Search

The tourism industry collectively seeks to portray itself as being proactive in embracing climate action, but is the sector doing enough to decarbonise to the extent agreed on in the Paris Agreement? This paper presents a constructive critique of the key mechanisms that presently define the global travel and tourism industry's attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Six challenges are identified and each constitutes a major hurdle to rapid and substantial progress. These are: tourism's embeddedness in the prevailing growth paradigm, the institutionalisation of interests, the nature of policy making, the inadequacy of incremental improvements, the focus on technological efficiency instead of (behavioural) conservation, and the global distribution of tourism. The paper concludes by suggesting that only systemic changes at a large scale will be sufficient to break or disrupt existing arrangements and routines. Tourism academics should contribute to identifying and helping to implement solutions, but this will require much greater collaboration with the industry and government, as well as with researchers from a broad range of disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Including members of the public in the development of effective environmental monitoring systems is gaining traction. This research assesses the potential for a hybrid monitoring system for the case of coral at the Great Barrier Reef. Based on a review of citizen-derived data sources, the paper first develops a framework and then populates it with five datasets. These are then compared based on data volumes, type of data, spatial coverage, and bleaching patterns. The results reveal the inherent difficulties – both in terms of quantity and quality – for collective sensing data (Twitter in this case) and more structured human sensors approaches (Eye on the Reef Sightings). However, more targeted approaches, such as CoralWatch and tourism-operator based data collection, emerged as important contributors to information generation on the state of coral. Citizen-based data that either deliver a high data density per location, a wide geographic coverage, or regular observations over time are particularly valuable. Recommendations are made for developing a hybrid monitoring system that integrates citizen-derived with professionally collected data. • Framework for differentiating various approaches to citizen-derived data • Comparison of five data sources for coral at the Great Barrier Reef • Collective sensing data are insufficient in quantity and quality. • Structured citizen science programs can add considerable value. • A hybrid monitoring system could greatly assist the marine park authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Global tourism is booming, and so is demand for air travel. Recognising that travellers come with a carbon footprint increases the complexity of decision-making for destinations that seek to attract more visitors. The carbon risk inherent in travel to and from a destination could be substantial but current approaches of accounting and lack of transparent data impede a full understanding of exposure and trends. This research therefore takes a demand-focused approach and proposes ten carbon risk indicators that help destinations assess their absolute and relative risk to the economic, financial, social and environmental costs of carbon. The analysis generates global benchmarks for carbon-, passenger- and itinerary-related indicators, and presents a list of most exposed destinations, approximated by departure airports. A comparative assessment of four airports highlights how differences in passenger volumes, geography, route network and travel behaviour by markets influence exposure. Recommendations for destinations are provided. Highlights • Conceptualising carbon risk for destinations that stems from aviation emissions. • Destination-based indicator framework to manage carbon risk. • Global benchmarks for key carbon risk indicators. • First comprehensive carbon account of global aviation by airport. • Case study comparison of risk factors for four airports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) addresses both ecosystems and livelihoods. • EbA-specific scholarship provides an opportunity to study adaptation constraints. • We identify six different classes of constraints in the current literature. • Existing lessons could inform future design and implementation of EbA projects. • Further theoretical development of EbA is needed as a research and policy issue. Abstract In the international climate policy arena, Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) has become the preferred adaptation approach to climate change in the least developed and developing countries. Its perceived strength lies in the premise that adaptation strategies need to address both ecosystems and livelihoods simultaneously, given these are crucially intertwined and both under a threat from climate change. While EbA has certainly made progress as an adaptation approach, a lack of understanding still exists how EbA approaches contribute to 'effective' adaptation, including the circumstances where they face constraints and limits. Furthermore, implementation of EbA approaches ideally requires a level of understanding about ecosystem structure, productivity and dynamics, and how these are affected by climate change and other direct anthropogenic stressors, that are rarely available in developing countries. This paper aimed to synthesise the current knowledge in the emerging body of EbA specific literature on the kinds of constraints that hamper the use of EbA. Our analysis examined the following constraints: economic and financial, governance and institutional, social and cultural, knowledge constraints and gaps, and physical and biological constraints and limits. The identified constraints demonstrate the complexities in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating EbA and propose significant further areas of research, including the need to provide well-documented case