TY - JOUR

T1 - Leisure travel distribution patterns of Germans

T2 - Insights for climate policy

AU - Gössling, Stefan

AU - Lohmann, Martin

AU - Grimm, Bente

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Transport accounts for an estimated 23% of energy-related global CO2 emissions, a large share of this for leisure and tourism purposes. Despite national and sector-specific pledges to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases, there are no consistent policies for the transport sector, which is characterized by continued strong growth. Against this background, this paper investigates holiday travel patterns of one of the most important tourism markets worldwide, Germany, based on data from annual travel surveys (‘Reiseanalyse’, with n = ∼7500). Data on trip numbers, transport modes and travel distances are evaluated, indicating that emissions of greenhouse gases related to holiday travel (including trips lasting 5 days and longer) are significant at an average 320 kg CO2 per trip and person. Findings also show that the distribution of holiday travel emissions is highly skewed among the population and heavily depending on trip type. While about a quarter of the population does not participate in holiday travel at all, a small, highly mobile and wealthier share of travellers, 4% of the German population, engages in five or more holiday trips per year. These travellers are also more likely to participate in the most carbon-intense trips, long-haul flights and cruises, which generate 2 t CO2 and more per trip. Findings are discussed in the context of national climate policy.

AB - Transport accounts for an estimated 23% of energy-related global CO2 emissions, a large share of this for leisure and tourism purposes. Despite national and sector-specific pledges to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases, there are no consistent policies for the transport sector, which is characterized by continued strong growth. Against this background, this paper investigates holiday travel patterns of one of the most important tourism markets worldwide, Germany, based on data from annual travel surveys (‘Reiseanalyse’, with n = ∼7500). Data on trip numbers, transport modes and travel distances are evaluated, indicating that emissions of greenhouse gases related to holiday travel (including trips lasting 5 days and longer) are significant at an average 320 kg CO2 per trip and person. Findings also show that the distribution of holiday travel emissions is highly skewed among the population and heavily depending on trip type. While about a quarter of the population does not participate in holiday travel at all, a small, highly mobile and wealthier share of travellers, 4% of the German population, engages in five or more holiday trips per year. These travellers are also more likely to participate in the most carbon-intense trips, long-haul flights and cruises, which generate 2 t CO2 and more per trip. Findings are discussed in the context of national climate policy.

KW - Tourism studies

KW - Aviation

KW - Climate Change

KW - Climate policy

KW - Cruise

KW - Emissions

KW - Germany

KW - Business psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85030850559&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.cstp.2017.10.001

DO - 10.1016/j.cstp.2017.10.001

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 5

SP - 596

EP - 603

JO - Case Studies on Transport Policy

JF - Case Studies on Transport Policy

SN - 2213-624X

IS - 4

ER -