October 2013 - Volume 14, Issue 4
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Polyu HTM
Travel Trade's Role in Reducing Tourism's Carbon Footprint Enhanced by PolyU Study and Educational Toolkit

On 17 September, the SHTM announced the findings of a study on "Enhancing the Role of the Travel Trade in Reducing Tourism's Carbon Footprint". The study found that although the senior management and owners of travel agencies are aware of tourism's contribution to carbon emissions, the limited provision of carbon efficient products hinders their frontline staff from promoting low carbon tourism to their clients. Likewise, while frontline travel trade staff members are very concerned about environmental issues, many feel ill-equipped or qualified to provide clients with knowledgeable suggestions.

Funded by the Council for Sustainable Development of the Hong Kong SAR Government, the study was conducted by a team led by Assistant Professor, Dr Barry Mak and joined by Professor Bob McKercher. Targeting frontline travel trade staff members in Hong Kong the team had the goal of developing a series of professional development programmes to enhance their knowledge, awareness and understanding of tourism's contribution to climate change and how they, as key informants, can influence tourist behaviour. The SHTM has observed that Hong Kong's travel trade is generally unaware of its contribution to carbon emissions and the global climate change issue. As travel agents and tour operators in Hong Kong are considered key informants in tourism, it is important to help them develop their awareness so that they can play an active role in providing relevant advice and shaping tourists' travel behaviour.

The study was conducted in two stages. Stage one involved in-depth interviews with the owners and senior management of travel agencies in Hong Kong, and with representatives from the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC) along with detailed questionnaires sent to over 600 frontline outbound travel trade staff members. Senior management and owners believed that tourism contributes significantly to climate change, and that the sector has a role to play in its mitigation. However, they indicated that suppliers should also be expected to provide more carbon-efficient products, and that the government should take the lead in tackling the issue.

Among the 632 questionnaires received, the vast majority of the respondents (86.6%) had not received any formal training related to climate change, carbon emissions or their responsibilities as travel trade professionals. More than half of the respondents (59.3%) were concerned about environmental issues and familiar with the terminology associated with climate change, despite readily admitting that their knowledge was limited. A few (16.6%) reported having profound knowledge of climate change and only 2.1% indicated a deep understanding of the issue.

The study also found that the frontline travel trade staff members' low awareness and lack of knowledge resulted in ill-informed opinions about climate change and tourism's role in it. Many frontline staff members felt unqualified to inform clients and thus saw the need for formal training in this regard.

In the second stage of the project, travel agencies' owners, senior management members and frontline travel trade staff members were invited to training workshops at which they were introduced to various tactics and strategies for developing their knowledge.

The SHTM believes that this sort of training must begin by creating awareness about climate change and establishing its significance for tourism - emphasising frontline staff members' ability to make a difference. Staff members must discover the range of actions available to them as they educate themselves about how to play a more proactive role in encouraging clients to modify their behaviour. Furthermore, senior management will need to be more active in raising the climate change issue with suppliers.

The project team has developed a digitalised educational toolkit comprising the topics and findings introduced in the training workshops, along with the tactics and strategies offered. This toolkit will be provided to the TIC for their future use in conducting similar training workshops for other stakeholders and industry members.

The development of this toolkit contributes to the sustainable development of the travel trade industry, not only in Hong Kong but also worldwide.