studies of EbA, which crystallise the main lessons learned such as practical challenges in designing and implementing EbA projects and research programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating tourism's emissions, in particular related to transportation is critical, to achieve the broader national emission reduction targets in developing countries. To gain a better understanding of the carbon emissions related to one of Chinese top destinations, and assess changes over time, this article analyses the travel patterns of both domestic and international visitors to Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. Two points in time are examined, namely 2009 and 2015. The results show that despite some contraction towards closer and shorter trips, the overall growth (a near doubling in arrivals) led to a substantial increase in carbon emissions. The increasing role of the private car and high-speed rail has been noted in particular. The average transportation carbon footprint of visitors to Zhangjiajie changed from 94.55 kg CO 2 in 2009 to 82.97 kg in 2015 per trip, and 18.87 kg in 2009 to 16.46 kg in 2015 per visitor day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite preoccupation in the literature with tourism decline and rejuvenation there is limited research and theoretical frameworks to understand the impact a dominant resources sector has on tourism and its ability to rejuvenate. Grounded in transformation theory, this research explores the mechanisms of change within two resource sector dependent regions (Gladstone and Roma, Australia) with a focus on the ramifications for tourism. Adopting a qualitative approach, the economic evolution of the regions is explored through 78 in-depth, interpretative interviews with residents and key stakeholders. Since 2006, several projects aimed at converting coal seam gas to liquefied natural gas have been transitioning through exploration, approval and construction to operation in these regions. Results indicate that recognition of vulnerability and the need for change (coined ‘seeds of transformation’) were apparent in each region despite the mining boom still peaking. A multi-sectoral model of transformation is theorised to add explanatory power to previous conceptualisations of tourism transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term goal of containing average warming below the 2 °C limit requires deep cuts in emissions from all sectors. The fast growing global aviation industry has committed to reduce carbon emissions. Carbon offsetting is an integral element of the sector's strategy. Already, airlines offer voluntary carbon offsetting to those customers who wish to mitigate the impact of their travel. To ensure carbon offsetting can make a meaningful and credible contribution, this paper first discusses the science behind ‘carbon offsetting’, followed by the associated policy perspective. Then, against the context of different aviation emissions pathways, the paper provides empirical evidence of current airline practices in relation to offsetting mechanisms and communication. Building on these insights, the challenges of reducing aviation emissions and using carbon credits to compensate for ongoing growth are discussed. The paper concludes by proposing five principles of best practice for carbon offsetting that airlines can use as a basis to develop credible emissions strategies, and that could inform the sectoral framework currently being developed by leading aviation organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is often heralded as a force for peace, however, empirical research to confirm this suggestion is scant. To address this gap, this research integrates several datasets on conflict and tourism to examine whether a larger inflow of tourists makes civil conflict less likely. Several theoretical arguments of the role of tourism alongside other peace determining factors are presented. These inform the development of a probit model, and several specifications, that tests the hypothesis based on data from 126 countries and for the years from 1995 to 2010. The findings provide strong evidence that increasing tourism arrivals have a stabilising effect and increase the chance of peace. Implications for tourism and its role in the process of development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shani and Arad (2014) claimed that tourism scholars tend to endorse the most pessimistic assessments regarding climate change, and that anthropogenic climate change was a “fashionable” and “highly controversial scientific topic”. This brief rejoinder provides the balance that is missing from such climate change denial and skepticism studies on climate change and tourism. Recent research provides substantial evidence that reports on anthropogenic climate change are accurate, and that human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, including from the tourism industry, play a significant role in climate change. Some positive net effects may be experienced by some destinations in the short-term, but in the long-term all elements of the tourism system will be impacted. The expansion of tourism emissions at a rate greater than efficiency gains means that it is increasingly urgent that the tourism sector acknowledge, accept and respond to climate change. Debate on tourism-related adaptation and mitigation measures is to be encouraged and welcomed. Climate change denial is not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is affected by social, political, economic, technological and environmental changes at all scales. Population growth, redistribution of wealth, geopolitical changes and conflicts, rising fuel costs, climate change and its consequences, new technologies and work patterns, and all forms of social fashion influence who wants to travel where, for how long, to do what, and at what prices. Here, we examine six large-scale exogenous trends for the global tourism sector over the next 30 years: (1) The social, economic and environmental consequences of gradual warming and of