Sustainable behaviour in tourism and hospitality

Abstract

This special issue collects research on how actors in the tourism and hospitality supply chain can be encouraged towards sustainable behaviour by connecting to their values. In line with Schwartz’s (2012) value theory, values are interpreted as guiding principles in life. Recognising the need for a coordinated effort among different constituencies in the transition toward a more sustainable future, the call was not limited to actors at the organisational level but wished to include those at the societal level, such as policy makers, and at the individual level, such as tourists and guests (Cavagnaro & Curiel, 2012), as well. The tourism and hospitality sector’s future greatly depends on its capacity to meet a growing demand without increasing its environmental footprint or its pressure on the destination communities (UNWTO and UNDP, 2017). In other words, tourism needs to develop sustainably. Although the debate about what sustainable development means is still ongoing, there is increasing consensus that it requires value creation on a social, environmental, and economic dimension. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) represent the most recent operationalisation of sustainable development. The SDGs were established by the United Nations in 2015 as a new global sustainable development agenda for 2030. Gradually but steadily, the UNSDGs have since been embraced by governments and organisations alike and have become the reference point for all actors in the sustainability discourse. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted on the achievement of the UNSDGs and has dramatically highlighted the need for a global coordinated effort (UNWTO, 2018). Considering the impact that tourism and hospitality have on both the socio-economic and the environmental aspects of sustainability, it is no surprise that each of the 17 UNSDGs can be related to the sector. Pre-COVID tourism, for example, accounted for 8 to 12% of worldwide carbon emissions (UNWTO, 2018). Most emissions were related to transport and the goods used in the service, particularly food. Tourism and hospitality, therefore, have a direct impact on goals 12 (sustainable consumption) and 13 (climate change). Providers and consumers have the option of choosing forms of transport with a smaller carbon footprint and goods that are both healthy for people and for the planet. It is also hoped that tourism’s post-pandemic recovery will see a change towards local tourism (thus reducing long-haul flights) and an increased focus on the well-being of people at the destination (Tomassini & Cavagnaro, 2020). Changes of such a magnitude, however, do not happen automatically, but must be purposively designed and managed. The aim of this special issue is to highlight the fact that it is essential to include tools in the design process that encourage people to show more sustainable behaviour, and to support them in doing so. The UNSDGs clearly encompass environmental, social and economic goals, and therefore align with an understanding of sustainable development as value creation at the social (or people), environmental (or planet), and economic (or profit) level. Even though progress has been made, a holistic understanding of sustainable development in the tourism and