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Long-Term Sustainable Development of Tourism in South Tyrol: An Analysis of Tourists’ Perception

Author

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  • Katia Laura Sidali

    (Faculty of Economics and Management, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Universitaetsplatz 1, 39031 Bruneck, Italy)

  • David Huber

    (Deinsuedtirol.com, Maria-Trost-Strasse 38, 39012 Meran, Italy)

  • Guenter Schamel

    (Faculty of Economics and Management, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Universitaetsplatz 1, 39100 Bozen, Italy)

Abstract

Although sustainable tourism concepts are gaining in importance everywhere, related research is quite fragmented with many studies concentrating on environmental sustainability. Seeking to contribute to the general discussion, we first examine the perceptions of sustainability among tourists using a best–worst scaling method applied to important aspects of sustainable tourism. Our results show that experiencing nature in an intense and profound way is considered the most important aspect of sustainable tourism whereas grappling with the culture of the host region is perceived as the least important aspect of sustainable tourism in our sample. Second, we analyze if socio-demographic and/or other factors have significant implications for the propensity to increase expenditures for sustainable holiday offers. Applying a simple regression model, we can show that age has a significant and positive impact on the propensity to spend more on a sustainable holiday offer such as overnight stays in an accommodation that is carbon-neutral. Other socio-demographic variables such as gender, education, and income are not significant. Moreover, hotel stars and average expenditures per person per night are significant and have a positive effect on the propensity to spend more on carbon-neutral housing. Two simple policy implications can be drawn: (1) sustainable tourism experiences should prioritize landscape and natural beauty; and (2) sustainable tourism offers are best suited for higher-priced and/or higher starred hotels.

Suggested Citation

  • Katia Laura Sidali & David Huber & Guenter Schamel, 2017. "Long-Term Sustainable Development of Tourism in South Tyrol: An Analysis of Tourists’ Perception," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-9, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:10:p:1791-:d:114038
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sidali, Katia Laura & Spiller, Achim & von Meyer-Hofer, Marie, 2016. "Consumer Expectations Regarding Sustainable Food: Insights from Developed and Emerging Markets," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 19(3), pages 1-30, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dębski Maciej & Andrzejczyk Robert & Borkowska-Niszczota Małgorzata & Krawczyk Adriana, 2022. "Consumer Attitudes towards Pro-ecological Activities in Accommodation Facilities," Journal of Intercultural Management, Sciendo, vol. 14(2), pages 66-83, December.
    2. Katia Laura Sidali & Anna Spitaler & Günter Schamel, 2019. "Agritourism: A Hedonic Approach of Quality Tourism Indicators in South Tyrol," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-9, July.
    3. Dengov, V. & Melnikova, E., 2013. "Adverse selection in various insurance markets and the ways to deal with it (the experience of practical research)," Annals of marketing-mba, Department of Marketing, Marketing MBA (RSconsult), vol. 2, July.
    4. Kumju Hwang & Jieun Lee, 2018. "Antecedents and Consequences of Ecotourism Behavior: Independent and Interdependent Self-Construals, Ecological Belief, Willingness to Pay for Ecotourism Services and Satisfaction with Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-18, March.
    5. Serena Lonardi & Yvonne Unterpertinger, 2022. "The Relevance of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Traditional Languages for the Tourism Experience: The Case of Ladin in South Tyrol," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-15, February.
    6. Salvador Garcia-Ayllon, 2018. "Urban Transformations as an Indicator of Unsustainability in the P2P Mass Tourism Phenomenon: The Airbnb Case in Spain through Three Case Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-21, August.
    7. Andrey Aistov, 2012. "Is Education a Signal on the Russian Labour Market?," HSE Working papers WP BRP 05/EDU/2012, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    8. Carine Pachoud & Riccardo Da Re & Maurizio Ramanzin & Stefano Bovolenta & Damiano Gianelle & Enrico Sturaro, 2020. "Tourists and Local Stakeholders’ Perception of Ecosystem Services Provided by Summer Farms in the Eastern Italian Alps," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Marco Haid & Julia N. Albrecht, 2021. "Sustainable Tourism Product Development: An Application of Product Design Concepts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    10. Canmian Liu & Ruyun Zhang & Min Wang & Jing Xu, 2018. "Measurement and Prediction of Regional Tourism Sustainability: An Analysis of the Yangtze River Economic Zone, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-20, April.

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