Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
from car travel. Becken (2005), however, sounds a note of caution as she
argues that mobility and hotel accommodation are integral to coach tourism.
In the context of New Zealand, that encourages intensive use of energy
(Becken et al, 2003b).
However, the industry estimates are corroborated in several scientific
studies which point to the comparative advantage of the bus over car travel,
especially the importance of load factor (Romilly, 1998; Solyu, 2007). Raux
et al (2005), for example, calculated comparative average CO
2
emissions for
different modes in the French transport system. Whilst the plane accounts for
169 grams per person km and the car 111, the bus generated 41 grams and
the coach only 24. The bus and coach sector is also exploring lower emissions
impact in the design and fuel use of vehicles. Santarelli et al (2003) reported
on trials between conventional diesel-fuelled buses and hydrogen fuel cell
powered vehicles in Italy, concluding that in the medium term fuel cell pow-
ered buses could be utilized in urban transport, although they argued that
more investment and innovation were required by government.
Summary
The development of bus services (as with other forms of urban transport)
throughout the world has been primarily for utility purposes, with little or no
regard for tourists or the potential to develop this market (Manente et al,
2000). Yet many bus services attract tourists on board, because they go to
places tourists want to visit. Alternatively, they offer a scenic ride between
locations, and this has an intrinsic value in its own right. There is consider-
able potential to develop the leisure market, but, other than marketing trips
to retail centres, most bus companies do little to attract other market segments
visiting attractions, historic locations or scenic landscapes.
There are exceptions to this rule where services are designed specifically
to cater for the movement of tourists around resorts, and these are predomi-
nantly seasonal. In some cases, there is an additional interpretation or a tour
guide on board. There are also services designed to encourage sustainable
access to natural areas instead of taking a car, and these are very attractive to
the slow traveller. Several initiatives in the USA, such as bus access to national
parks, are attracting slow travellers to nature destinations (Turnbull, 2000).
The coach is a very low-carbon form of tourism when carrying a high-
occupancy load. This is a form of tourism often overlooked in the academic
literature, and one that potentially has a higher share by mode than is typi-
cally recognized. Scheduled inter-urban coaches and explorer tours are two
types that fall within the slow traveller's approach to holidaymaking.
The wide range of services, which has been referred to as the bus and
coach sector in this chapter, could be a more important part of the sustainable
travel solution in future, as argued by Currie and Rose (2008, p10):
Changing circumstances, such as climate change, peak oil and
technology may add to the list of potential drivers for future
public transport demand growth.
