, does accelerating climate change represent an existential crisis or a manageable challenge for the ski industry? Despite considerable evidence demonstrating the global ski industry is in the early stages of a climate-induced transition, global research on ski industry stakeholder perspectives shows varied levels of climate risk awareness, a focus on future vulnerability, and limited engagement in adaptation. Within North America, research has focussed on the physical climatic impacts to ski operations and possible skier responses, yet there lacks insight into industry perceptions on current and future climate vulnerability. This study fills this important knowledge gap using a Delphi survey to engage 52 leaders from across the continent in a dialogue on strategic climate responsiveness. Results demonstrate North American ski industry leaders’ climate risk perceptions range widely, and opinions diverge over if or how to respond at both an industry and destination scale. Simultaneously, industry experts believe mountain tourists increasingly value nature-based activities, place-bound products, and corporate responsibility. Analysing industry leaders’ responses through Enlightened Stakeholder theory highlights how aligning supply-side environmental management with demand-side tourist experiences may create opportunities for new partnerships, innovations, policies, and strategies needed to achieve climate-resilient and sustainable futures.     

国际旅游科学研究新热点:全球气候变化对旅游业影响研究

伴随着全球气候变化科学研究的兴起,近年来全球气候变化对旅游业的影响逐渐成为国际旅游科学研究的新热点。本文划分了气候变化与旅游业研究阶段,按照响应—适应—缓解的系统流程,从全球气候变化对旅游目的地、旅游流、旅游者心理与行为、旅游产业系统的影响以及旅游活动对气候变化的缓解与适应等5个方面进行了综述。最后,总结归纳了国际气候变化对旅游业影响研究的一些基本特点,以期为我国在此领域的研究提供一些有益的启示。     

The impacts of Australia's departure tax: Tourism versus the economy?

This study estimates the flow and expenditure effects of the recent increase in Australia's Passenger Movement Charge (PMC), as well as the economic impacts on the Australian economy and the tourism industry. After discussing the nature of the PMC, it outlines the types of industry stakeholder concerns as to its effects on tourism both before and after the recent increase. It then presents a framework developed by the authors that can be used to distinguish the effects of the increased PMC on the wider economy and on different tourism markets. A computable general equilibrium model is then used to estimate the economic impacts of the increased charge on different Australian tourism markets – inbound, outbound and domestic. The implications of the modelling results for the validity of the industry criticisms of the PMC are discussed. The results confirm that the tourism industry will suffer, though it also indicates that the Australian economy will gain – thus there is a clash between the industry and wider economic interests. The types of issues addressed in this paper can inform policy making regarding the gainers and losers from departure tax increases in tourism destinations generally.     

Taking the Classroom into the Real World

Abstract

The increase in number of international tourist arrivals, the holding of the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, and a solid domestic tourism industry has had an effect on the meetings, incentive, convention, and exhibition (MICE) industry in Australia, worth A$7 billion in 1996/1997. To meet this increasing demand from the industry to train professionals for the tourism and hospitality industry, some institutions are offering specialized subjects to prepare students for employment in the MICE industry. One of the inherent problems in teaching such a subject is to introduce a practical and experiential element. This has been addressed successfully over the past two years by offering students an opportunity to take part as delegates attending a specifically designed conference while spending a night at one of the many 5-star international hotel properties with convention facilities on the Gold Coast. In 1999, 135 students stayed at an international 5-star hotel, with the hotel cooperating with the university to provide a full-day conference on conference management, including hotel inspections and workshops. Students were assessed on their experiences at the hotel with the completion of a semester report and a questionnaire on the perceptions of their stay. Almost three-fourths of the students surveyed responded that they had benefited from the visit by being able to apply theoretical concepts to real life scenarios and that this enhanced their individual understanding of the subject.     

The impact of seasonality on tourism and hospitality operations in the alpine region of New South Wales,Australia

Despite the recognized importance of seasonality for tourism businesses, there has been a distinct lack of studies undertaken in the past that discuss the impact of seasonality on alpine accommodation resorts, and more specifically that focus on an Australian location. The main purpose of this study was to examine whether or not the Australian alpine accommodation providers and ski operations have been significantly impacted by the issue of seasonality and to determine more specifically, had there been industry pressure placed on them to become all season operations? For this study, a total of 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers of hospitality businesses located in the sub-alpine region of Jindabyne, and nearby alpine areas of Perisher and Thredbo in New South Wales, Australia. Study results indicated that the majority of managers acknowledged the fact that there has been an increase in the number of summer visitors each year which has pressured them to make changes to their operations. They conceded that such activity has served to reinforce a ‘stand alone’ mindset which was still prevalent amongst the majority of the managers in the region.     

政策工具与产业链视角下我国展览政策文本量化研究

如何使政策工具进一步助力我国展览业的转型升级,发挥其在资源配置方面的重要作用,是学界当下迫切需要进行系统性研究的课题。本文在基于所构建的政策工具-展览产业链二维分析框架的基础上,利用词频分析软件ROST CM6和质性研究软件Nvivo10.0对1975年至2019年我国国家层面与展览业密切相关的167份政策文本进行了内容分析。主要研究结论有:(1)展览业政策工具体系有待进一步改进与完善。其中,环境型政策工具过溢,供给型和需求型政策工具不足,政策工具在产业链各环节分布明显失衡等问题突出。(2)展览业政策主题发生转移,服务是未来的主旋律。本研究利用政策工具-展览产业链二维分析框架对展览政策对展览产业的作用机制进行了深入研究,以期为展览业以及其他新兴产业的政策制定与完善提供理论参考与借鉴。     

Role of Intangible Assets in Foreign-Market Entry-Mode Decisions: A Longitudinal Study of American Lodging Firms

With the traditional research-based view approach to entry mode that examines the firm's strategies from its resource endowment and deployment (i.e., an inside-out view of the firm), which is different from the earlier paradigms (i.e., an outside-in view of the firm), this article investigates intangibles at the firm level and their impact on the choice of foreign-market entry mode to understand how to create value overseas. From the multinomial logistic regression analyses with data collected from the lodging industry between 1995 and 2005, the results of this study suggest that as marketing capital increases, entry mode seems to move from acquisition to joint venture to greenfield to contractual modes. In the case of employee efficiency, as human capital increases entry mode tends to move from joint venture to acquisition to greenfield to contractual modes, whereas in the case of top managers' efficiency, entry mode tends to move from joint venture to acquisition to contractual mode to greenfield, respectively.     

旅游业的投资需求与对策研究

本文分析了固定资产投资对中国旅游业产业发展的影响,探讨了中国旅游业今后20年发展成为世界旅游强国所必需的资金投入,论证了固定资产投资是旅游业发展的主要推动力之一。在论述旅游投资趋势变化和现行投资机制缺陷的基础上,提出了扩大旅游投资的新定位、新政策、新手段和新机制。