Renewable Energy in Tourism Initiative RETI

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Renewable Energy in Tourism Initiative (RETI)
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 ECUs Center for Sustainable Tourism
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What RETI is trying to effect

• 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?
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Globally, Tourism is . . .

• Currently
• a US 7.1 trillion industry
• one of the largest and fastest growing employment
  markets internationally
• employs over 231.2 million people worldwide.
• Projection
• 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
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Domestically, Tourism is . . .

• Currently
• one of Americas 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.

Travel Industry Association of America
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Why tourism?

• 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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Environmental impact of tourism

• 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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What has been missing?

• 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.

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Tourism corporations and businesses seem to be
motivated to adopt sustainable strategies in
order to

• 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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Successful adoption of sustainable techniques in
tourism requires . . .

• 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 others
  practices
• a strategy where local community leaders and
  residents, employees, and guests, are encouraged
  and allowed to establish ownership.

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Why renewables?

• 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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RETI is addressing . . .

• 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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The tourism provider must . . .

• 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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Questions pertinent to the traveler

• 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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RETI actions include . . .

• 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.