This study is undertaken with the background that tourism is an active contributor to the man-made climate change and is also vulnerable to impacts of climate change. Apart from climate adaptation measures, the tourism industry needs to develop mitigation strategies to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Tour operators play the key role in climate protection measures in the tourism industry but may also face significant challenges due to climate change. This paper focuses on carbon offsetting as one tool of tour operators’ climate protection activities. Besides a literature analysis, empirical data was collected through qualitative interviews for this study. Two different surveys were undertaken: one with international tour operators that are already active in climate protection and one with tour operators in Namibia. The interviewed companies all used carbon offsetting by either managing an own project to compensate emissions or by cooperating with an offsetting agency. The choice seemed to be founded in each company’s capacity and resources as well as in their basic philosophy. Forestry projects as self-managed offsetting projects were clearly preferred. It was identified that pivotal factors for choosing forestry projects were accessibility for travel groups, tangibility for communication purposes and social benefits for local communities. Several companies indicated growing customer satisfaction or believed their climate commitment would positively influence their bookings. These outcomes were independently of the type of offsetting project the tour operators supported. The study further revealed that general factors for success in climate mitigation are not related to the size of a company, but rather its general commitment to sustainability, a strategic carbon management plan and transparent and comprehensive communication.
The second part of the paper comprises a case study from Namibia in which tour operators’ current awareness and perception of climate change are analysed. Additionally, tour operators’ knowledge and attitude towards carbon offsetting are studied. This study showed that tour operators were overall aware of potential threats for the tourism development in Namibia and considered climate change to become increasingly important in the future for the tourism industry. However, climate protection was not yet a high priority for the companies and only minor steps were taken to reduce carbon emissions.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Objectives and Research Purpose
1.3 Methodology Outline
1.4 Report Structure
2. Tourism and Climate Change
2.1 Climate Change Background
2.1.1 State of Knowledge
2.1.2 Market Mechanism of Carbon Trading
2.2 Interrelations of Climate Change and Tourism
2.2.1 Tourism’s Contribution to Climate Change
2.2.2 Climate Change’s Impacts on Tourism
2.3 Climate Adaptation Measures in Tourism
2.4 Climate Mitigation Measures in Tourism
2.4.1 Voluntary Carbon Offsetting in Tourism
2.4.2 Voluntary Carbon Markets, Standards and Certifications
2.4.3 Offsetting Projects
2.5 Examples of Climate Initiatives in Tourism
2.6 Travellers’ Awareness and Attitudes Regarding Climate Change
2.7 Research Questions
3. Methodology
3.1 Qualitative Research Approach
3.1.1 Primary Data Collection – Guided Expert Interview
3.1.2 Construction of Interview Guidelines
3.1.3 Selection of interview partners
3.1.4 Transcription and Analysis
3.2 Limitations
4. Tour Operators and Carbon Management
4.1 Introduction
4.1.1 The Role of Tour Operators in Mitigating Climate Change
4.2 Examples of “front running” Tour Operators
4.2.1 The Companies
4.3 Interview results
4.3.1 Tour Operators’ Motivations for Climate Commitment
4.3.2 Customer’ Awareness of Climate Change
4.3.3 Carbon Management and Climate Protection Measures
4.3.4 Communication of Climate Commitment
4.3.5 Acceptance, Feedback and Effects of Climate Protection Activities
4.4 Discussion & Conclusions
4.4.1 Discussion
4.4.2 Conclusions
5. Case Study: Tour Operators and Carbon Offsetting in Namibia
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Key questions and hypotheses
5.3 Introduction to Namibia
5.4 Climate Change in Namibia
5.5 Tourism in Namibia
5.5.1 Overview of Namibia’s Tourism
5.5.2 Namibia’s International Tourists
5.5.3 Tourism Resources
5.5.4 Demand Side
5.5.5 Potential Impacts on Tourism Caused by Climate Change
5.5.6 Tourism Stakeholders at a Glance
5.6 Empirical research
5.6.1 Overview of Tour Operators Interviewed
5.6.2 Research outcomes
5.7 Discussion
5.8 Conclusions and Recommendations
5.8.1 Conclusions
5.8.2 Opportunities and Recommendations
6. Final Remarks
Research Objectives & Key Topics
This master's thesis investigates the motivation, attitudes, and preferences of tour operators regarding climate protection measures, with a specific focus on carbon offsetting. By analyzing international front-runners and conducting a case study in Namibia, the research seeks to identify how tourism businesses in developing countries, which are heavily dependent on nature-based tourism, can integrate climate mitigation strategies into their operations.
- Analysis of international best-practice examples of tour operators' climate commitment.
