Global trends in length of stay: implications for destination management and climate change |
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| Authors: | Stefan Gössling Daniel Scott C Michael Hall |
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| Institution: | 1. Western Norway Research Institute, Sogndal, Norway;2. Service Management and Service Studies, Lund University, Helsingborg, Sweden;3. sgo@vestforsk.no;5. Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada;6. Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand;7. Department of Geography, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland |
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| Abstract: | AbstractLength-of-stay (LOS) is a key parameter in destination management that determines the number of guest nights relative to arrival numbers, with concomitant repercussions for revenue generation and other performance indicators. This article investigates the development of LOS for 32 destinations in developed and emerging economies as well as Small Islands and Developing States (SIDS). The analysis is based on UNWTO data for 478.5 million international tourist arrivals, or about 40% of the global total in 2015, for the years 1995–2015. Results show considerable differences in LOS between destinations, with a global trend of falling LOS, by 14.8% over the study period. However, in individual destination countries, LOS was found to be increasing. Analyses of LOS trends reveal that these can neither be explained by distance–decay relationships nor business to leisure arrival ratios. Results are discussed with regard for destination management and revenue optimisation, transport infrastructure needs, as well as sector greenhouse gas emissions. |
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| Keywords: | Climate change destination management length of stay optimisation transport capacity greenhouse gas emissions |
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