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Circular Economy Contributions to the Tourism Sector: A Critical Literature Review

Author

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  • Carlos Rodríguez

    (Department of Applied Economic Analysis, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, Spain)

  • Carmen Florido

    (Department of Applied Economic Analysis, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, Spain)

  • Marta Jacob

    (Department of Applied Economics, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma, Spain)

Abstract

Economic activity today is still based on a linear model of production and consumption: extract/produce and consume/throw, which exhausts natural resources and generates waste. The current linear economy does not optimize materials nor favour their recycling, reuse or recovery. Hence, the concept of Circular Economy (CE) has received increasing attention between policymakers and stakeholders worldwide. However, the literature on CE was mainly developed for the manufacturing sector, and only a few references are found on the tourism sector even though it is a sector where huge consumption of energy and water, food waste, congestion problems and CO 2 emissions take place. This work aims to evaluate the importance of tourism in the CE literature and to identify current research trends and possible gaps in the literature on CE and tourism. In order to identify papers for this, the authors carried out a literature review of papers in the social science citation index (Web of Science) and Scopus. The keywords used are related to the tourism sector and CE, and the last search was made at the end of January 2020. Only papers published in English have been considered in the sample, which totals to 55 articles. Each contribution is analysed and, according to its content, classified into eight streams; then, the paper identifies two knowledge areas in tourism that this scientific production covers and the areas with lack of knowledge generated. Findings show that more research is needed about tourism’s intersection with CE in order to generate possible solutions towards a more sustainable tourism industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Rodríguez & Carmen Florido & Marta Jacob, 2020. "Circular Economy Contributions to the Tourism Sector: A Critical Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-27, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4338-:d:362889
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Immacolata Viola & Biagio Simonetti & Lina ?zt?rk, 2018. "Sustainable jobs and tourism," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(2), pages 45-56.
    2. Sebastiano Patti, 2017. "Circular economy and sharing consumption: Attitudes towards low-carbon tourism," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(1-2), pages 219-234.
    3. Manuel Uche-Soria & Carlos Rodríguez-Monroy, 2019. "An Efficient Waste-To-Energy Model in Isolated Environments. Case Study: La Gomera (Canary Islands)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-21, June.
    4. repec:aud:audfin:v:20:y:2018:i:48:p:388 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Alan Murray & Keith Skene & Kathryn Haynes, 2017. "The Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Concept and Application in a Global Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 369-380, February.
    6. Rodica Pamfilie & Daniela Firoiu & Adina-Gabriela Croitoru & George Horia Ioan Ionescu, 2018. "Circular Economy – A New Direction for the Sustainability of the Hotel Industry in Romania?," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 20(48), pages 388-388.
    7. Carmen Florido & Marta Jacob & Margarita Payeras, 2019. "How to Carry out the Transition towards a More Circular Tourist Activity in the Hotel Sector. The Role of Innovation," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Zengwei Yuan & Jun Bi & Yuichi Moriguichi, 2006. "The Circular Economy: A New Development Strategy in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 10(1‐2), pages 4-8, January.
    9. Jacob, Marta & Florido, Carmen & Payeras, Margarita, 2014. "Knowledge production in two mature destinations," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 280-284.
    10. Francesca Nocca, 2017. "The Role of Cultural Heritage in Sustainable Development: Multidimensional Indicators as Decision-Making Tool," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-28, October.
    11. Josep-Francesc Valls & Luís Mota & Sara Cristina Freitas Vieira & Rossana Santos, 2019. "Opportunities for Slow Tourism in Madeira," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-23, August.