extreme weather events associated with climate change; (2) The effects of higher fuel costs and social concerns on mass long-haul travel; (3) The role of new technologies, including social media, in marketing, managing, experiencing and monitoring tourism; (4) Economic growth and social change in the highly populous and newly wealthy BRICS nations, especially India and China; (5) The consequences of armed conflict and geopolitical negotiation for tourism, and the use of tourism as a tool for geopolitical interests; (6) The increasing linkages, and also conflicts, between tourism and conservation in many countries. Improved understanding of these megatrends, and the interactions between them, are priorities for future tourism research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluntary carbon offsetting was popularised during the last decade, particularly by airlines, as a tool to 'neutralise' emissions associated with travel. Although there is a wide range of carbon offsetting schemes for tourism, the uptake of these programs has been reportedly low. Regardless, little research has explored the visitor segments who voluntarily undertake carbon offsetting. Consequently, this research investigates the prevalence of carbon offsetting amongst international tourists to Australia between 2008 and 2010 and, using cluster analysis, segments the carbon offsetters into three distinct markets. Findings reveal a stable carbon offsetting market, despite a Global Financial Crisis occurring during the reference period. Further, travellers from the United Kingdom/Europe were more likely to carbon offset, while those from Asia were less likely to participate in the schemes. Thus, this could indicate that the social marketing, public discourse and substantial media coverage in the United Kingdom/Europe had enhanced climate change mitigation behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather conditions that influence natural resource-based tourist destinations are likely to be affected by climate change, but our understanding of how businesses and destinations manage for present and future conditions is limited. In this study we report on the relationships between weather and tourism activities in the Queenstown-Lake Wanaka region, South Island, New Zealand. Key stakeholder interviews and a workshop form the empirical basis of this paper. Coping range application ideas derived from ecological management literature are used to develop a framework to understand and inform thinking and strategies around how tourism businesses and destinations are currently responding to the weather and perhaps could in future respond to climate change. Results show that within a destination individual businesses have widely varying relationships with the weather, with each type of activity operating within its own coping range to particular environmental gradients, for example temperature. Coping, which can be observed outside the ‘ideal’ range of a particular environmental gradient, requires business adjustments so as to cope with increasingly marginal conditions, up to a Critical Stop Point – the ultimate threshold. The data suggest that increased need for adjustments impacts on business viability, and more planned adaptation measures would be necessary to increase viability under increasingly detrimental climatic conditions. Discussion at a destination level workshop indicates that at and beyond thresholds, keystone industry and destination level strategic adaptation planning is required to ensure the viability of the destination as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Conceptualizing two separate levels of public engagement: attitudinal versus behavioral. • Place values consist of a core motivating factor of public engagement. • Trust is the most important antecedent of attitudinal engagement (i.e., acceptance). • Guilt is the most important influencer of behavioral engagement (i.e., support). • Hope could increase public acceptance but has no impact on public support. The twin crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change make it urgent to find ways of restoring natural ecosystems, including coral reefs. Methods for coral reef restoration are rapidly advancing, bringing with them a range of potential risks and opportunities. Attention to public engagement in the governance of such activities therefore becomes critical. This research examines public attitudinal and behavioral engagement in 'traditional' coral restoration projects in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (i.e. coral gardening at relatively small scales). Grounded on dual-process decision-making and trust theories, rational factors (i.e., perceived benefits), emotions (i.e., hope and guilt) and trust are conceptually three main determinants of public engagement in ecological restoration. We used a mixed-method approach, including 63 individual interviews and a follow-up survey with 1585 participants, to clarify the roles of these psychological factors in motivating public engagement in current coral restoration projects. Trust was found to be the most important factor influencing public acceptance (i.e., attitudinal engagement) of coral restoration, while the emotion of guilt was the most influential factor affecting public support (i.e., behavioral engagement). Therefore, when advocating for conservation projects, different campaigns could be implemented with: (1) positive messages of hope and trust to gain public acceptance for government-funded restoration projects and (2) messages highlighting individual responsibility to motivate behavioral support to scale up restoration projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is increasing empirical evidence that the climate in Nepal is changing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, with substantial impacts on the long-established ways of life of the local people. The development of responsive actions, or climate change adaptation, hinges on understanding how people make sense of changes in their local climate and how they interpret