The willingness of tourists to offset carbon emissions

Abstract of the study

Purpose:Voluntary carbon offsetting (VCO) has emerged as a debated mechanism in sustainable tourism that enables tourists to offset their carbon emissions. However, despite a widely expressed willingness to participate, actual participation remains low. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing participation in VCO programs and the discrepancy between the stated willingness to offset emissions and actual participation.

Results: The results of this study identify a persistent gap between tourists' willingness to offset emissions and their actual behavior. Although VCO programs can promote environmental awareness, their voluntary nature and concerns about their credibility significantly limit their impact. The results suggest that reliance on VCOs alone is not sufficient to achieve substantial emission reductions. In addition, complementary policy measures such as carbon taxes and default opt-in mechanisms could help bridge the gap between environmental intentions and actual behavior.

Recommendations: Although there is a clear difference between willingness to offset carbon emissions and actual participation, differences in study designs, sample sizes, national contexts, and the subjective nature of reported behaviors may influence the results.

Originality/value: This study provides a comprehensive review of the empirical evidence on VCO participation and assesses the reluctance to participate in voluntary mechanisms by linking the results to consumer psychology and policy effectiveness. It provides actionable insights for policy makers, tourism operators and researchers and highlights the need for regulatory interventions to increase the effectiveness of carbon mitigation strategies in tourism.

Key findings of this study

Persistent gap between intention and behavior
The study shows a gap between tourists' expressed willingness to offset carbon emissions and their actual participation. Although there is a widespread expressed willingness to participate, actual engagement remains low. This inconsistency raises the critical question of whether voluntary programs alone are sufficient to achieve significant emissions reductions in the tourism sector.

Insufficient effectiveness of voluntary offsetting schemes
The results suggest that reliance on VCOs alone is not sufficient to achieve substantial emission reductions. The Tourism Panel on Climate Change (TPCC) supports the view that VCOs do not currently make a meaningful contribution to reducing emissions.

Credibility and voluntary nature are key barriers
The effectiveness of voluntary offset programs is significantly limited by their voluntary nature and concerns about their credibility. Many tourists have a negative attitude towards VCOs, express skepticism and encounter mistrust regarding the effectiveness of offsetting.

The need for complementary policy measures
The study recommends additional policy measures such as carbon taxes or default opt-in mechanisms to bridge the gap between environmental intentions and actual behavior. Regulatory measures are necessary to increase the effectiveness of mitigation strategies in tourism and to promote greater responsibility. Such interventions, especially default opt-in mechanisms, can increase participation rates by making offsetting an effortless choice and reducing cognitive dissonance.