    12. Pasquale Marcello Falcone, 2019. "Tourism-Based Circular Economy in Salento (South Italy): A SWOT-ANP Analysis," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-16, July.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dolores R. Santos-Peñate & Rafael R. Suárez-Vega & Carmen Florido de la Nuez, 2023. "A Location-allocation Model for Bio-waste Management in the Hospitality Sector," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 611-639, September.
    2. Aurelija Burinskienė & Olga Lingaitienė & Artūras Jakubavičius, 2022. "Core Elements Affecting the Circularity of Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-21, July.
    3. Sørensen, Flemming & Bærenholdt, Jørgen Ole, 2020. "Tourist practices in the circular economy," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    4. Rocío González-Sánchez & Sara Alonso-Muñoz & María-Sonia Medina-Salgado & María Torrejón-Ramos, 2023. "Driving circular tourism pathways in the post-pandemic period: a research roadmap," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(3), pages 633-668, September.
    5. Tanya Rheeders & Daniel F Meyer, 2022. "The Development of a Regional Tourism Destination Competitiveness Measurement Instrument," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 4(1), pages 1-20, December.
    6. Francesca Nocca & Martina Bosone & Pasquale De Toro & Luigi Fusco Girard, 2023. "Towards the Human Circular Tourism: Recommendations, Actions, and Multidimensional Indicators for the Tourist Category," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-22, January.
    7. Julia Martínez-Cabrera & Francisco López-del-Pino, 2021. "The 10 Most Crucial Circular Economy Challenge Patterns in Tourism and the Effects of COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-41, April.
    8. Ronald Jiménez Aliaga & Ignacio De los Ríos-Carmenado & Felipe San Martín Howard & Sonia Calle Espinoza & Amparo Huamán Cristóbal, 2022. "Integration of the Principles of Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems CFS-RAI from the Local Action Groups: Towards a Model of Sustainable Rural Development in Jauja, Peru," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-26, August.
    9. Alexis Ioannidis & Konstantinos J. Chalvatzis & Leonidas C. Leonidou & Zhiteng Feng, 2021. "Applying the reduce, reuse, and recycle principle in the hospitality sector: Its antecedents and performance implications," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3394-3410, November.
    10. Lucia Della Spina, 2023. "A Prefeasibility Study for the Adaptive Reuse of Cultural Historical Landscapes as Drivers and Enablers of Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-30, August.
    11. Ioannis Arzoumanidis & Anna M. Walker & Luigia Petti & Andrea Raggi, 2021. "Life Cycle-Based Sustainability and Circularity Indicators for the Tourism Industry: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-11, October.
    12. Marzena Smol & Joanna Duda & Agnieszka Czaplicka-Kotas & Dominika Szołdrowska, 2020. "Transformation towards Circular Economy (CE) in Municipal Waste Management System: Model Solutions for Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-25, June.
    13. Kiaušienė Ilona & Hladkova Valeriia & Makūnaitė Greta, 2024. "Application of Circular Economy Principles in the Tourism Sector," Management Theory and Studies for Rural Business and Infrastructure Development, Sciendo, vol. 46(1), pages 31-44, March.
    14. Andrei-Florin Băbăț & Mirela Mazilu & Amalia Niță & Ionuț-Adrian Drăguleasa & Mihaela Grigore, 2023. "Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index: From Theoretical Definition to Practical Analysis in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-26, June.
    15. Martina Bosone & Francesca Nocca, 2022. "Human Circular Tourism as the Tourism of Tomorrow: The Role of Travellers in Achieving a More Sustainable and Circular Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-35, September.
    16. Carlos Rodríguez & Marta Jacob & Carmen Florido, 2020. "Socioeconomic Profile of Tourists with a Greater Circular Attitude and Behaviour in Hotels of a Sun and Beach Destination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-28, December.
    17. Nikolaos Skarakis & Georgia Skiniti & Stavroula Tournaki & Theocharis Tsoutsos, 2023. "Necessity to Assess the Sustainability of Sensitive Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Review of Tourism Pressures and the Travel Cost Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-18, August.
    18. Mohammad Kaviyani Charati & Fatemeh Gholian-Jouybari & Mostafa Hajiaghaei-Keshteli & Mohammad Mahdi Paydar & Fatemeh Sadeghi, 2024. "Designing a sustainable dental tourism supply chain considering waste treatment," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 342(1), pages 173-214, November.
    19. Jorge Alejandro Silva, 2022. "Implementation and Integration of Sustainability in the Water Industry: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-28, November.

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