associated risks and opportunities. Based on a qualitative case study with 30 tourism stakeholder participants in the Annapurna Region of Lower Mustang, Nepal, this research explored people’s understanding of climate change and their perceptions of different levels of impact. The range of perceived impacts is discussed against the background of multiple livelihoods and diverse cultural interpretations. Participants, while not always scientifically ‘accurate’ in their assessments, displayed a high level of engagement with, and understanding of their local environment and climate. The results of this study provide further testimony to the value of local knowledge on relevant climate parameters and impacts, and the role it could play in enhancing the usefulness of macro-level climate projections, as well as local-level climate change adaptation initiatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Successful application of the resilience framework for a tourist destination. [•] Identification of factors and thresholds that affect resilience to climate variability. [•] Exploration of potential for further operationalizing of tourism resilience framework. [•] Interdisciplinary approach that integrates across ecological and social sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Severe weather events can impact negatively on tourism and put tourists at risk. To reduce vulnerability, tourists should be aware of and be prepared for possible severe weather. Seeking risk information, a type of protective action behaviour, is an important way to reduce vulnerability. This paper presents the results of a study that investigated the role of Locus of Responsibility (LoR) for protection behaviour for severe weather, by linking it with Information Seeking and related intra-personal antecedents. LoR has previously been found to impact protective action decisions, but not within the context of severe weather and tourism. Our survey research among tourists in New Zealand provided evidence for three Loci of Responsibility; “Internal”, “Shared” and “External”. Significant differences between these groups were found for Information Seeking antecedents, though not for Information Seeking. Next, significant differences were found for weather information preferences, both source and content. Findings and implications for tourism and safety management in New Zealand are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Despite increased global interest in the impacts of natural disasters on tourism, little research has occurred into exploring how these are addressed at the destination level. Creating a link between tourism and disaster risk reduction and management is particularly important in places that rely heavily on tourism and, at the same time, are prone to natural hazards. New Zealand is a good example. Hence, in this paper we use the case study of the Northland region to explore how both tourism and disaster management stakeholders perceive the role of tourism in present and future disaster risk management activities. The overall finding is that tourism in Northland is currently poorly considered in existing disaster management planning, and recent natural disasters have identified a range of gaps and concerns within each of the Four Rs (Reduction, Readiness, Response and Recovery). Based on these insights, and building on the current Civil Defence structure, a template for linking tourism into disaster management is proposed and populated. A Tourism Action Plan, adopted by the Northland ‘Tourism Cluster’, provides a guideline for tourism specific initiatives that complement the existing Civil Defence plans, thus adding value to the formal disaster management efforts. Considering the lack of systematic disaster management in tourism reported in the literature, this research should also be of interest to other tourist destinations and their aspirations for long term sustainability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The academic debate on tourism and climate change has expanded considerably in the last few years. This paper''s narrative and systematic review of 459 English-language academic publications (1986 to 2012) synthesises the research on tourism and climate change, identifies key trends and social networks, and provides a critique for further discussion in this evolving knowledge domain. The analysis shows that the size of the field has grown, that research includes multiple dimensions (e.g., climate impacts, adaptation, mitigation, and policy), and that studies have become more integrative and critical. The co-authorship network is characterised by a core, which is disconnected from a more fragmented periphery, whereby the “centre of gravity” comprises a relatively small number of researchers who tend to co-author a large number of publications. The paper concludes that, overall, research on tourism and climate change has developed into a knowledge domain in its own right. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is expected that global oil prices will increase in the future. Assessing the overall economic impacts on tourism is difficult, as oil price rises will be concomitant with global changes in other commodity prices, exchange rates, and incomes. A general equilibrium perspective is therefore presented in this paper. The model couples a global general equilibrium model with a purpose-built CGE model of New Zealand, which focuses on describing tourism supply and demand in some detail. The results indicate a decrease in real gross national disposable income of 1.7% for a doubling of oil price and a 9% reduction in the real value of tourism exports. As a result of segment-specific price increases and differing income and exchange rate effects and elasticities, the reduction in demand for tourism in New Zealand by 18 segments differs substantially. The greatest reduction in demand is observed for tourists from the United Kingdom. