2. Transportation
Transportation is one of the largest users of energy.
Promoting mass transportation lessons the ecological footprint, conserves energy, reduces carbon emissions, reduces the need for parking lots, as well as many other social and environental benefits.
Walt Disney World Resorts® is a model for promoting both mass transportation and alternatives to the automobile.
Each year they move ninety million guests around the resort through diverse transportation modes including: monorail, boats, buses, and trams. In addition they have developed pedestrian trails and bike trails connecting accommodations and theme parks.
Walt Disney World has also developed an incentive to use mass transportation from the airports to their Hotels, and Cruise ships through the Magical Express.
This program is estimated to save about eleven million metric tons of carbon per year.
The Rocky Mountain Institute has outlined a plan to reinvent our transportation system and described in the video below.
Promoting mass transportation is a crucial aspect of reducing carbon emissions in the tourism industry. Encouraging visitors to use public transportation, bicycles, and walking instead of private cars can significantly reduce a destination's carbon footprint. This strategy also promotes a more sustainable and responsible tourism experience by minimizing negative impacts on the environment, reducing traffic congestion, and improving air quality.
Some destinations have implemented various mass transportation initiatives such as providing shuttle buses, bike rental programs, and pedestrian walkways.
Here are four questions that could be asked to any tourism-related business or organization regarding Promote Mass Transportation - Reduce carbon emissions:
How does your business encourage visitors to use public transportation, bicycles, or walk instead of private cars when visiting the destination?
Method 1: The business could track the number of visitors who use public transportation, bicycles, or walking and compare it to the number of visitors who use private cars. They could obtain this information through surveys, ticket sales data, or traffic monitoring tools.
Method 2: The business could also partner with local transportation authorities to provide visitors with information on public transportation options, including schedules, routes, and fares. This partnership could be proven by obtaining documentation of the partnership agreement and any marketing materials developed in collaboration with the transportation authorities.
How does your business ensure that visitors are aware of the environmental impact of their transportation choices?
Method 1: The business could include information on their website, social media pages, or brochures about the carbon emissions produced by private cars versus mass transportation options. They could also provide tips on how visitors can reduce their carbon footprint when traveling to and within the destination.
Method 2: The business could offer incentives to visitors who use mass transportation options, such as discounts on admission fees, tours, or local products. The business could track the number of visitors who use these incentives and the resulting reduction in carbon emissions to provide proof of the effectiveness of this strategy.
How does your business work with local transportation authorities and other stakeholders to improve mass transportation infrastructure in the destination?
Method 1: The business could participate in local transportation planning and advocacy groups to ensure that the needs of tourists are taken into account when designing and implementing mass transportation infrastructure projects. They could obtain proof of this collaboration through meeting minutes, email correspondence, or joint press releases.
Method 2: The business could provide financial or in-kind support to local transportation authorities to improve infrastructure, such as bike lanes, pedestrian walkways, or shuttle bus services. They could obtain proof of this support through receipts, invoices, or photos of the infrastructure improvements.
How does your business measure the impact of its mass transportation initiatives on carbon emissions reduction and visitor satisfaction?
Method 1: The business could track the number of visitors who use mass transportation options before and after implementing their initiatives and calculate the resulting reduction in carbon emissions. They could obtain proof of this reduction through carbon footprint calculators or other tools that estimate emissions based on transportation mode.
Method 2: The business could conduct surveys of visitors to assess their satisfaction with the mass transportation options provided and identify areas for improvement. They could obtain proof of visitor satisfaction by sharing survey results or testimonials from satisfied visitors.
Goals:
Increase the percentage of visitors who use public transportation, bicycles, or walking by 10% within the next year.
Partner with local transportation authorities to develop and promote a new shuttle bus route to a popular tourist destination within the next 6 months.
Provide visitors with information on the carbon emissions produced by their transportation choices on the business's website and social media pages within the next month.