- Investigation of tour operators' awareness of climate change and perception of its impact on tourism.
- Comparative study on the effectiveness and acceptance of various carbon-offsetting models.
- Evaluation of barriers and opportunities for implementing climate protection measures in Namibia.
- Development of recommendations for sustainable, collaborative climate management in the tourism sector.
Excerpts from the Book
1.1 Background
Climate change is now commonly acknowledged to present the major challenge of this century. According to the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), the last 50 year’s global warming is “very likely” to be an effect of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from human activities (IPCC, 2007). By 2030, the emissions of the six key GHG are expected to have increased by 25 to 90% compared to 2000, if no actions are being taken (UN, 2011). To reduce the emissions and eventually stabilize the level of GHG in the atmosphere, policies need to be put in place and mitigation measures need to be adopted (IPPC, 2007; UN, 2011).
The tourism industry’s contribution to climate change is estimated to amount to 5% of to the global GHG emissions (UNWTO & UNEP, 2008). The transportation and especially the aviation sector account for the largest part of the emissions (e.g. Scott et al., 2010; Becken, 2008). As this segment is expected to continue to rapidly grow, also the share of tourism’s emissions will likely enlarge (UNWTO, 2009). In regard to climate change, the tourism industry does not only contribute to it, but is also directly and indirectly affected by the consequences of a changing climate (e.g. UNWTO, 2009; Strasdas, 2010; Gössling, 2011; Davidson, 2009; Becken 2004; respect, 2009; Yang, 2010). This is due to the fact that most types of tourism are very sensitive to changing climate conditions, extreme weather events (Gössling et al., 2010; Becken & Hay, 2007) and are dependent on natural resources and an intact nature, namely landscape, biodiversity and wildlife or simply in relation to clean water supply (UNWTO, 2009).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the background of climate change in relation to the global tourism industry and defines the core objectives and methodology of the research.
2. Tourism and Climate Change: Reviews existing literature on the complex interdependencies between tourism and climate change, focusing on adaptation and mitigation measures like carbon offsetting.
3. Methodology: Details the qualitative research design, including the use of expert interviews and case study analysis to investigate tour operators' climate protection efforts.
4. Tour Operators and Carbon Management: Presents findings from international "front-running" tour operators regarding their climate strategies, motivations, and the effects of their offsetting initiatives.
5. Case Study: Tour Operators and Carbon Offsetting in Namibia: Investigates the specific context of the Namibian tourism industry, analyzing local operators' current climate awareness and their potential needs and preferences for future mitigation projects.
6. Final Remarks: Synthesizes the core findings of the thesis and provides a starting point for future research on the intersection of tourism, climate mitigation, and sustainable development.
Keywords
Climate Change, Tourism Industry, Carbon Offsetting, Mitigation Strategies, Namibia, Tour Operators, Sustainable Tourism, Carbon Management, Environmental Awareness, Climate Protection, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Nature-based Tourism, Corporate Social Responsibility, Adaptation, Tourism Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work focuses on the role of tour operators in mitigating climate change, specifically exploring the use of carbon offsetting as a primary tool for climate protection and management.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
Key themes include the contribution of tourism to global GHG emissions, the vulnerability of tourism destinations (particularly Namibia) to climate impacts, and the strategic adoption of carbon-offsetting schemes by tour operators.
What is the primary research goal?
The main objective is to investigate the motivations, attitudes, and preferences of tour operators regarding climate protection, and to understand how these operators in developing countries view their role in mitigation.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The research adopts a qualitative approach, primarily utilizing semi-structured expert interviews with tour operators to gain in-depth insights into their business philosophies, carbon management practices, and climate engagement.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body examines international best practices among "front-running" tour operators and conducts a specific case study in Namibia to analyze the awareness and potential for climate mitigation projects in an economy highly dependent on nature-based tourism.
How would you characterize this work via keywords?
The work is characterized by terms such as Sustainable Tourism, Carbon Offsetting, Climate Mitigation, Namibia, Tour Operators, and Corporate Social Responsibility.
How do tour operators in Namibia perceive climate change?
Namibian tour operators acknowledge climate change primarily as a potential threat to their industry via indirect impacts (such as rising flight costs affecting long-haul arrivals), though few view it as an immediate priority compared to urgent social and development challenges.
What preference do tour operators show regarding carbon-offsetting projects?
There is a strong preference for collaborative, locally-based, and tangible projects that provide clear community benefits, rather than relying on anonymous or distant carbon credit schemes.
- Quote paper
- Wiebke Freund (Author), 2012, Carbon offsetting as part of tourism operators’ strategy to mitigate climate change, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/298440