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Demand elasticities for New Zealand tourism are estimated for 16 different international visitor segments. Segments are differentiated by origin, purpose of visit, and travel style. Elasticities for both international visitor arrivals and on-the-ground expenditure per arrival are estimated for each segment using time-series data. In general, on-the-ground consumption per arrival is more price sensitive than number of arrivals, and Asian market segments are found to be more price sensitive, both in terms of arrivals and on-the-ground expenditure, compared to international visitors from other regions. An application of the results is presented giving the total effect of exchange rate changes on expenditure by international visitors in New Zealand, and management implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Growing scarcity of oil and increasing oil prices are highly relevant for tourism. This research provides a critical meta-analysis to assess current knowledge of ‘tourism and oil’. The interdisciplinary analysis is complex as there are no clear boundaries of the phenomenon, the interpretation of ‘facts’ is context dependent, and activities relevant to tourism and oil are multi-dimensional. The review suggests that increasing oil prices will have far-reaching impacts on tourism, including changes to people’s lifestyles and the role of tourism within these. Presented knowledge of tourism and oil is far from comprehensive and serves as a starting point for further enquiry. In particular, research on the interpretive components of the phenomenon remains poorly conceptualised and ill-understood. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper introduces an innovative approach for assessing visitor satisfaction at the destination level by identifying attributes of interest from social media text and indirectly measuring performance and importance values. A lexicon-based method for sentiment analysis is applied to determine performance value at the destination level, while importance is calculated using an adjusted association rule mining algorithm. The results are validated with earlier survey-based attributes relevant to visitors and Australia's case. The results demonstrate encouraging accuracy, suggesting that the proposed methodology offers opportunities to assess tourist satisfaction at destinations with larger sample sizes for a lower cost and greater data collection flexibility than traditional approaches. The methods proposed could be beneficial in a wide range of tourism contexts. • Destinations are recognized from tourists' travel itineraries. • Sentiment analysis is applied to identify performance at multiple destinations. • The importance of each attribute is calculated proportionally at each destination. • Validated results of social media data with survey data [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the perceptions of climate change by those working in tourism greatly supports development of adaptation measures in destinations. However, limited evidence of either perceptions or tourism adaptation measures is available from China. Building on protection motivation theory, this study explores how Chinese working in tourism perceive climate change and what their adaptation intentions are. The study demonstrates that the current level of climate risk perception is relatively high, and people feel informed. The results indicate that (1) Information plays an important role in risk and adaptation appraisals; (2) Individuals are more likely to take adaptation measures if they perceive greater climate risks and have higher adaptive capacity; (3) An increase in adaptive incentives would generally support an increase in adaptation appraisal; (4) Providing greater adaptive incentives will motivate tourism staff to take actions and implement adaptation measures. The findings have implications for adaptation policies and strategies in destinations. • A first attempt to examine Chinese tourism employees and managers' climate change perceptions and adaptation intentions. • The current level of climate risk perception is relatively high, and people feel informed. • Respondents are more likely to take measures if they perceive greater climate risks and have higher adaptive capacity. • Providing more adaptive incentives will motivate tourism staff to take actions and implement adaptation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing concern about the climate crisis comes with increased scrutiny of flying as an emission-intensive activity. This study conceptualises a modern communication system and draws on social media data to examine pre-COVID-19 (September to December 2019) public conversations about aviation and climate change. The analysis of >326,000 Twitter posts reveals that issue salience can be considerable at times, especially during key events such as United Nation climate summits and for users from countries such as Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, France and Spain. Topic modelling identified five key frames: economy and industry, public opinion, fairness and conflict, consequences and responsibility. The fairness and conflict frame recorded the largest number of tweets, and was noteworthy for its negative sentiment. It also had the highest retweet rate and the densest network in terms of average users per community. The responsibility frame was interesting for its positive sentiment, and perhaps the opportunity for aviation stakeholders to contribute proactively to the conversations by sharing climate action success stories. Given the importance of public opinion (voters and consumers), and the link between media activity and policy decisions, the ongoing monitoring of issue salience, frames and peer groups related to flying and climate change seems beneficial. • Machine learning approach to monitoring social media discussions on aviation and climate change. •Aviation is a salient topic within climate change discussions on Twitter. •There are pronounced peaks in salience, often in association with key events. •Five frames have been identified from the aviation climate change social media activity. •The fairness and