The role of the accommodation sector in sustainable tourism: Case study from Iceland

• Main Author: Prodea, Emilia, 1988-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði; Sjálfbærni; Ferðaþjónusta; Farfuglaheimili; Umhverfisáhrif; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/23656

The tourism industry is one of the world’s most significant sources of economic outcomes and employment, and also a significant contributor to climate change. The accommodation sector is the fundamental component of tourism and is responsible for approximately 21% of the tourism-related CO2 emissions. As a core tourism sector in the ecosystem services, accommodation establishments interfere with all types of tourism-related forms and concepts. Thus, accommodation establishments have the potential to spread the principles of sustainable tourism across the tourism industry by educating and encouraging their guests to take direct part in the sustainable progress of their chosen accommodation. This thesis assesses the relationship between guests’ sustainable behaviour at home and while travelling, by analysing guests’ rankings of sustainable practices. Using two sets of surveys, before and after travelling, the results show that the accommodation sector has the potential to positively influence its guests’ behaviour towards more sustainable practices. The results of the accommodation sector’s analysis in sustainable tourism are expected to provide important information for the development of future governmental policies. Additionally, the results offer a strong background for future research and provide the accommodation sector with practical sustainable indicators that can be applied to all accommodation establishments, regardless of their type. Keywords: Sustainability, sustainable tourism, accommodation, hostels, environment, impact Á heimsvísu gegnir ferðaþjónustan mikilvægu hlutverki í hagrænu tilliti og hvað atvinnusköpun varðar, auk þess sem hún hefur marktæk áhrif á loftslagsbreytingar. Gistiþjónusta er grundvallarþáttur innan ferðaþjónustunnar og er gistiþjónusta talin ábyrg fyrir 21% af útblæstri gróðurhúsalofttegunda sem tengdur er ferðaþjónustu. Innan þjónustu vistkerfa – og sem mikilvægur hluti ferðaþjónustu – þá tengist gistiaðstaða öllum gerðum að hugtökum og formum á sviði ferðaþjónustu. Þannig ...