www.renewabletourism.com
Center for Sustainable Tourism
East Carolina University
Business Research Division
Leeds School of Business
University of Colorado at Boulder
National Renewable Energy Lab
Seed funding provided by the CU Energy Initiative and ECU’s Center for Sustainable Tourism
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How individual travelers can save in energy
use.
How tourism providers can save in energy use
and thus lower operating costs.
How public policy can support such change.
How can we simplify the “learning curve” for each of these?
Currently
a US $7.1 trillion industry
 one of the largest and fastest growing employment
markets internationally
 employs over 231.2 million people worldwide.
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Projection
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will continue rapid growth
realize a forecast of US $13.2 trillion industry impact by
2017
employ 262.2 million people.
World Travel & Tourism Council
Currently
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one of America’s largest retail industries
estimated $699.9 billion in total expenditures
employs 7.5 million people.
Projected
to be one of the fastest growing industries in the United
States
 expected expenditures by 2010 will be over $700 billion
 will produce over 8 million jobs.
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Travel Industry Association of America
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Unique industry--requires people to move to
their destination rather than moving a product
to the marketplace.
Growth has been powered by fossil fuels which
comes at increasing environmental costs.
Such dependence threatens the long-term
economic health of tourism businesses and the
pristine environments throughout the World.
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The European Environment Agency reported that tourism
is responsible for 5-7% of total emissions in Europe.
Climate change threatens most prized tourism
destinations such as beaches, coral reefs and mountain
resorts.
In addition to transportation emissions, most of the energy
in the lodging sector is spent on refrigerating and/or
heating rooms, water for consumption and pools, along
with food.
Energy consumption due to world wide tourism could be
in the magnitude of 5,000 million kWh per year.
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A clear understanding of the "major determinants of
energy use” and the "obstacles to moving toward more
sustainable energy use“.
Understanding the role consumers (travelers), business
owners and operators, and public officials all play in
cooperatively creating an environment for change
within the various tourism sectors.
Effectively matching the direct correlation of the
impact of each traveler on a place and its people.
An industry-wide initiative to educate, provide advice,
and support renewable energy practice.
Tourism corporations and businesses seem to
be motivated to adopt sustainable strategies in
order to:
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Decrease costs/improve profits;
Create greater brand recognition;
Enhance reputation;
Increase market share;
Increase employee loyalty and cost savings;
Contribute to the well-being of the
community; and
Improve relationships/meet regulations with
governmental entities.
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a systemic approach
initiatives that cut across all management and
functional areas of a company
a coherent approach to sustainability
a vehicle for companies to share each other’s
practices
a strategy where local community leaders and
residents, employees, and guests, are
encouraged and allowed to establish
ownership.
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Renewable forms of energy offer an exciting
opportunity within tourism as it is abundant,
clean, and inexhaustible.
Allows tourism businesses to reduce energy
costs, increase profits, and meet the growing
consumer expectations of tourism's
environmental responsibility.
Allows consumers of the travel product to
learn about and practice, techniques applicable
in many other areas of their lives.
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the adoption process of renewable energy
within the travel and tourism industry better
linking science to practice.
the important components of implementation,
entrepreneurship, and transformation.
implementation of the many and varied
available scientific techniques within an
industry that has tremendous environmental
impacts.
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Increase their awareness of the impact
renewable energy can have on the delivery and
long-term acceptance of their product.
Increase the ability to respond and prepare for
these impacts through sound business practice.
Identify those business practices that can likely
lead to long-term implementation of renewable
energy strategies.
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What are the perceptions of tourists of the general
environmental issues facing them while making
their destination choices?
Most specifically, what are the perceptions of
tourists of the implications of the use of renewable
energies on their destination choices?
How will these perceptions impact traveler
behaviors in the future whether it be in activity
choice, destination selection, or the duration,
frequency and timing of visitation?
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Climate and tourism gathering for business
operators and scientists.
Review of actions to date in tourism and
renewable energy.
Preparation of “best practices” across six
sectors of the tourism industry.
Gathering of industry leaders to determine
strategy for change.
Call to action and final report.