conflict frame is most prominent and negative and requires stakeholder attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In its present form, tourism is dependent on the availability of oil and is comparatively oil-intensive. While forecasts for future tourism growth are optimistic, there is also increasing evidence about the imminence of a peak in oil production and the economic effects that this would cause. Globally and on a destination level it will be necessary to consider how a transition towards fossil-fuel free economies might look like for tourism.It is therefore timely and prudent for the tourism sector to consider its current oil requirements and derive indicators for monitoring its oil consumption. In particular, destinations need indicators of the amount of oil consumed by the various markets from which they receive visitors. New Zealand is used as an example for assessing the oil-intensity of its Top 10 countries of origin based on the 10 indicators. Overall, the least exposed markets for New Zealand with respect to oil are Australia, China, Singapore, and Taiwan, although a more detailed analysis would be required for markets that display very heterogeneous travel behaviour. Among the indicators, eco-efficiency is particularly important as it allows comparison of resource inputs with economic outputs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tourism in island states is vulnerable to climate change because it may result in detrimental changes in relation to extreme events, sea level rise, transport and communication interruption. This study analyses adaptation to climate change by tourist resorts in Fiji, as well as their potential to reduce climate change through reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. Interviews, site visitations, and an accommodation survey were undertaken. Many operators already prepare for climate-related events and therefore adapt to potential impacts resulting from climate change. Reducing emissions is not important to operators; however, decreasing energy costs for economic reasons is practised. Recommendations for further initiatives are made and synergies between the adaptation and mitigation approaches are explored. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Overseas wholesalers play an important role in the development of sustainable tourism because they put together packages and brochures, and thereby influence customer choices and behavior. This research, by means of brochure analysis and interviews, investigated the role of whole- salers in developing more energy-efficient itineraries. Currently, Australian coach tours to New Zealand travel 243 km per day, and self-drive tours travel 174 km per thy to visit the main tourist icons in both the North and South islands. This results in considerable energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. There is some potential for tourists to stay longer, travel less (e.g., visit only one island), and demand greater involvement and broader experiences. Because transport is not a main factor for the budgeting of tours, a carbon tax in the order of several percent of travel costs would have little impact on travel itineraries. Shifts towards more energy-efficient products need to be triggered by consumer demand, and be supported by marketing agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing awareness of environmental issues related to tourism, the interface of tourism and energy use or climate change remains unexplored. However, tourism demands energy at various functions ranging from travel to catering, and the management of tourist attractions. Since a tourist''s holiday is composed of a broad selection of travel choices the associated energy use differs substantially. This paper shows how different travel choices within the transport, accommodation, and attraction and activity sub-sectors demand different amounts of energy, and how this adds up to the total ‘energy bill’ of international and domestic tourists in New Zealand. While the total energy use of international tourists (7318 MJ/trip within New Zealand) is four times that of domestic tourists, the energy use per day does not differ between these two types. Transportation clearly dominates the bill, with a contribution of 65–73% for international and domestic tourists, respectively, and is at the centre of energy saving measures. By altering ones’ travel style tourists can substantially influence their energy demand. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A major threat to the sustainability of tourism is the escalating demand for energy resulting in the depletion of natural resources and an associated threat to the global climate. It is argued that tourism, and particularly the recreational part of the product, may contribute considerably to a country''s ‘energy bill’. This study analyses tourist attractions and activities in New Zealand with the purpose to understanding the energy use of different categories, sub-categories, and operator types. The results of a survey across a wide range of tourism businesses (N=107) show that tourist attractions, such as museums (10 MJ/visit), or experience centres (29 MJ/visit) generally consume less energy than tourist activities, such as scenic flights (344 MJ/flight) or jet boating (255 MJ/ride), on a per capita basis. Various factors influence the total energy cost of a business and the consumption per tourist, particularly when motorised travel is used to overcome physical barriers. Such factors include visitor numbers, management style, technical equipment, and fuel mix. A detailed examination of the energy use pattern of an operator can often improve the energy efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A novel and innovative way of tracking Chinese visitors' mobility to Australia and other world regions • Mining data from Chinese social media Sina Weibo to understand their travel pattern • Hight resolution of data visualisation • Discover new dimension of global mobility [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]