Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Gössling, 2009). This is an interesting and innovative development that fits
the overall strategic direction of slow travel destinations. Caribsave (2009) is
an example of a project with the objective 'to support the transition of the
Caribbean region's tourism sector to become the world's first “Carbon
Neutral” tourism region'. Gössling (2009) provides a critical discussion of
this strategy. Whilst recognizing it as a positive move, Gössling (2009) points
to the limitation of a strategy that focuses only on the carbon neutrality within
a destination context. He indicates that a comprehensive carbon neutrality
scheme needs to include transport to and from the destination as well. To
achieve carbon neutral status, destinations will probably include compensa-
tion for tourism emissions in another way, perhaps through offsetting
schemes.
Given the poor regulation of various labelling schemes (Weaver, 2006)
there is doubt about the worth of some schemes. Many schemes also require
substantial cost and effort to gain accreditation, and are therefore not partic-
ularly useful in a sector dominated by small, medium-sized and
micro-enterprises. Once accreditation has been gained, there are also issues
related to maintaining accreditation. Many schemes have no ongoing moni-
toring, so business may lapse into poor practices once accreditation has been
gained (Sasidharan et al, 2002). Therefore, while labelling schemes could
make a significant contribution to low-carbon tourism, there are many admin-
istrative and practical issues still to be resolved.
Low-carbon tourism summary
The strategies summarized in this chapter to reduce the use of energy sources
and CO
2
emissions are not likely to balance the climate change impacts of
tourism. The above strategies are likely to be driven by international govern-
ment policy, emissions trading (see Gössling and Upham, 2009) being the first
to take effect. In this respect, the adaptation capacity of different actors in
tourism is variable (Gössling and Hall, 2006). One fundamental point
remains; there will still be a need to address the emissions accruing from trans-
port to destinations.
It should not, however, be assumed that the tourism sector globally will
be impacted negatively by mitigation policies. Domestic tourism and tourism
that flourishes on near markets will not be heavily impacted in many parts of
the world. Given that, in a global context, air travel accounted for just 17 per
cent of tourism trips in 2005 (Bows et al, 2009b), most tourism remains fea-
sible without air travel. As Bows et al (2009b, p17) indicate:
One clear consequence of the introduction of climate change
mitigation policies that are strong enough to avoid dangerous
climate change, is that air transport will likely become substan-
tially more expensive in the future and may even be less
available.
Tourists have good adaptation capacity, as they can shift destination, time of
travel and length of stay. The adaptation capacity of tour operators is also
