Destinations should measure and manage their carbon footprint to show
progress in energy efficiency, set realistic targets and support other
industries to reduce emissions.
The “Climate Catalysts” webinar was recently hosted by GDS, the
Global Sustainability Destination movement, focusing on understanding
where tourism emissions come from and the capacity of destination
management organisations (DMOs) to influence change in this area.
Destinations need to measure their own carbon emissions, set targets,
and build knowledge within the organisation and across functions. The
webinar discussed how it’s increasingly important to see what the
marketing team within a DMO does through a climate action lens and what
the finance or purchasing teams do too, so that different departments
can work together to help the organisation move in the right direction.
Demand vs supply emissions
Focusing on where a destination can make the biggest difference is
key, as well as understanding its capacity to influence change. Dr
Mireia Guix, lecturer in tourism and hospitality at the University of
Queensland, said destinations should consider a range of tourism
emissions, at the demand, supply and destination level. ‘Demand’
emissions include the number of tourists who visit, how much they spend
and where they spend it, as different products can have varying carbon
intensities.
At the supply level, destinations should examine energy efficiencies –
for example, to what extent does the tourism business rely on renewable
energies versus fossil fuel and how ‘green’ is the supply chain? Market
mix at the destination level is equally important, as different visitor
market segments – from business to leisure to sporting events for
example, will have varied carbon footprints depending on how far they
have travelled, how long they are staying and what activities are
planned.
Guix added that destinations should also consider how much a
destination relies on imports versus local products and consider
specific characteristics that cannot be changed. For example, an island
destination is likely to rely on long-haul aviation, and any investments
that destinations make right now in terms of new airports and railway
connections for example, are locking up emissions for many years to
come.
More than support actions
According to research, however, many destinations appear to commit
mostly to ‘support actions’, meaning that their pledges are not specific
enough to measure change. And while many factors can be outside a
destination’s control, that doesn’t mean they cannot do anything about
it.
“For some factors, you may have direct control; for others, you may
support firms’ change of behaviour, influence consumers’ behaviour or
coordinate and lobby for large-scale policy changes,” said Guix. “The
idea is that you are aware that your role is to influence change, among
businesses through the supply chain. Uptake of renewables, more energy
efficiency or greener supply chains also influence consumer behaviours.”
Matti Pollari, project manager at Visit Tampere in Finland shared the
region’s climate action programme for the year ahead, showing how it
has elevated climate action to a competitive advantage for tourism by
showcasing efforts towards carbon neutrality in the tourism and events
sector by 2030. Its strategies include improving clean energy supply,
public transportation, and walkability/cyclability in the city centre,
as well as measuring carbon footprints, decarbonising businesses and
developing sustainable mobility services.
