Consumption

Major challenges

In European source markets, tourists increasingly want to know what is behind a tourism product or service. But awareness alone is obviously not sufficient for tourists interested in sustainability to actually also act accordingly.

Sustainable consumption is one aspect of a sustainable way of living. Such a way of living stems from the awareness that each individual should not consume more resources than are (on average) available to everyone else, respecting the earth’s capacities to regenerate. The trips undertaken by a privileged minority that disproportionately contribute to climate warming, that consume enormous amounts of resources, destroy the environment, and promote social inequality are in contradiction to a sustainable way of living.

Sustainable consumption starts in everyday life. One foundation is the concept of a “good life” which places the focus on satisfying human needs for relationships, positive emotions, commitment and the achievement of goals in a meaningful context. Those who are content in their daily lives may need to compensate less during travel. The concept of sufficiency is key – the attempt to become increasingly independent from material resources when satisfying needs. This also includes deceleration: renegotiating the relationship between “here and there”, between work and leisure. Other concepts include fairness, environmentally friendly behaviour and strategic purchases – from climate offsetting and sustainable travel products to souvenirs.

 

Tangible ways forward

A change of social values is the foundation for such concepts to take root among the general public. Supported by public funding, different organisations – NGOs, educational institutions and businesses – can bring about this change of values through their efforts. Learning to evaluate different life styles and developing competencies to take action is an important objective of school and out-of-school education for sustainable development.

In tourism training, these skills need to be expanded to include knowledge of best practice approaches to sustainability. The tourism sector has been focusing on positive emotions and hedonistic needs. If the marketing of tourism products included information

on how they contribute to satisfying needs of a good life and integrate mindfulness and action in solidarity, this would be a contribution to such a change of values (>> Goal 4).

Reducing barriers and fostering competence

Interventions to promote sustainable travel behaviour go beyond information and appeals: they accompany and support tourists across different phases: While pondering over a decision, tourists needs different options and examples; in the planning phase they need tangible decision-making support; in the implementation phase they need guidance to overcome internal (psychological) and external (political, family-related, financial) barriers, and in the evaluation phase they need possibilities to assess the sustainability of their own behaviour. Possible distribution channels for such tools and offers include both new media and traditional travel agents.

Abolishing hidden subsidies for unsustainable tourism

At the same time, all the barriers that prevent sustainable decisions must be overcome. In target 12.c, the 2030 Agenda especially mentions phasing out subsidies which cause counterproductive market distortions and undermine sustainable development. This includes tax exemptions for aviation as well as the generous availability of resources and infrastructure for tourism at the cost of tax payers in the destinations. All of these boost cheap travel. These subsidies, which are often hidden, need to be abolished, cost transparency needs to be improved and true costs need to be reflected. These are essential steps to ensure that knowledge and awareness will actually lead to responsible action – also in tourism.